RFC 1284 (rfc1284) - Page 2 of 21

Definitions of Managed Objects for the Ethernet-like Interface Types

RFC 1284                 ETHERNET-LIKE OBJECTS             December 1991


      defines a more concise description mechanism, which is wholly
      consistent with the SMI.

      RFC 1156 which defines MIB-I, the core set of managed objects for
      the Internet suite of protocols.  RFC 1213, defines MIB-II, an
      evolution of MIB-I based on implementation experience and new
      operational requirements.

      RFC 1157 which defines the SNMP, the protocol used for network
      access to managed objects.

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

3.  Objects

   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) [7]
   defined in the SMI.  In particular, each object has a name, a syntax,
   and an encoding.  The name is an object identifier, an
   administratively assigned name, which specifies an object type.  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 OBJECT
   DESCRIPTOR, to also refer to the object type.

   The syntax of an object type defines the abstract data structure
   corresponding to that object type.  The ASN.1 language is used for
   this purpose.  However, the SMI [3] purposely restricts the ASN.1
   constructs which may be used.  These restrictions are explicitly made
   for simplicity.

   The encoding of an object type is simply how that object type is
   represented using the object type's syntax.  Implicitly tied to the
   notion of an object type's syntax and encoding is how the object type
   is represented when being transmitted on the network.

   The SMI specifies the use of the basic encoding rules of ASN.1 [8],
   subject to the additional requirements imposed by the SNMP.

3.1.  Format of Definitions

   Section 5 contains contains the specification of all object types
   contained in this MIB module.  The object types are defined using the
   conventions defined in the SMI, as amended by the extensions
   specified in [13].




Transmission MIB Working Group