Survey of SNMP Libraries for Java

[janiree]

• Java Dynamic Management Kit & OpenDMK
  • Description: Inbuilt Java Classes and tools for creating monitoring Solutions based on the SNMP Standard
  • Develloper: Oracle (Sun Microsystems) (archived project)
  • Links: https://javaee.github.io/other-migrated-projects.html, http://dev.cs.ovgu.de/java/jdmk/, http://dev.cs.ovgu.de/java/jdmk/api/
  • Notes: no support since 2007, comatose project
• SNMP4J
  • Description: Open Source SNMP Implementation for Java
  • Develloper: Frank Fock
  • Links: http://www.snmp4j.org/, http://www.snmp4j.org/doc/index.html
  • Notes: noted by many sources to be the go-to SNMP solution currently, active forum and mailing list
• netsnmpj
  • Description: Open Source Library to perform SNMP operations across all protocols
  • Develloper: Andrew E.
  • Links: http://netsnmpj.sourceforge.net/
  • Notes: restricted to Linux
• joesnmp
  • Description: open sourde Java SNMP library
  • Develloper: OpenNMS.org
  • Links: https://sourceforge.net/projects/joesnmp/
  • Notes: long time since the last update
• Westhawk's Java SNMP stack
  • Description: Lightweight Java SNMP Implementation, capable of sending and recieving, limited Agent functionality
  • Develloper: Westhawk Ltd.
  • Links: https://sourceforge.net/projects/westhawksnmp/
  • Notes: still being maintained
• JSNMP
  • Description: SNMP project with full support for SNMPv1, v2 and v3
  • Develloper: jSNMP Enterprise
  • Links: http://www.jsnmp.com/products.html
  • Notes: project has been discontinued, unsupported license available for purchase
• Network Ferret
  • Description: Designem for OEM, Java based network discovery and topology engine
  • Develloper: AMT
  • Links: http://www.altmantech.com/features.htm
  • Notes: not free, not open source
• WebNMS SNMP API & WebNMS SNMP Agent Toolkit Java
  • Description: development toolkit for SNMP-based network management applications
  • Develloper: ZOHO Corp.
  • Links: https://www.webnms.com/snmp/index.html, http://www.webnms.com/javaagent/index.html
  • Notes: only trial licenses are free(45 days), register to download
• iReasoning SNMP library & iReasoning SNMP agent builder
  • Description: library for building SNMP network management applications
  • Develloper: iReasoning Inc.
  • Links: http://www.ireasoning.com/snmpapi.shtml, http://www.ireasoning.com/snmpagent.shtml
  • Notes: only trial versions free (30 days)
• WIN-SNMP
  • Description: API for developing SNMPv1, SNMPv2c and SNMPv3 SNMP manager and agent applications
  • Develloper: MG-SOFT Corporation
  • Links: http://www.mg-soft.si/SNMP-Lab.html
  • Notes: primarily aimed at MS-Windows, though linux versions are also provided, only trial versions available for free (30 days)
• DynamicSNMP® Java SNMP
  • Description: Java libraries to implement SNMP managers and agents
  • Develloper: Monfox, LLC
  • Links: http://www.monfox.com/dsnmp/index.html
  • Notes: only trial versions for free (30 days), register to download
• IP*Works! S/SNMP
  • Description: toolkit for building SNMP Agent and manager applications
  • Develloper: /n software inc.
  • Links: https://www.nsoftware.com/ipworks/snmp/
  • Notes: only trial versions free (30 days),

[rju]

That looks promising. Unfortunately, there are quite a few commercial libraries, which are only partially usable due to licensing issues. Therefore, you should focus on the open-source variants. Start with:

• Westhawk's Java SNMP stack (I do not know that, but maybe this is good enough to realize a SNMP reader)
• SNMP4J (as it is still active developed, also there are good example on the Internet) Secondaries are:
• JSNMP
• joesnmp For those you should assess how complicated their code base is, as we might need to fork their project. Third level are:
• netsnmpj Only, if you cannot create a working solution with the libraries listed above, you can inspect the commercial libraries. However, this would greatly limit its usability. Therefore, we should avoid them.

[rju]

After looking at the code of Westhawk's Java SNMP stack, they seem to provide a set of examples, which might be helpful to test things extensively. Also we could setup an SNMP server on a Linux box so you ca query it.

[janiree]

Yes, that was my line of thought as well. I would be quite surprised if a working solution would require proprietary tools. Next on my agenda is trying out Westhawk's and SNMP4J. Unfortunately i seem to have made a mistake with JSNMP, which is in fact not open source. The Secondary options are thus joesnmp and netsnmpj, which i will also be looking at but i think the first two show the most promise so far. I will also be looking at openJDMK, if only for reference.