CURRENT_MEETING_REPORT_
Reported by Andy Bierman/cisco Systems
Minutes of the Remote Network Monitoring Working Group (RMONMIB)
The RMONMIB Working Group met on 17, 18 and 20 July at the 33rd IETF.
Materials required for the meetings: draft-ietf-rmonmib-rmon2-01.txt.
The document is available via anonymous FTP:
ftp.isi.edu:/internet-drafts
ftp.cisco.com:/ftp/rmonmib
Executive Summary
The working group met to finalize details of the RMON-2 MIB
specification under development. Several open issues were identified
and discussed.
o Deliverables
The RMON-2 deliverables will consist of two documents:
- RMON-2 MIB -- RMON-1 additions, RMON-2 objects, RMON Probe
Configuration; will be structured as three MIBs within one
document.
- Protocol Directory Identifiers -- protocolDirID octet string
values; also contains other protocolDirectory fields for
`well-known' protocols.
o Schedule
- Updated drafts are scheduled to be submitted to the working
group mailing list on 7 August 1995.
- The drafts will then be open for comment on the working group
mailing list for two weeks.
- On August 21 (possibly), the twice-updated drafts will be
submitted for publication as Proposed Standard.
o Meeting Discussion Topics
1. Protocol Directory Definition Document
2. Filter and Channel Extensions
3. Textual Conventions fixup
4. Rationale Statements
5. RMON-1 Additions
6. Counting `other' packets
7. DataSource table
8. Performance Metrics table for Application Matrix
9. Conformance statements
10. Switch monitoring
11. alMatrixTopN table broken
12. Conversation buddies in *Matrix tables
13. BOOTP Mode in Config MIB
14. Counting error packets
15. protocolDirectory lastChanged mechanism
16. Agent behavior when control entries deleted
17. TimeFilter TC clarification
Detailed Summary
The following issues list was created and discussed. Additional changes
and clarifications not mentioned here were also made.
1. Protocol Directory Definition Document
A new macro syntax was proposed--solely for the purpose of
eliminating the protocol naming explosion due to multiple
encapsulations of a given protocol.
Action: Andy and Steve to work up this macro proposal for
inclusion as the Protocol Directory document by 7 August.
2. Filter and Channel Extensions
It was decided that channel ANDing capability would not be added at
this time. However, the protocol-relative-offset filter extension
was added to the existing FilterEntry.
Action: Steve understands the edits.
3. Textual Conventions fixup
Some cut-and-paste text can be replaced by using a TC (used as a
typedef). It was agreed that the dataSource would be turned into a
TC. Other possible typedefs will be investigated by the editor.
Action: Steve understands the edits.
4. Rationale Statements
Not all tables have Rationale sections in the FooTable DESCRIPTION
clause. Text explaining the NL, AL table splits (with one control
table will be added. Other text at editor's discretion.
Discussion of RMON product groups led to consensus that the labels
``Network'' and ``Application'' were acceptable as the two clearly
defined RMON-2 product classes. The rationale sections for various
control tables will be updated to reference and explain the product
group labels.
Action: Steve understands the edits.
5. RMON-2 Additions to RMON-1
Probes conformant to RFC 1757 are considered RMON-1 probes.
RMON-1/RMON-2 probes implementing the new MIB should implement the
RMON-1 additions in this section of the RMON-2 document.
The dropFrames and lastActivationTime objects will be added to some
control tables. The WAN filter status bits change will also be
added.
The RMON-2 additions will be contained in a separate MIB within the
new RMON-2 document. Some of the Config MIB objects will also be
moved to a separate MIB within the RMON-2 document.
Action: Steve understands the edits.
6. Counting `other' packets
The issue of counting unknown multiplexor values for protocols that
allow user-extension resolved is in discussion.
7. DataSource table
Simple list of OBJECT IDENTIFIERs indicating which values were
supported by an agent. Almost no interest -- proposal rejected.
8. Performance Metrics table for Application Matrix
Proposal withdrawn.
9. Conformance statements
SNMPv2 conformance section.
Action: Steve understands the edits.
10. Switch monitoring
The working group decided not to attempt to specify a standard
mechanism for monitoring Ethernet or ATM switches at this time.
This work was deferred to a later time.
11. alMatrixTopN table broken
Working group discussion led to the addition of a reportsGenerated
object in the alMatrixTopN tables.
Action: Steve understands the edits.
12. Conversation buddies in *Matrix tables
Recording matrix conversation partners in the *Matrix data tables
would allow more efficient retrieval of this data. It was decided
that the actual buddy-counter values would be recorded.
Action: Steve understands the edits.
13. BOOTP Mode in Config MIB
In general, it was decided that the Config MIB was too IP-centric
and such requests as demanding that BOOTP be supported were relaxed
to suggestions instead of requirements. Support for IPX was added
to the trap destination table.
Action: Steve understands the edits.
14. Counting error packets
A possible problem with counting error packets was discussed.
15. protocolDirectory lastChanged mechanism
A mechanism to efficiently retrieve protocol directory changes was
discussed. Proposals such as time-stamp, timeFilter, and table
re-indexing were rejected because the problem was not seen as
enough trouble to warrant more MIB objects.
16. Agent behavior when control entries deleted
Clarifications were suggested for agent behavior when any portion
of the several inter-related MIB rows changes value, or gets
deleted, during runtime operation.
Action: Steve understands the edits.
17. TimeFilter TC clarification
Clarifying text needed to help agent and NMS implementors
understand the TimeFilter mechanism used in RMON-2.
Action: Andy to provide updated usage example (from mailing list)
to Steve for inclusion as an appendix in the next draft.
18. addressMapSource
Issues regarding valid values of addressMapSource were discussed.
At this time, it is limited to ifIndex.N for official RMON support,
but there is strong consensus that repeater ports were the only
allowed exception to ifIndex.N. The Repeater MIB may change, so
this issue is not completely closed (i.e., specific Repeater MIB
instances used as dataSource values will probably change within a
year.)