Subject: Feedback on SoftwareRev in current draft

From: "Stephane Chatre" <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 17:29:03 -0800

Hi all. I just joined the list and my suggestion/question may have already
been addressed. Feel free to let me know is so is the case.
I am voicing a concern about the implementation of entPhysicalSoftwareRev.

The ATM forum's SNMP M4 mib (ATM-FORUM-SNMP-M4-MIB from af-nm-0095_01)
imports items from the ENTITY-MIB (RFC2037's) for physical information as
well as items from HOST-RESOURCES-MIB (RFC1514). Among the items imported
from HOST-RESOURCES-MIB are elements from the hrSWInstalledTable, the table
for all of the installed software. HOST-RESOURCES-MIB also implements a
table called hrSWRunTable containing all of the running software.

Randy Jones expressed a concern in last november, that with ENTITY-MIB's
current definition of entPhysicalSoftwareRev, we cannot address cases where
several different pieces of software are installed or running in several
banks on a device.

The ATM M4 MIB addresses this (for now) by implementing two tables:
- atmfM4HwInstalledSwTable, a table for installed software using
double-indexing. Indices are:
 -> An index in ENTITY-MIB's entPhysicalTable of a physical entity
 -> An index of the currently installed software in this physical entity.
 Double-indexed entries in the atmfM4HwInstalledSwTable return the index in
HOST-RESOURCES-MIB's hrSWInstalledTable of the software entity addressed.
- atmfM4HwRunningSwTable, a table for running software working similarly as
the previous one.

By using this double indexing scheme, we can consistantly identify several
instances of installed or running software on a given hardware device. Maybe
we should implement a similar mechanism in the new ENTITY-MIB, by adding at
least one double-indexed tables for installed software on the hardware
device.

This way we do not duplicate information about software provided in the
HOST-RESOURCES-MIB, and keep things consistent with how software versions
are addressed in the M4 MIB.

We might also want to add another double-indexed table for running software.

I think firmware could be possibly contained in the same table as installed
software. If however firmware needs to be added, I personnaly think then a
third double-indexed table could be added for firmware. The firmware
information however should be stored in HOST-RESOURCES-MIB.

Let me know if I'm wrong and missed the point. If not I think these concerns
should be addressed with the HOST-RESOURCES-MIB WG.

Thanks,

Stephane Chatre