Abstract: A system and method for managing COTS devices based on device auto-detection and identification is provided. A network device on a managed network is identified, wherein the network device is identified as a one of a list of one or more network device types supported by the managed network and included in one or more configuration files, and wherein the one or more configuration files further include a list of one or more respective SNMP variables to be monitored for each of the network device types. The respective listing of SNMP variables to be monitored and/or configured is extracted from the one or more configuration files for the identified network device type. A request is then generated to monitor and/or configure the extracted SNMP variables to be monitored for the network device.