How to graph SNMP string values?

[athomas]

I've got linux clients with net-snmp configured to run my own scripts, returning the VM size of a process.

From my zabbix host, I can retrieve the current value with a command like this:

snmpget -v 1 -c secret host01 1.3.6.1.4.1.13941.200.17.101.1

Which returns:
SNMPv2-SMI::enterprises.13941.200.17.101.1 = STRING: "1166"

How can I get zabbix to retrieve this value regularly and treat it as an integer; storing and graphing historic values etc.?

Attempting to get zabbix to treat the value as a number gives me this error:

"Cannot store SNMP string value (ASN_OCTET_STR) in item having numeric type"

The script is returning a string via SNMP, and I don't think that snmp allows me to change that, but it is a string made up exclusively of numeric characters. ;-)


Thanks in advance for advice on how I can end up with zabbix showing graphs of how this value has changed over time.

[Alexei]

The automatic conversion is not supported in 1.1.x, yet I'm pretty sure it already works perfectly in 1.3.x (pre 1.4).

[paultorben]

The script is returning a string via SNMP, and I don't think that snmp allows me to change that, but it is a string made up exclusively of numeric characters. ;-)

Have you tried doing an SNMPwalk to see all available values? For many values I'm collecting there are string and integer values available - and even when I'm collecting the String value (as defined by the results returned by snmpwalk) if I define the 'item' in Zabbix as float is gets the numeric values properly.

[AdrianW]

Use "Numeric (float)" setting for 1.4

Have you tried doing an SNMPwalk to see all available values? For many values I'm collecting there are string and integer values available - and even when I'm collecting the String value (as defined by the results returned by snmpwalk) if I define the 'item' in Zabbix as float is gets the numeric values properly.

Thank you. I am working with the 1.4 release and I have found this to be true:

The automatic conversion only appear to works with the "Numeric (float)" under the "Type of information" setting for an item. "Numeric (integer 64bit)" does not perform the automatic conversion.

The automatic conversion is a helpful feature.