Snmptest is a flexible SNMP application that can monitor and manage
information on a network entity.
The
hostname
specification may be either a host name or an internet address
specified in "dot notation".
The version 1 and version 2c
community
specifies the community name for the transaction with the remote system.
After invoking the program, a command line
interpreter proceeds to accept commands. It will prompt with:
Please enter the variable name:
At this point you can enter one or more variable names, one per line.
A blank line is a command to send a request for each of the variables (in a single
packet) to the remote entity. Each variable name is given in the format specified in
variables (5).
For example
snmptest zeus zeusMS zeusAgent
Variable: system.sysdescr.0
Variable:
Will return some information about the request and reply packets, as well as the
information:
system.sysDescr.0 =
"Unix 4.3BSD"
Upon startup, the program defaults to sending a GET Request packet. This can be changed
to a GET NEXT Request or a SET Request by typing the commands "$N" or "$S" respectively. Typing
"$G" will go back to the GET Request mode.
The command "$D" will toggle the dumping of each sent and received packet.
The command "$QP" will toggle a quicker, less verbose output form.
When in the "SET Request" mode, more information is requested by the prompt for each variable. The prompt:
Please enter variable type [i|s|x|d|n|o|t|a]:
requests the type of the variable be entered. Type "i" for an integer, "s" for an octet string in ASCII, "x" for an octet string as hex bytes separated by whitespace, "d" for an octet string as decimal bytes separated by whitespace, , "a" for an ip
address in dotted IP notation, and "o" for an object identifier.
At this point a value will be prompted for:
Please enter new value:
If this is an integer value, just type the integer (in decimal). If it is a string, type in
white-space separated decimal numbers, one per byte of the string. Again type a blank line at
the prompt for the variable name to send the packet.
At the variable name line, typing "$Q" will quit the program.
Adding a "-d" to the argument list will cause the application to dump input and output packets.
Adding a "-q" to the argument list will cause the application to use a quicker, less verbose output form.