OIDs are standardized references assigned to both network objects and some characteristics of these objects, allowing you to directly access specific data about virtually any network device.

Device characteristics may be represented as either individual values or as tables of values. Each value or table is represented by a unique OID. Universal Device Poller uses OIDs to access a variety of settings and performance statistics for any device on your network.

This is the registered name assigned to an OID. If you provide an OID, NPM pulls the associated name from the registered OID details and fills this field automatically.

You must provide a name for any new Universal Device Poller. If you are duplicating an existing poller, you must provide a different name for the poller copy.

This is the description provided with a registered OID. If you fill in an OID, NPM pulls the associated description from the registered OID details and fills this field automatically.

The Description is not required.

Select Yes in the Keep Historical Data section if you want to view performance trends on your network in charts and reports within the SolarWinds Platform Web Console.

Select the expected format of values.

MIB values and tables are classed by data types. These MIB value data types are usually stated in the OID details of the MIB values and tables.

Rate

Rate pollers correspond to MIB values of Integer, UInteger, UnsignedInteger32, Gauge, and Gauge32.

These data types are used for MIB values and tables that return rate data. The rate units are generally indicated in the OID description.

If you set the MIB Value Type as Rate, you must provide the Unit and Time Frame for the rate MIB value.

Example: OID 1.3.6.1.2.1.2.2.1.5, which reports an estimate of current bandwidth on an interface in bits per second.

As an example, a Rate value corresponds to the value, in miles per hour, returned by a car speedometer.

Counter

Counter pollers correspond to MIB values and tables of the following data types: Counter, Counter32, and Counter64.

These data types are typically used for MIB values and tables that return counter data that keep track of the number of times a defined event is detected in a defined period of time. Both the detected event and the time frame of detection should be noted in the OID description of a counter MIB value or table.

Example: OID group 1.3.6.4.1.2352.2.25.1.1 contains many examples of counter‑type MIB values that typically report transmission errors.

For Counter value types, you must provide the Unit and Time Frame for the counter MIB value.

Example: A Counter value corresponds to the value, in miles, returned by a car odometer. To produce results equivalent to a speedometer‑type rate poller, create a clock poller that returns another Counter value, in hours, and then create a poller transform that divides the result of an odometer poller by the result of the clock poller.

Raw Value

MIB values that return raw values when polled can report numerical or textual data, including temperatures, interface names, addresses, port numbers, and memory sizes, for the polled device. A raw value is meaningless unless the data format is defined, typically in the corresponding OID description.

For Raw Value data types, you must provide the appropriate Format for the MIB value.

The OID details of any MIB value should indicate the format of the data returned by a poller. Pollers of MIB values that return raw values are capable of returning data in any of the formats listed in the following table.

Raw Value Format	Description
Text	Also referred to as Display String, this is a string of alphanumeric characters, often used for providing short descriptions, object and device names, serial numbers, or locations, as shown in the following examples: SanJoseLab, SN123456, Main Office VoIP Router
Enumeration	Used for OIDs that return numerical values mapped to strings. Click Map Values to map raw values to meaningful strings of text. For example, a node status OID may return 1, 2, or 3, corresponding to Down, Up, and Unknown. Click Map Values, enter Raw Values of 1, 2, and 3; enter Text Values of Down, Up, and Unknown, respectively, and then click OK. Note: Press Enter after either of the final entries in your enumeration map to create an additional row.
MAC Address	Used for polled OIDs that return MAC addresses including separators, as shown in the following examples: 4576.d53a.df2c, 45-76-d5-3a-df-2c, 45:76:d5:3a:df:2c Note: Separators may be periods (.), hyphens (-), or colons (:), depending on the convention observed by the polled OID.
MAC Address (clean)	Used for polled OIDs that return MAC addresses without separators, as shown in the following example: 4576d53adf2c
IP Address	Used for polled OIDs that return IP addresses, as shown in the following examples: 209.85.135.103, 65.89.32.67
True/False	Used for polled OIDs that return either 0 or 1, where 0 maps to the value True and 1 maps to the value False.
False/True	Used for polled OIDs that return either 0 or 1, where 0 maps to the value False and 1 maps to the value True.
Time Ticks	Used for polled OIDs that return time measurements in hundredths of a second.
Administrative Status	Used for polled OIDs that return the administrative status of a device.
Operation Status	Used for polled OIDs that return the operational status of a device.
IPv6	Used for polled OIDs that return IP addresses in IPv6 format.
Decimal with Comma	Used for polled OIDs that return comma separated values.

 

SNMP Get Type defines the SNMP polling method used by your Universal Device Poller. The polling method is determined primarily by the type of object that you want to poll. MIB values require either GET or GET NEXT, and MIB tables require GET TABLE.

GET

SNMP GET is used with an OID to retrieve the value of the object with the given OID.

For example, SNMP GET 1.3.6.1.2.1.11.1.0 retrieves the value of RFC1213-MIB:snmpInPkts (OID 1.3.6.1.2.1.11.1) for instance 0 of the polled device.

GET NEXT

SNMP GET NEXT is used with an OID to retrieve the value of the object with the OID immediately following the given OID.

For example, SNMP GET NEXT 1.3.6.1.2.1.11.1.0 retrieves the value of RFC1213-MIB:snmpOutPkts (OID 1.3.6.1.2.1.11.2) for instance 0 of the polled device.

GET TABLE

SNMP GET TABLE is used with a MIB table OID to retrieve the table with the specified OID.

For example, SNMP GET TABLE 1.3.6.1.2.1.4.22.0 retrieves the table of values RFC1213-MIB:ipNetToMediaTable (OID 1.3.6.1.2.1.4.22) for instance 0 of the polled device.

If you are creating a Universal Device Poller to poll an OID on a node, select Node.

If you are creating a Universal Device Poller to poll an OID associated with an interface, select Interface.

By default, the default node or interface statistics poll interval is used.

To customize the interval, specify the Polling Interval in minutes. Use values between 1 and 600.

If you want to use the poller in a transformation, make sure that all pollers in the transformation have the same Polling Interval.