---
title: "prometheus.exporter.snmp | Grafana Alloy documentation"
description: "Learn about prometheus.exporter.snmp"
---

> For a curated documentation index, see [llms.txt](/llms.txt). For the complete documentation index, see [llms-full.txt](/llms-full.txt).

# `prometheus.exporter.snmp`

The `prometheus.exporter.snmp` component embeds the [`snmp_exporter`](https://github.com/prometheus/snmp_exporter/tree/v0.29.0). The `snmp_exporter` lets you collect SNMP data and expose them as Prometheus metrics.

> Note
> 
> `prometheus.exporter.snmp` uses the configuration format introduced in version v0.29.0 of the Prometheus `snmp_exporter`.

You can specify multiple `prometheus.exporter.snmp` components by giving them different labels.

## Usage

Alloy ![Copy code to clipboard](https://grafana.com/media/images/icons/icon-copy-small-2.svg) Copy

```alloy
prometheus.exporter.snmp "<LABEL>" {
  config_files = ["<SNMP_CONFIG_FILE_PATH>", ...]

  target "<TARGET_NAME>" {
    address = "<TARGET_ADDRESS>"
  }
}
```

or

Alloy ![Copy code to clipboard](https://grafana.com/media/images/icons/icon-copy-small-2.svg) Copy

````alloy
prometheus.exporter.snmp "<LABEL>" {
  config_files = ["<SNMP_CONFIG_FILE_PATH>", ...]
  targets     = <TARGET_LIST>
}

## Arguments

You can use the following arguments with `prometheus.exporter.snmp`:

| Name                    | Type                 | Description                                                                                                              | Default     | Required |
| ----------------------- | -------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | ----------- | -------- |
| `concurrency`           | `int`                | Number of modules to scrape in parallel for each target.                                                                 | `1`         | no       |
| `config`                | `string` or `secret` | SNMP configuration as inline string.                                                                                     |             | no       |
| `config_file`           | `string`             | Deprecated. Use `config_files` instead.                                                                                  |             | no       |
| `config_files`          | `list(string)`       | Paths to YAML files that define SNMP modules and authentications.                                                        |             | no       |
| `config_merge_strategy` | `string`             | Defines how `config` or `config_files` contents merge with the embedded SNMP configuration. Can be `replace` or `merge`. | `"replace"` | no       |
| `targets`               | `list(map(string))`  | List of SNMP targets, where each target is a map of labels.                                                              |             | no       |

The `config_files` argument points to YAML files that define which `snmp_exporter` modules to use.
Refer to the [`snmp_exporter` configuration documentation][snmp-exporter-config] for details on how to generate a configuration file.

The `config_file` and `config_files` arguments are mutually exclusive.
If you set both, the component fails with an invalid configuration error.

The `config` argument must be a YAML document as string defining which SNMP modules and authorizations to use.
`config` is typically loaded by using the exports of another component.
For example,

- `local.file.LABEL.content`
- `remote.http.LABEL.content`
- `remote.s3.LABEL.content`

Set either `config` or a configuration file argument, `config_files` or the deprecated `config_file`, not both.
If you set `config` together with `config_files` or `config_file`, the component fails with an invalid configuration error.

Set `config_merge_strategy` to `merge` to add additional configuration to the embedded SNMP configuration.
For example, if you need to add a few custom `auth` settings without regenerating the whole configuration.

The `targets` argument is an alternative to the [`target`][target] block, and is useful when another component supplies the SNMP targets.
Use either `target` blocks or the `targets` argument, not both.
If you use both, the component fails with an invalid configuration error.

You can set the following labels on a target:

- `name`: The name of the target. Required.
- `address` or `__address__`: The address of the SNMP device. Required.
- `module`: SNMP modules to use for polling, separated by comma.
- `auth`: The SNMP authentication profile to use.
- `walk_params`: The `walk_param` profile to use for this target.
- `snmp_context`: Override the `context_name` parameter in the SNMP configuration file.

The component adds any other labels you define to the scraped metrics.

The component sets the `instance` label on its exported targets to the component ID, for example, `prometheus.exporter.snmp.example`.
The component also appends the target name to the `job` label of each exported target, for example, `integrations/snmp/network_switch_1`.

## Blocks

You can use the following blocks with `prometheus.exporter.snmp`:



  
  
    
      

        

        No valid configuration blocks found.
      
    

    
      

        

          

          
            
            
          
        

        

          
            

              

                

                  

                    
                      
                        

                      
                    
                    
                      

                    
                  

                  

                    

                    

                  
                

                

                  
                
              
            
          
        
      
    
  



### `target`

The `target` block defines an individual SNMP target.
You can define multiple `target` blocks to configure multiple targets.
Each `target` block requires a label, which the component uses in the `job` label of the target.

You can use the following arguments with the `target` block:

| Name           | Type          | Description                                                           | Default | Required |
| -------------- | ------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------- | -------- |
| `address`      | `string`      | The address of the SNMP device.                                       |         | yes      |
| `auth`         | `string`      | The SNMP authentication profile to use.                               | `""`    | no       |
| `labels`       | `map(string)` | Map of labels to apply to all metrics captured from the target.       | `{}`    | no       |
| `module`       | `string`      | SNMP modules to use for polling, separated by comma.                  | `""`    | no       |
| `snmp_context` | `string`      | Override the `context_name` parameter in the SNMP configuration file. | `""`    | no       |
| `walk_params`  | `string`      | The `walk_param` profile to use for this target.                      | `""`    | no       |

### `walk_param`

The `walk_param` block defines an individual SNMP connection profile that overrides the default SNMP settings.
You can define multiple `walk_param` blocks to configure multiple connection profiles.
Each `walk_param` block requires a label, which is the name that the `walk_params` argument of a target refers to.

You can use the following arguments with the `walk_param` block:

| Name              | Type       | Description                                   | Default | Required |
| ----------------- | ---------- | --------------------------------------------- | ------- | -------- |
| `max_repetitions` | `int`      | How many objects to request with GET/GETBULK. | `25`    | no       |
| `retries`         | `int`      | How many times to retry a failed request.     | `0`     | no       |
| `timeout`         | `duration` | Timeout for each individual SNMP request.     | `5s`    | no       |

A `walk_param` block always overrides the `retries` value from the module configuration.
If you omit `retries`, targets that use the block don't retry failed requests.

## Exported fields





            The following fields are exported and can be referenced by other components.


      Expand table
    

    
      
          
              Name
              Type
              Description
          
      
      
          
              targets
              list(map(string))
              The targets that can be used to collect exporter metrics.
          
      
    
  
For example, the targets can either be passed to a discovery.relabel component to rewrite the targets’ label sets or to a prometheus.scrape component that collects the exposed metrics.
The exported targets use the configured in-memory traffic address specified by the run command.


        

## Component health

`prometheus.exporter.snmp` is only reported as unhealthy if given an invalid configuration.
In those cases, exported fields retain their last healthy values.

## Debug information

`prometheus.exporter.snmp` doesn't expose any component-specific debug information.

## Debug metrics

`prometheus.exporter.snmp` doesn't expose any component-specific debug metrics.

## Example

The following example uses a [`prometheus.scrape` component][scrape] to collect metrics from `prometheus.exporter.snmp`:

```alloy
prometheus.exporter.snmp "example" {
  config_files = ["snmp_modules.yml"]

  target "network_switch_1" {
    address     = "192.168.1.2"
    module      = "system,if_mib"
    walk_params = "public"
    labels = {
      "env" = "dev",
    }
  }

  target "network_router_2" {
    address     = "192.168.1.3"
    module      = "system,if_mib,mikrotik"
    walk_params = "private"
  }

  walk_param "private" {
    retries = 2
  }

  walk_param "public" {
    retries = 2
  }
}

// Configure a prometheus.scrape component to collect SNMP metrics.
prometheus.scrape "demo" {
  targets    = prometheus.exporter.snmp.example.targets
  forward_to = [ /* ... */ ]
}
````

The following example uses an embedded configuration with secrets:

Alloy ![Copy code to clipboard](https://grafana.com/media/images/icons/icon-copy-small-2.svg) Copy

```alloy
local.file "snmp_config" {
  filename  = "snmp_modules.yml"
  is_secret = true
}

prometheus.exporter.snmp "example" {
  config = local.file.snmp_config.content

  target "network_switch_1" {
    address     = "192.168.1.2"
    module      = "system,if_mib"
    walk_params = "public"
  }

  target "network_router_2" {
    address     = "192.168.1.3"
    module      = "system,if_mib,mikrotik"
    walk_params = "private"
  }

  walk_param "private" {
    retries = 2
  }

  walk_param "public" {
    retries = 2
  }
}

// Configure a prometheus.scrape component to collect SNMP metrics.
prometheus.scrape "demo" {
  targets    = prometheus.exporter.snmp.example.targets
  forward_to = [prometheus.remote_write.demo.receiver]
}

prometheus.remote_write "demo" {
  endpoint {
    url = "<PROMETHEUS_REMOTE_WRITE_URL>"

    basic_auth {
      username = "<USERNAME>"
      password = "<PASSWORD>"
    }
  }
}
```

Replace the following:

- *`<PROMETHEUS_REMOTE_WRITE_URL>`* : The URL of the Prometheus `remote_write` compatible server to send metrics to.
- *`<USERNAME>`* : The username to use for authentication to the `remote_write` API.
- *`<PASSWORD>`* : The password to use for authentication to the `remote_write` API.

The following example uses the alternative way to pass targets:

Alloy ![Copy code to clipboard](https://grafana.com/media/images/icons/icon-copy-small-2.svg) Copy

```alloy
prometheus.exporter.snmp "example" {
  config_files = ["snmp_modules.yml"]

  targets = [
    {
      "name"        = "network_switch_1",
      "address"     = "192.168.1.2",
      "module"      = "system,if_mib",
      "walk_params" = "public",
      "env"         = "dev",
    },
    {
      "name"        = "network_router_2",
      "address"     = "192.168.1.3",
      "module"      = "system,if_mib,mikrotik",
      "walk_params" = "private",
    },
  ]

  walk_param "private" {
    retries = 2
  }

  walk_param "public" {
    retries = 2
  }
}

// Configure a prometheus.scrape component to collect SNMP metrics.
prometheus.scrape "demo" {
  targets    = prometheus.exporter.snmp.example.targets
  forward_to = [ /* ... */ ]
}
```

The following example uses the [`local.file` component](https://grafana.com/docs/alloy/next/reference/components/local/local.file/) to read targets from a YAML file and send them to the `prometheus.exporter.snmp` component:

Alloy ![Copy code to clipboard](https://grafana.com/media/images/icons/icon-copy-small-2.svg) Copy

```alloy
local.file "targets" {
  filename = "targets.yml"
}

prometheus.exporter.snmp "example" {
  config_files = ["snmp_modules.yml"]

  targets = encoding.from_yaml(local.file.targets.content)

  walk_param "private" {
    retries = 2
  }

  walk_param "public" {
    retries = 2
  }
}

// Configure a prometheus.scrape component to collect SNMP metrics.
prometheus.scrape "demo" {
  targets    = prometheus.exporter.snmp.example.targets
  forward_to = [ /* ... */ ]
}
```

The YAML file in this example looks like this:

YAML ![Copy code to clipboard](https://grafana.com/media/images/icons/icon-copy-small-2.svg) Copy

```yaml
- name: t1
  address: localhost:161
  module: default
  auth: public_v2
- name: t2
  address: localhost:161
  module: default
  auth: public_v2
```

The following example uses the [`discovery.file` component](https://grafana.com/docs/alloy/next/reference/components/discovery/discovery.file/) to send targets to the `prometheus.exporter.snmp` component:

Alloy ![Copy code to clipboard](https://grafana.com/media/images/icons/icon-copy-small-2.svg) Copy

```alloy
discovery.file "example" {
  files = ["targets.yml"]
}

prometheus.exporter.snmp "example" {
  config_files = ["snmp_modules.yml"]
  targets = discovery.file.example.targets
}

// Configure a prometheus.scrape component to collect SNMP metrics.
prometheus.scrape "demo" {
    targets    = prometheus.exporter.snmp.example.targets
    forward_to = [ /* ... */ ]
}
```

The YAML file in this example looks like this:

YAML ![Copy code to clipboard](https://grafana.com/media/images/icons/icon-copy-small-2.svg) Copy

```yaml
- targets:
  - localhost:161
  labels:
    name: t1
    module: default
    auth: public_v2
- targets:
  - localhost:161
  labels:
    name: t2
    module: default
    auth: public_v2
```

## Compatible components

`prometheus.exporter.snmp` has exports that can be consumed by the following components:

- Components that consume [Targets](https://grafana.com/docs/alloy/next/reference/compatibility/#targets-consumers)

> Note
> 
> Connecting some components may not be sensible or components may require further configuration to make the connection work correctly. Refer to the linked documentation for more details.