What type of information does SNMP primarily collect?

SNMP, or Simple Network Management Protocol, primarily collects performance-related data from network devices. This protocol is designed to facilitate the gathering of various statistics and metrics that reflect the operational health and performance of devices within a network. Performance-related data can include information on bandwidth consumption, device CPU loads, memory usage, uptime, and network latency, among others. This information is crucial for network administrators to assess the efficiency of network operations, identify potential issues, and make decisions about capacity planning and resource allocation.

While diagnostic metrics may seem relevant, SNMP is more focused on ongoing performance rather than specific diagnostic information or extensive historical data. Configuration settings are typically managed through different means, such as command-line interfaces or other management protocols, and security logs focus on logging security-related events, which are not the primary focus of SNMP. Hence, it is without a doubt that performance-related data is the essence of what SNMP is designed to monitor and collect.