Explain terms on Polling Engine Status window please

I am trying to understand some of the terms in the Polling Status window. I read the descriptions of ICMP/SNMP Status Polling Index and ICMP/SNMP Statistics Polling Index in the Admin Guide, but I still have some questions.

In my mind, Status equates to ICMP and Statistics to SNMP. Correct? If so, then what is an SNMP Status Poll and what is an ICMP Statistics Poll? That seems to be mixing apples and oranges.

Does Orion execute ICMP and SNMP independent of each other, or is every SNMP query preceded by an ICMP ping?

I suppose I am asking someone to explain step by step how Orion uses ICMP and SNMP during polling/stats intervals.

Thank you in advance. This has been bugging me for a while so I decided to ask once and for all.

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Accepted answers

Karlo.Zatylny

OK,

We have two different timers for the ICMP and SNMP - even if they are set to the same time.

When the ICMP timer fires we send out a ping packet. On the response of this packet (or lack thereof) we update the status, calculate the response and up times and save this data to the database.

When the SNMP timer fires, we check if the node is up, if so then we send the SNMP packets one at a time according to a throttle (how many we will send per second/minute) to gather all the statistical data from the device.

The SNMP Status Polling Index is a counter which is showing you out of the SNMP requests we need to send out, how many have we received responses for. So if we are getting data for 10 SNMP items, and we are at item 3, then we are at 3 out of 10.

The ICMP Status Polling Index is a counter which is showing you out of the outstanding ICMP messages we need to send out, how many have we received responses for.

Does that make sense, or can I clarify any of this?

Thanks

All comments

patriot

Anyone? Thank you.

FormerMember

ICMP is status, and SNMP = stats. They are executed on independent schedules.

patriot

Yes, I got that part. I said as much in my original question. Read my question again please. What does ICMP have to do with Statistics polls and SNMP with Status polls?

You terms are confusing. Perhaps the Polling Status window should be re-designed to avoid confusion?

brian_duvall

SNMP is also used in polling for Interfaces. Since each node is only assigned one IP which is polled via ICMP to test node status..interfaces you add are polled for up/down via SNMP.

patriot

Thank you Brian. Sorry to be a little dense on this, but it appears that a detailed explanation of how Orion uses ICMP and SNMP in polling and stats collection is some kind of state secret.

I'll try once more to coax someone into an explanation.

Let's say for simplicity sake that both the ICMP and SNMP intervals are set to 300 seconds.

What EXACTLY happens every 300 secs? Step by step please.

Does Orion send out a ping to every node immediately followed by an SNMP query?

Does it send out SNMP only if there is a ping response?

Once more referring to the terms in the NPM Engine Status window in System Manager:

if ICMP is concerned with status, then what is the SNMP Status Polling Index?

If SNMP is concerned with statistics, then what is the ICMP Statistics Polling Index measuring?

Does anyone see what I am asking?