snmpd on *nix

If you would like to monitor a server running freebsd/linux/solaris, follow these instructions to get snmpd up and running so you can then use MRTG to see the various stats available.
(I am updating these docs to reflect some changes with snmpd, so please email me if you find problems).

The following items are generic to any *NIX. For more system-specific info, click on your flavor:
- FreeBSD
- Debian Linux
- RedHat Linux
You need to obtain the source code for an snmp daemon. I recommend net-snmp (formerly ucd-snmp). You can get it from Sourceforge's net-snmp Project Home Page
- dan:drk:[4:33pm]:~> lynx http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/net-snmp/ucd-snmp-4.1.2.tar.gz
Unpack the source:
- dan:drk:[4:33pm]:~> tar -zxvf ucd-snmp-4.1.2.tar.gz
go into the source directory:
- dan:drk:[4:34pm]:~> cd ucd-snmp-4.1.2
Read all the documentation (in a perfect world, maybe). In all seriousness, at the very least read the INSTALL file, and the FAQ file before installing.
Install ucd-snmp - (you will be prompted for a few things during configure, such as Location, syscontact, etc. Answer these appropriately):
- dan:drk:[4:39pm]:~/ucd-snmp-4.1.2> ./configure;make
- dan:drk:[4:45pm]:~/ucd-snmp-4.1.2> su
- [root@dan ucd-snmp-4.1.2]# make install
(If you get any errors while doing these steps, consult the documentation that came with ucd-snmp)

Build an snmpd.conf file - if you want to know the specifics of the file, look at EXAMPLE.conf in the source directory or look at http://net-snmp.sourceforge.net/#Documentation. Otherwise, feel free to use my example here:

		com2sec local     ip.of.mrtg.server(or localhost if snmpd and mrtg are on the same server)        community-string-you-want
		group MyROGroup v1         local
		group MyROGroup v2c        local
		group MyROGroup usm        local
		view all    included  .1                               80
		access MyROGroup ""      any       noauth    exact  all    none   none

cut-and-paste the above text and save it as /etc/snmpd.conf

Start snmpd using the new snmpd.conf file:
- [root@dan ucd-snmp-4.1.2]# /usr/local/sbin/snmpd -c /etc/snmpd.conf

Test it out. Go to the server running mrtg (or localhost if mrtg is on the same box):

If everything installed/started ok, you should see something similar to this:

[root@dan ucd-snmp-4.1.2]# snmpwalk localhost public

(Of course, substitute the correct community string you chose)

system.sysDescr.0 = Linux dan.voyager.net 2.2.18 #1 Fri Mar 30 09:40:31 EST 2001 i686
system.sysObjectID.0 = OID: enterprises.ucdavis.ucdSnmpAgent.linux
system.sysUpTime.0 = Timeticks: (4475) 0:00:44.75
system.sysContact.0 = drk@voyager.net
system.sysName.0 = dan.voyager.net
system.sysLocation.0 = East Lansing
system.sysORLastChange.0 = Timeticks: (0) 0:00:00.00
system.sysORTable.sysOREntry.sysORID.1 = OID: ifMIB
system.sysORTable.sysOREntry.sysORID.2 = OID: .iso.org.dod.internet.snmpV2.snmpModules.snmpMIB
system.sysORTable.sysOREntry.sysORID.3 = OID: tcpMIB
system.sysORTable.sysOREntry.sysORID.4 = OID: ip
system.sysORTable.sysOREntry.sysORID.5 = OID: udpMIB
system.sysORTable.sysOREntry.sysORID.6 = OID: .iso.org.dod.internet.snmpV2.snmpModules.snmpVacmMIB.vacmMIBConformance.vacmMIBGroups.vacmBasicGroup
system.sysORTable.sysOREntry.sysORID.7 = OID: .iso.org.dod.internet.snmpV2.snmpModules.snmpFrameworkMIB.snmpFrameworkMIBConformance.snmpFrameworkMIBCompliances.snmpFrameworkMIBCompliance
system.sysORTable.sysOREntry.sysORID.8 = OID: .iso.org.dod.internet.snmpV2.snmpModules.snmpMPDMIB.snmpMPDMIBConformance.snmpMPDMIBCompliances.snmpMPDCompliance
system.sysORTable.sysOREntry.sysORID.9 = OID: .iso.org.dod.internet.snmpV2.snmpModules.snmpUsmMIB.usmMIBConformance.usmMIBCompliances.usmMIBCompliance
system.sysORTable.sysOREntry.sysORDescr.1 = The MIB module to describe generic objects for network interface sub-layers
system.sysORTable.sysOREntry.sysORDescr.2 = The MIB module for SNMPv2 entities
system.sysORTable.sysOREntry.sysORDescr.3 = The MIB module for managing TCP implementations
system.sysORTable.sysOREntry.sysORDescr.4 = The MIB module for managing IP and ICMP implementations
system.sysORTable.sysOREntry.sysORDescr.5 = The MIB module for managing UDP implementations
system.sysORTable.sysOREntry.sysORDescr.6 = View-based Access Control Model for SNMP.
system.sysORTable.sysOREntry.sysORDescr.7 = The SNMP Management Architecture MIB.
system.sysORTable.sysOREntry.sysORDescr.8 = The MIB for Message Processing and Dispatching.
system.sysORTable.sysOREntry.sysORDescr.9 = The management information definitions for the SNMP User-based Security Model.
system.sysORTable.sysOREntry.sysORUpTime.1 = Timeticks: (0) 0:00:00.00
system.sysORTable.sysOREntry.sysORUpTime.2 = Timeticks: (0) 0:00:00.00
system.sysORTable.sysOREntry.sysORUpTime.3 = Timeticks: (0) 0:00:00.00
system.sysORTable.sysOREntry.sysORUpTime.4 = Timeticks: (0) 0:00:00.00
system.sysORTable.sysOREntry.sysORUpTime.5 = Timeticks: (0) 0:00:00.00
system.sysORTable.sysOREntry.sysORUpTime.6 = Timeticks: (0) 0:00:00.00
system.sysORTable.sysOREntry.sysORUpTime.7 = Timeticks: (0) 0:00:00.00
system.sysORTable.sysOREntry.sysORUpTime.8 = Timeticks: (0) 0:00:00.00
system.sysORTable.sysOREntry.sysORUpTime.9 = Timeticks: (0) 0:00:00.00

It will actually spit out much more than this....

Put snmpd into your startup scripts (ie: /etc/rc.d/rc.local) so it will autostart upon machine reboots:
Congratulations, you now have snmpd up and running on your system. See my page at http://netophilia.net/linux-oids.html for examples of what you can now monitor
Please let me know at drk-at-netophilia.net if you notice any errors, if you need something cleared up, or if you just want to comment on this page (PLEASE do comment)