RFC 2021 (rfc2021) - Page 3 of 130
Remote Network Monitoring Management Information Base Version 2 using SMIv2
Alternative Format: Original Text Document
RFC 2021 Remote Network Monitoring MIB January 1997
Remote network monitoring devices, often called monitors or probes,
are instruments that exist for the purpose of managing a network.
Often these remote probes are stand-alone devices and devote
significant internal resources for the sole purpose of managing a
network. An organization may employ many of these devices, one per
network segment, to manage its internet. In addition, these devices
may be used for a network management service provider to access a
client network, often geographically remote.
The objects defined in this document are intended as an interface
between an RMON agent and an RMON management application and are not
intended for direct manipulation by humans. While some users may
tolerate the direct display of some of these objects, few will
tolerate the complexity of manually manipulating objects to
accomplish row creation. These functions should be handled by the
management application.
2.1. Remote Network Management Goals
o Offline Operation
There are sometimes conditions when a management
station will not be in constant contact with its
remote monitoring devices. This is sometimes by
design in an attempt to lower communications costs
(especially when communicating over a WAN or
dialup link), or by accident as network failures
affect the communications between the management
station and the probe.
For this reason, this MIB allows a probe to be
configured to perform diagnostics and to collect
statistics continuously, even when communication with
the management station may not be possible or
efficient. The probe may then attempt to notify
the management station when an exceptional condition
occurs. Thus, even in circumstances where
communication between management station and probe is
not continuous, fault, performance, and configuration
information may be continuously accumulated and
communicated to the management station conveniently
and efficiently.
Waldbusser Standards Track