Configuring SNMPv3 in SonicOS (5.9/6.1 & above)

Simple Network Management Protocol Version 3 (SNMPv3) is an interoperable Standards- based protocol for network management. SNMPv3 provides secure access to device by a combination of authenticating and encrypting packets over the network.

The security features provided in SNMPv3 are

• Message integrity Ensuring that a packet has not been tampered with in-transit.
• Authentication Determining the message is from a valid source.
• Encryption Scrambling the contents of a packet prevent it from being seen by an unauthorized source.

Before SNMPv3, all data was transmitted in the clear and subject to monitoring and alteration by unauthorized users. Version 3 supports various encryption methods. We recommend users never use DES 56-bit encryption as this is very easy to decrypt. AES 128-bit is the preferred method.

Feature Functions  

• Support USM (User-based Security Model, RFC3414) for SNMPv3 .
• Support View-Based Access Control Model (VACM, RFC3415) for SNMPv3.
• Support Administrative Framework (RFC3411) for SNMPv3 .

Feature Limitations  

• Does not support notification destinations.
•  Does not support proxy relationships.
•  Does not support remotely configurable via SNMP operations.

Enable SNMP and configure SNMP parameters

Please login to the SonicWall management GUI as admin.

• Navigate to MANAGE | Appliance  |SNMP.
• Check the box Enable SNMP.
• Click in the Configure button and supply the parameters for SNMP or keep the default for general configuration.
• Click OK .
• Click ACCEPT .
  
  

  NOTE: For the SNMP functionality, the Community name should be the same in the SonicWall and the SNMP monitoring software.

Creating SNMP User, Group & Access

Adding User with Group

• Navigate toMANAGE | Appliance  |SNMP, Click Add User button under Users/Group.
• User Name: NEW SNMP User(Type any friendly name which you would like to use for SNMP).
• Security Level: Authentication and Privacy (Select the level which you would like to use).
• Authentication Method: SHA1(Select the method which you would like to use).
• Authentication Key: user12345( type the key which you would like to use But it should be more than 8 characters).
• Encryption Method: AES(Select the method which you would like to use).
• Privacy Key: password123 (type any key which you would like to use).
• Group: SNMP Group (Select the group which you would like to add this user).
• Click OK.
  

Creating Access for SNMP

• Navigate to MANAGE | Appliance  |SNMP Click Add button under Access.
• Access Name: New SNMP Access (Type any name which you would like to use).
• Read View: root .
• Master SNMPv3 Group: SNMP Group (Select any group which you would like to use).
• Access Security Level: Authentication and Privacy (Select the level of security for SNMP).
• Click OK .
  

Enable SNMP on the SonicWall interface

Navigate to MANAGE| Network | Interfaces and click on the configure button in front of the LAN & WAN interface.

LAN Interface (X0)

• In the Management' section of Edit X0 interface window, check the  SNMP' box.
• Click OK .
  

WAN Interface (X1)

• In the Management section of Edit X1 interface window, check the SNMP box.
• Click OK'.
  

Configuring SNMP & adding SonicWall unit in PRTG Monitoring software

• Open the SNMP software and register the SonicWall. (You can download and install a free edition of PRTG from http://www.paessler.com/prtg/download).
• Screenshots for PRTG (V14.2.9.1689) are attached below, just enter the SonicWall appliance's LAN IP address, along with the community string and it will start gathering data from the SonicWall.
• Select Device tab in the PRTG software. Under Overview Click Add Device button to add your SonicWall device.
  
  
  

• In the device name enter SonicWall TZ 200 You should use the same name which you used in SNMP configuration of SonicWall.
• In IPV4- Address/DNS Name 192.168.168.168 (IP address of the SonicWall interface to which server is connected).
• Device Icon: Select Icon.
• Click Continue for next step.
  
  
  
• You will find the new device which we added. Click Add Sensor button to select the sensor type.
  

• Select SNMP under Technology Used.
• Select SNMP Traffic under Matching Sensor Type.
  
  

Under Credentials For SNMP Devices

Disable Inherit option and configure SNMP as below

• SNMP Version: V3.
• Authentication Type: MD5 (Select the Authentication method which you configured in SonicWall).
• User: User1 (Type the user which you created in SonicWall).
• Password: user12345 (Type Authentication Key which you configured in SonicWall).
• Encryption Type: DES (Select the Encryption method which you configured in SonicWall).
• Data Encryption Key: password123 (Type the Privacy Key which you configured in SonicWall).
• SNMP Port: 161.
• SNMP Timeout: 5.
• Click Continue button to save the configuration.
  
  
  
• Select the interface for which you would like to monitor traffic. In this scenario select X0, X1 & W0 interface and click Continue button.
  
  
  
• Now you can see the sensor information for all the interface with the traffic rate.
  
  
  

How to Test

• In order to test the SNMP traffic. Select any one interface to see its traffic rate with graph. Click on X0 interface to see the information as below.
  
  
• The Live data can be shown in the graph format as below for the X0 interface.