Abstract: A method and apparatus for automatically monitoring Simple Network Manageable Devices. A processor accesses a memory storage device to retrieve a device definition file and an interface definition file associated with each interface referenced in the device definition file. The processor creates a Device-Type-Specific Formula-Monitor Definitions (DTSFMD) data structure based on information contained within the device definition file and the interface definition files and stores the DTSFMD data structure in the storage device. The processor accesses a communication network to retrieve information used to identify the types of devices and associated interfaces located within the communication network. Based on the retrieved information, the devices are identified as a router, a switch, a repeater or a device for which no monitoring is to occur.