The invention relates to filtering within device management protocol queries. An example device includes an interface to receive, from a device management system, a request message that conforms to a network management protocol, a control unit that provides an execution environment for a management agent, and a data repository. The request message includes a set of managed object identifiers and a set of filter operator object identifiers. The management agent is operable to generate at least one filter criterion based on the managed object identifiers and the filter operator object identifiers, to retrieve managed object values stored in the data repository based on the managed object identifiers, each corresponding to a respective managed object identifier specified in the request message, to generate and output to the device management system a response message based on the managed object identifiers of the request message and the retrieved managed object values that satisfy one or more of the at least one filter criterion.