How to Set Up SNMP Monitoring for Your UPS System

Why SNMP Monitoring Is Essential

SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol) allows your UPS to communicate with network management systems, enabling remote monitoring, automated alerts, and automatic server shutdown during extended outages. For any professional IT environment — from a single server room to a multi-site data center — SNMP monitoring is considered mandatory infrastructure.

What You Need

• SNMP/Network management card: Installed in the UPS's communication slot
• Ethernet connection: From the SNMP card to your LAN
• IP address: Static IP recommended for the SNMP card
• MIB files: Voltronic-specific MIB files for your NMS
• NMS platform: Nagios, Zabbix, PRTG, SolarWinds, or similar

Step 1: Install and Configure the SNMP Card

1. Power off the UPS communication slot (some support hot-swap)
2. Insert the SNMP card into the network management card slot
3. Connect an Ethernet cable from the card to your network switch
4. Access the card's web interface using the default IP (check documentation)
5. Configure: IP address, subnet mask, gateway, DNS, SNMP community strings
6. Set SNMPv3 credentials for secure communication (recommended over SNMPv1/v2c)

Step 2: Import MIB Files into Your NMS

MIB (Management Information Base) files define the data points available from the UPS. Import the Voltronic UPS MIB into your monitoring platform to access OIDs for:

• Input voltage, frequency, and current
• Output voltage, frequency, current, and load percentage
• Battery voltage, charge level, temperature, and runtime remaining
• UPS status (online, on battery, bypass, fault)
• Alarm conditions

Step 3: Configure SNMP Traps

SNMP traps are alerts pushed from the UPS to your NMS when specific events occur:

Step 4: Automatic Server Shutdown

Configure shutdown agents on your servers that communicate with the UPS via SNMP or the UPS vendor's shutdown software:

• Windows: Install Voltronic's shutdown agent or use the built-in Windows UPS service
• Linux: Use NUT (Network UPS Tools) or apcupsd with SNMP driver
• VMware ESXi: Configure the UPS as a network-connected UPS in host settings
• Shutdown sequence: VMs first, then hosts, with adequate time between steps

Best Practices

• Use SNMPv3 with authentication and encryption — never leave SNMPv1/v2c community strings as "public"
• Place the SNMP card on a management VLAN, not the production network
• Test the full shutdown sequence quarterly to verify it works end-to-end
• Monitor SNMP card firmware and update regularly

Frequently Asked Questions

Common SNMP monitoring questions.