Subject: The ifSpeed issue

From: Michael Welzl <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 23 Nov 1999 11:27:15 +0100

Hi,

Thanks for your replies. I understand that due to possible fluctuations
in the availability of underlying links, it is necessary to consider
ifSpeed an "estimation" in some cases. Still, the definition can be
confusing:

I misunderstood the definition - "An estimate of the interface's current
bandwidth in bits per second" - to me, this sounds as if ifSpeed could
contain an estimate of the currently available bandwidth, based on the
amount of traffic traversing the link. Maybe something like the nominal
bandwidth minus a moving average bandwidth estimation. Now, it would not
make sense to have SUCH an estimation every once in a while.

To avoid future misunderstandings, I propose changing this part of the
ifSpeed definition to:
"An estimate of the inferface's current nominal bandwidth in bits per
second"
                                        ^^^^^^^

What do you think?

Regards,
Michael Welzl

---

From: Ted Brunner <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 23 Nov 1999 11:29:29 -0800

Speaking as the Working Group Chair, on the topic of process,
the if-mib is not open for change at this point.  
A working group last call has been issued, and we have
just finished collecting implementation experience to report
to the IESG as part of the process of progressing the IF-MIB
to full standard.

That being said, I also recognize that the IF-MIB  (relatively
speaking) has quite old roots, back to the MIB-II, and perhaps
we would redesign some portions if we had it to do all over again.

There are also needs to clarify the text that surface from time
to time, even in text that has been read by others before.

However there is a very small amount of wiggle room at this stage.
Under the process, editorial changes can still be made before
the RFC number is issued.  Whether this is an editorial issue
is one question.  Another is whether this textual change is
seen by the Working Group as compelling.  I'm listening to 
try and judge this second question.

-- 

Ted Brunner		VideoTele.com
			Tektronix
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