Linux Agent with SNMP Option?

Question

What is the benefit to using SNMP if you are using the Agent for your polling method on Linux hosts?  What data am I not collecting if I don't use SNMP with Agents?  Would I get more detailed information from a JMX Component Monitor by doing both the Agent with SNMP?  I've searched and can't find much information on the subject other than the little blurb next to the Agent polling method on the node.

Do I need to provide SNMP credentials? SNMP credentials can optionally be provided to allow the agent to locally collect SNMP data on a Linux computer. What information might not be polled without these credentials?

SNMP polling provides the following types of information:

* * Location or contact information
* Information used for Hardware Health
* Information used for Asset Inventory

From the data collected using the agent it appears that I'm already getting all of this unless it is data that was collected before I switched from SNMP to Agent Polling.

Any insight you can provide is appreciated.

FormerMember · Answer

No, I do not have any port restrictions on direction.  We currently have firewall ports opened for both the agent (Agent Initiated) and snmp.

designerfx · Answer

Agent/SNMP is mostly a question of whether you want to POLL a machine for data or PUSH the data from the machine. So really do you have a requirement for ports open in a particular direction?  Copying stevenwhunt​ as he is the master of the linux based agent environment.