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"Error: sysobjectid token not a parsable OID" in /var/log/messages when snmpd service is started on ESX 3.0.3

Symptoms

When the snmpd service is enabled and started, an error similar to the following appears in /var/log/messages:

Jun 18 00:53:25 localhost snmpd[2298]: /etc/snmp/snmpd.conf: line 12: Error: sysobjectid token not a parsable OID: 1.3.6.1.4.1.6876.4.1
When an snmpwalk command is executed it returns an OID that is not pointing to the one VMware provides:

# snmpwalk -v1 -c public localhost system
SNMPv2-MIB::sysDescr.0 = STRING: Linux gss.gss-ext.local 2.4.21-57.ELvmnix #1 Mon Jul 14 15:40:18 PDT 2008 i686
SNMPv2-MIB::sysObjectID.0 = OID: NET-SNMP-MIB::netSnmpAgentOIDs.10

Resolution

There is invisible character on line 12 of the /etc/snmp/snmpd.conf file which is provided with ESX 3.0.3. You must edit the file and replace the line.

To replace the line:

Make a backup copy of the file /etc/snmp/snmpd.conf.
Edit the file /etc/snmp/snmpd.conf.
Delete line 12, which contains sysobjectid 1.3.6.1.4.1.6876.4.1. This removes the invisible character on that line
Insert the following as the new line 12:

sysobjectid 1.3.6.1.4.1.6876.4.1
Save the edited file.
Run the service snmpd restart command to restart snmpd service and confirm that an error is no longer returned in /var/log/messages.
Run the snmpwalk command and confirm that the correct OID information is returned.

This output appears similar to:

# snmpwalk -v1 -c public localhost system

SNMPv2-MIB::sysDescr.0 = STRING: Linux gss.gss-ext.local 2.4.21-57.ELvmnix #1 Mon Jul 14 15:40:18 PDT 2008 i686
SNMPv2-MIB::sysObjectID.0 = OID: SNMPv2-SMI::enterprises.6876.4.1

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