Draft of the new prtAlertTableChanges MIB object

Draft of the new prtAlertTableChanges MIB object

Binnur Al-Kazily binnur at hpb15650.boi.hp.com
Fri Aug 2 17:17:00 EDT 1996


The object definition for prtAlertTableChanges indicates incrementing the   
counter  "whenever an entry is added to or removed from the table, or if   
an existing entry is changed in any way.". This could causes a management   
station to constantly check the alert table for any updated information,   
which at the end could become identical to polling if the device   
constantly updates the alert table with informational messages.


I would argue that informing the network manager with critical errors,   
and warning messages are important, as well as limiting the amount of   
network traffic. So, I propose limiting the use of the   
prtAlertTableChanges to only critical errors and warning messages. The   
proposed description:


    "Counts the changes made to the Alert Table in a manner similar
     to the prtGeneralConfigChanges object.  This value is incremented
     whenever a ***critical error or warning*** entry is added to or   
removed
     from the table, or if an existing entry is changed in any way.  By
     monitoring this object a management application should be able to
     quickly and decisively determine when the Alert Table has changed;   
upon
     recognizing a change, the application should acquire the complete
     Alert Table to determine the precise nature of the change."


Also, as a quick side note, will there be an equivalent alert code added   
for this object to the alert table??


 ---
Binnur Al-Kazily    Hewlett-Packard Company    Integrated Network   
Solutions
binnur at boi.hp.com       (208)396-6372             KB7WYD    DoD #2010




 ----------
From:  pwg-owner[SMTP:pwg-owner at pwg.org]
Sent:  Thursday, August 01, 1996 6:59 PM
To:  pwg
Subject:  Draft of the new prtAlertTableChanges MIB object


Following is a draft of the proposed new Printer MIB object describing
changes to the Alert Table, as discussed at the recent PWG July meeting.




    prtAlertTableChanges OBJECT-TYPE
        SYNTAX      Counter32
        MAX-ACCESS  read-only
        MIN-ACCESS  read-only
        STATUS      current
        DESCRIPTION
            "Counts the changes made to the Alert Table in a manner   
similar
             to the prtGeneralConfigChanges object.  This value is   
incremented
             whenever an entry is added to or removed from the table, or   
if
             an existing entry is changed in any way.  By monitoring this
             object a management application should be able to quickly   
and
             decisively determine when the Alert Table has changed; upon
             recognizing a change, the application should acquire the   
complete
             Alert Table to determine the precise nature of the change."
        ::= { prtGeneralEntry 16 }


Note carefully that I've placed this object in the prtGeneral Group.
This was chosen to reflect similar kinds of info already existing in
the General Group, although I don't really care where it goes in the
MIB.  (Is it legal/tasteful to put this object as a peer to an "Entry"
definition within a Table?  Or as a peer to the Table? For example,
"{ prtAlertTable 2 }" or "{ prtAlert 2}" ??)


Any help on improving the DESCRIPTION clause would be appreciated!


        ...jay



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