snmptest

Start the prompt

$ snmptest -v [version] -c [community] [ip]

$ snmptest [[-h|--help]]

Since 'snmptest' is generally a conceptual term or a custom script, a precise, universal synopsis does not exist. However, any script or process designed for SNMP testing would typically leverage the common options and arguments of standard Net-SNMP commands, which often follow this pattern:

snmptest [COMMON OPTIONS] [AGENT] [OID...]

-v 1|2c|3
    Specifies the SNMP protocol version to use for the request. Most tests involve v2c or v3.

-c COMMUNITY
    The community string required for SNMPv1 and SNMPv2c authentication. Essential for basic connectivity tests.

-u USER
    The security name (username) for SNMPv3 requests. Required for SNMPv3 authentication.

-l LEVEL
    The security level for SNMPv3. Can be 'noAuthNoPriv', 'authNoPriv', or 'authPriv'.

-a PROTOCOL
    The authentication protocol for SNMPv3 (e.g., MD5, SHA). Used with '-l authNoPriv' or '-l authPriv'.

-A PASSPHRASE
    The authentication passphrase for SNMPv3. Used with '-a'.

-x PROTOCOL
    The privacy protocol for SNMPv3 (e.g., DES, AES). Used with '-l authPriv'.

-X PASSPHRASE
    The privacy passphrase for SNMPv3. Used with '-x'.

-t TIMEOUT
    Specifies the number of seconds to wait before retransmitting a request. Useful for network latency tests.

-r RETRIES
    Specifies the number of times to retry a request before giving up. Helps diagnose intermittent network issues.

AGENT
    The hostname or IP address of the target SNMP agent (e.g., 192.168.1.10, localhost).

OID...
    One or more Object Identifiers (OIDs) to query or walk, represented as numeric or textual MIB names (e.g., .1.3.6.1.2.1.1.1.0 for sysDescr.0).

The term 'snmptest' typically refers to the process or a custom script used to verify the functionality of an SNMP agent and network connectivity to it. It is important to note that 'snmptest' is not a standard standalone executable command universally found in most Net-SNMP distributions. Instead, it commonly encapsulates the usage of other Net-SNMP tools like snmpget, snmpwalk, snmpset, and snmpbulkwalk. These underlying commands are used to query specific Object Identifiers (OIDs), walk MIB trees, or even set values, thereby confirming that an SNMP agent is running, reachable, and responding correctly to SNMP requests. A conceptual or custom 'snmptest' utility might automate a series of such queries or operations to provide a comprehensive health check or diagnostic report for an SNMP-enabled device.

The primary caveat is that snmptest is not a universally standardized command. Its functionality is typically implemented by scripting existing Net-SNMP utilities like snmpget or snmpwalk. Users should consult their system's documentation or the specific script's source if an 'snmptest' command is present, as its behavior and options may vary significantly.

When 'testing' SNMP, common scenarios include:
Agent Reachability: Confirming the target agent responds to basic queries (e.g., fetching sysDescr.0).
Authentication/Privacy Verification: Ensuring correct community strings (v1/v2c) or SNMPv3 credentials (user, auth/priv protocols/passphrases) are working.
MIB Tree Exploration: Using commands like snmpwalk to discover available OIDs and their values, verifying the agent exposes expected data.
Performance Testing: Measuring response times or the agent's ability to handle multiple concurrent requests (though this is more advanced and requires custom scripting).
Trap Reception Testing: Ensuring the agent can send SNMP traps to a configured trap receiver (involves testing on the receiver side).

The concept of 'snmptest' evolved as a need to quickly verify SNMP agent responsiveness and configuration. Rather than a distinct command developed over time, it represents a common practice of using the flexible and powerful Net-SNMP command-line tools to perform diagnostic checks. Many system administrators and monitoring solutions incorporate their own custom 'snmptest' scripts to streamline routine SNMP health checks or troubleshoot connectivity issues.

snmpget(1), snmpwalk(1), snmpset(1), snmpbulkwalk(1), snmpd(8)