Subject: MIB framework comments

From: [email-masked]
Date: Fri, 23 Jul 1999 18:35:26 -0400

As noted, this is a very preliminary document, so here are some
equally preliminary comments ...

Section 4.2 of this draft is unfortunately confused:

	4.2 SNMP Version Compatibility

	Fibre Channel MIBs defined in the IP over FC working group should be
	written in the SNMPv1 syntax.

	As SNMPv3 becomes available, MIBs may be written in the SNMPv3
syntax
	also. However, the baseline version of all FC MIBs should remain 
	SNMPv1. Every attempt should be made to keep the SNMPv1 and SNMPv3 
	versions of the MIBs as close as possible.

First off, the syntaxes are called SMIv1 and SMIv2; used with care (i.e.,
don't use counter64 in SMIv2), both are compatible with all versions of
SNMP.

Second, the word from those in charge (IETF Operations and Management
Area Directors) is that SMIv2 is REQUIRED for all new MIBs --  an
attempt to submit an SMIv1 MIB to the IESG will result in very quick
rejection.  Conversion tools exist to mechanically obtain an SMIv1 MIB
from an SMIv2 MIB as long as counter64 was not used; this takes care of
the last sentence above.  There are also conversion tools that assist
with the mapping in the reverse direction (only has to be done once, but
and is not completely mechanical because SMIv2 is more expressive and
specific in some areas than SMIv1).

Much of the Security section (4.1) looks like it's actually a discussion
of conformance statements.  The discussion of write access looks like it
can be summarized as:  Conformance must not require implementation of
write access, for objects that are only writeable, conformance must not
require implementation of the object.

Section 5.3 ought not to discuss management of the MIB tree.  In particular,
all the standardized MIBs will eventually wind up in the non-experimental
space.

--David

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David L. Black, Senior Technologist
EMC Corporation, 42 South St., Hopkinton, MA  01748
+1 (508) 435-1000 x75140, FAX: +1 (508) 497-6909
[email-masked]
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