Networks are becoming more complex. Modern infrastructure includes routers, switches, firewalls, servers, cloud-connected systems, and devices spread across multiple locations. Monitoring these environments requires more than simply knowing whether a device is online.
For years, the Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) has been a fundamental part of network monitoring. Today, streaming telemetry is gaining attention as networks demand more detailed and timely operational data.
But does streaming telemetry replace SNMP? Or do both technologies have a role to play?
What Is SNMP?
SNMP allows network monitoring systems to retrieve operational information from compatible devices. This can include interface traffic, device uptime, CPU utilization, memory usage, and interface errors.
In a typical monitoring setup, the monitoring system polls devices at configured intervals. Each device responds with the requested information, which can then be stored, visualized, and analyzed. SNMP also supports traps and informs, which allow devices to send notifications about particular events without waiting for the next polling cycle.
Its biggest advantage is its widespread use across network infrastructure. It is supported by many generations of routers, switches, servers, UPS systems, printers, and other managed devices.
However, polling introduces a trade-off. The monitoring system sees updated values when it collects them, so brief changes between polling intervals may not be visible in the collected samples.
What Is Streaming Telemetry?
Streaming telemetry is an approach in which devices provide operational data to a collection system through an established subscription or streaming mechanism.
Instead of relying only on repeated requests, a monitoring system can subscribe to specific data and receive updates according to the supported subscription behavior.
For example, an interface may be monitored through periodic samples, or updates may be sent when a particular value changes. The exact behavior depends on the device and telemetry implementation.
One important technology in this area is gNMI (gRPC Network Management Interface). It defines a gRPC-based interface for retrieving and modifying device configuration and subscribing to telemetry updates. Its Subscribe operation supports different modes, including streaming updates.
You can explore the official OpenConfig gNMI specification here.
SNMP vs. Streaming Telemetry: The Key Differences
The main difference is how operational data is collected and delivered.
SNMP is well suited to periodic polling and event notifications through traps or informs. Streaming telemetry supports ongoing subscriptions that can deliver sampled or change-driven updates, depending on the implementation. This distinction matters when monitoring rapidly changing interface counters, traffic patterns, or other operational metrics.
However, streaming telemetry is not automatically better in every situation. Frequent SNMP polling can provide useful visibility, while an unsuitable telemetry configuration can still produce incomplete or excessive data. The right choice depends on the monitoring objective, device capabilities, and collection infrastructure.
What About Data Models and Device Compatibility?
Streaming telemetry is not just about sending data faster. The way that data is represented and accessed also matters.
Technologies such as YANG provide a data-modeling language for describing configuration and operational information. OpenConfig develops vendor-neutral data models intended to support consistent management across network devices.
When a device supports suitable OpenConfig models and gNMI, a monitoring system can subscribe to specific data paths rather than relying solely on traditional SNMP object identifiers.
But compatibility cannot be assumed. Support varies by vendor, device model, software version, and available data models. Organizations must verify which metrics and telemetry capabilities their equipment actually exposes.
Does Streaming Telemetry Replace SNMP?
Not necessarily.
SNMP remains valuable because it covers a broad installed base of network equipment. Many organizations already have established polling configurations, alerting rules, historical data, and monitoring workflows built around it.
Streaming telemetry can add value where supported devices expose richer operational data or require more frequent updates.
Consider a network containing older switches, existing firewalls, UPS systems, and newer data-center equipment. Replacing every monitoring mechanism with a single new protocol may be impractical.
A hybrid approach can be more sensible: continue using SNMP where it provides the required visibility, and introduce streaming telemetry for compatible devices and specific monitoring needs.
The objective is not to adopt the newest technology everywhere. It is to collect the right information at the right level of detail.
Choosing the Right Approach for Your Network
Before introducing streaming telemetry, IT teams should evaluate a few practical questions:
- Which devices support SNMP, gNMI, and the required data models?
- How quickly must operational changes be detected?
- Which metrics need periodic collection, and which benefit from streaming updates?
- Can the existing monitoring platform collect, store, and analyze the additional data?
- Are access controls, authentication, encryption, and network capacity configured appropriately?
These considerations help prevent a common mistake: collecting more data without improving the ability to interpret it.
The Future of Network Monitoring
SNMP and streaming telemetry represent different approaches to collecting network information, but they serve a shared purpose: helping IT teams understand the health and behavior of their infrastructure.
As networks evolve, monitoring strategies will increasingly depend on device capabilities, data requirements, and operational priorities rather than a single protocol.
Platforms such as ArkayNMS help organizations bring network-device information, topology, traffic, and alerts into a centralized view. For teams building reliable monitoring practices, the priority remains the same: turn infrastructure data into visibility that supports faster troubleshooting and better decisions.
Explore ArkayNMS to learn more about centralized network monitoring.
The future is not simply about collecting more data. It is about making network data more useful.
