RFC 1611 (rfc1611) - Page 2 of 30

DNS Server MIB Extensions

RFC 1611               DNS Server MIB Extensions                May 1994


   the TCP/IP infrastructure is the DNS.

   Up to this point there has been no mechanism to integrate the
   management of the DNS with SNMP-based managers.  This memo provides
   the mechanisms by which IP-based management stations can effectively
   manage DNS name server software in an integrated fashion.

   We have defined DNS MIB objects to be used in conjunction with the
   Internet MIB to allow access to and control of DNS name server
   software via SNMP by the Internet community.

2.  The SNMPv2 Network Management Framework

   The SNMPv2 Network Management Framework consists of four major
   components.  They are:

      o  RFC 1442 which defines the SMI, the mechanisms used for
         describing and naming objects for the purpose of management.

      o  STD 17, RFC 1213 defines MIB-II, the core set of managed objects
         for the Internet suite of protocols.

      o  RFC 1445 which defines the administrative and other architectural
         aspects of the framework.

      o  RFC 1448 which defines the protocol used for network access to
         managed objects.

      The Framework permits new objects to be defined for the purpose of
      experimentation and evaluation.

2.1.  Object Definitions

   Managed objects are accessed via a virtual information store, termed
   the Management Information Base or MIB.  Objects in the MIB are
   defined using the subset of Abstract Syntax Notation One (ASN.1)
   defined in the SMI.  In particular, each object object type is named
   by an OBJECT IDENTIFIER, an administratively assigned name.  The
   object type together with an object instance serves to uniquely
   identify a specific instantiation of the object.  For human
   convenience, we often use a textual string, termed the descriptor, to
   refer to the object type.

3.  Overview

   In theory, the DNS world is pretty simple.  There are two kinds of
   entities: resolvers and name servers.  Resolvers ask questions.  Name
   servers answer them.  The real world, however, is not so simple.



Austein & Saperia