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Network Devices and Appliances

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In this lesson, you will learn:

  • What to capture about network devices
  • Why SNMP version matters
  • What to do with third-party devices

🔁 Quick look back: Last time: Servers and Operating Systems. You learned how to count servers by OS, and why the OS mix matters.

1 The Problem: Some Devices Aren’t SNWR’s to Scan

Ravi listed SNWR’s network devices. But then he added:

  • ‘The London router is managed by our internet provider.’
  • ‘Some old switches only speak SNMP v2c.’

🎯 The problem: Some devices aren’t SNWR’s to scan, and some use weak SNMP.

👉 The fix: For each device, record the owner, the SNMP version and whether SNWR may scan it.

Table of SNWR network devices with SNMP and owner.
Figure 1. SNWR’s network devices and how each will be handled.

2 What to capture

  • Device type and model.
  • Management IP address.
  • SNMP version allowed.
  • Who manages it: SNWR or a third party.
  • Whether a scan could affect it.

Key term: SNMP v2c

An older version that uses a ‘community string’ as a shared password. Easy to guess.

Key term: SNMP v3

A newer version with real user names, passwords and encryption. Prefer it.

3 Third-party devices

If a provider manages a device, you usually need their permission to scan it. Ask early, or leave it out.

⚠️ Heads up: Scanning a provider’s device without permission can break your client’s contract with them.

4 Project Clear View: How We Implemented It

📍 Situation: Ravi’s list had one provider-managed router and some SNMP v2c switches.

🧭 Decision: Record owner and SNMP version for each device, and agree what to scan.

🛠️ Steps we took:

  1. Listed all 16 devices with model, IP and SNMP version.
  2. Ravi upgraded the old switches to SNMPv3 in his normal maintenance.
  3. Oliver asked the provider about snwr-lon-rtr-01.
  4. Marked the router ‘scan only with provider approval’.

✅ What we verified:

  • All SNWR-managed devices support SNMPv3.
  • The provider agreed to read-only SNMPv3 access. The router is now in scope.

📁 Evidence: The network device section of the requirements.

5 Quick recap

  • Record type, IP, SNMP version and owner for each device.
  • Prefer SNMPv3 over v2c.
  • Get permission before scanning third-party devices.
  • Mark unclear devices ‘to confirm’.

6 Check yourself

Think of your answer first. Then tap to check.

1 Why prefer SNMPv3 over v2c? Show answer

v3 uses real user names, passwords and encryption. v2c uses an easy-to-guess community string.

2 A provider manages a router. Can you scan it? Show answer

Only with the provider’s permission.

3 How many network devices does SNWR have? Show answer

16.

Nice work! SNWR’s network devices are captured. 🎉
Next up: Virtualization, Cloud and Containers

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