Every few years over the past entire quarter damned century I find myself wrestling with how to monitor non-Windows devices. Every time I try using some form of SNMP-based system. Every time I end up with something either barely-workable or non-functional.

This go-around came about because after we left ConnectWise Automate for NinjaOne (née Ninja RMM) we lost the ability to monitor our clients’ NAS devices via SNMP. Let’s be clear: Automate’s implementation was solidly in the “barely-workable” category… but it did work. Just, barely.

Yes, we made the change-over last year. Yes, I’m just now getting to this. We’ve had a lot going on.

I went into this project with more than the usual amount of optimism. NinjaOne very specifically notes that they support QNAP and Synology devices in their NMS (network monitoring system), so how hard could this possibly be to get working?

So, spoilers: It doesn’t work.

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