Network protocol-based interrogation for network device characterization

A method of automated network documentation, the method comprising:

• receiving, by an electronic device in electronic communication with a local network, a first network address for a first device connected to the local network, the electronic device configured to operate a network documentation platform, the network documentation platform comprising a network documentation database documenting network devices connected to the local network;
• sending, by the electronic device, a first simple network management protocol (SNMP) request to the first network address for the first device requesting first device identity information from the first device and also requesting first device connectivity information describing direct network connections between the first device and two or more other devices of the local network;
• receiving, by the electronic device, a first SNMP response from the first device in response to the first SNMP request, the first SNMP response including the first device identity information and the first device connectivity information;
• extracting, by the electronic device, the first device identity information and the first device connectivity information for the first device from the first SNMP response;
• providing, by the electronic device, the first device identity information and the first device connectivity information to the network documentation platform;
• and
• modifying, by the network documentation platform, the network documentation database to create first device documentation data for the first device based on the first device identity information and the first device connectivity information.