IPFIX Working Group P. Aitken, Ed.
Internet-Draft Brocade
Intended status: Standards Track B. Claise
Expires: January 2, 2016 S. B S
Cisco Systems, Inc.
C. McDowall
Brocade
J. Schoenwaelder
Jacobs University Bremen
July 1, 2015

Exporting MIB Variables using the IPFIX Protocol
draft-ietf-ipfix-mib-variable-export-09

Abstract

This document specifies a way to complement IPFIX Data Records with Management Information Base (MIB) objects, avoiding the need to define new IPFIX Information Elements for existing Management Information Base objects that are already fully specified.

An IPFIX Options Template and method are specified, which are used to export the extra information required to fully describe Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) MIB objects in IPFIX.

Status of This Memo

This Internet-Draft is submitted in full conformance with the provisions of BCP 78 and BCP 79.

Internet-Drafts are working documents of the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF). Note that other groups may also distribute working documents as Internet-Drafts. The list of current Internet-Drafts is at http://datatracker.ietf.org/drafts/current/.

Internet-Drafts are draft documents valid for a maximum of six months and may be updated, replaced, or obsoleted by other documents at any time. It is inappropriate to use Internet-Drafts as reference material or to cite them other than as "work in progress."

This Internet-Draft will expire on January 2, 2016.

Copyright Notice

Copyright (c) 2015 IETF Trust and the persons identified as the document authors. All rights reserved.

This document is subject to BCP 78 and the IETF Trust's Legal Provisions Relating to IETF Documents (http://trustee.ietf.org/license-info) in effect on the date of publication of this document. Please review these documents carefully, as they describe your rights and restrictions with respect to this document. Code Components extracted from this document must include Simplified BSD License text as described in Section 4.e of the Trust Legal Provisions and are provided without warranty as described in the Simplified BSD License.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction

There is growing interest in using IPFIX as a push mechanism for exporting management information. Using a push protocol such as IPFIX instead of a polling protocol like SNMP is especially interesting in situations where large chunks of repetitive data need to be exported periodically.

While initially targeted at different problems, there is a large parallel between the information transported via IPFIX and SNMP. Furthermore, certain Management Information Base (MIB) objects are highly relevant to flows as they are understood today. For example, in the IPFIX information model [IANA-IPFIX], Information Elements coming from the SNMP world have already been specified, e.g., ingressInterface and egressInterface both refer to the ifIndex defined in [RFC2863].

In particular the Management Information Base was designed as a separate system of definitions which opens up the possibility of exporting Objects defined via the MIB over other protocols.

Rather than mapping existing MIB objects to IPFIX Information Elements on a case by case basis, it would be advantageous to enable the export of any existing or future MIB objects as part of an IPFIX Data Record. This way, the duplication of data models [RFC3444], both as SMIv2 MIB objects and IPFIX Information Elements, out of the same information model [RFC3444] would be avoided.

Therefore the primary goals of this document are:

2. Motivation

The intended scope of this work is the addition of MIB variable(s) to IPFIX Information Elements in Data Records, in order to complement the Records with useful and already standardized information. Special consideration is given to the case of an existing Template Record which needs to be augmented with some MIB variables whose index is already present in the Template Record as an IPFIX Information Element. For example a 7-tuple Record containing the ingressInterface Information Element, which needs to be augmented by interface counters [RFC2863] which are indexed by the respective ingressInterface values which are already contained in the Data Records.

Many Data Records contain the ingressInterface and/or the egressInterface Information Elements. These Information Elements carry an ifIndex value, a MIB object defined in [RFC2863]. In order to retrieve additional information about the identified interface, a Collector could simply poll relevant objects from the device running the Exporter via SNMP. However, that approach has several problems:

This document does not specify how to carry SNMP notifications in IPFIX, even if the specifications in this document could potentially allow this.

Since IPFIX is a push mechanism, initiated from the Exporter with no acknowledgment method, this specification does not provide the ability to execute configuration changes.

The Distributed Management Expression MIB [RFC2982], which is a mechanism to create new MIB variables based on the content of existing ones, could also be advantageous in the context of this specification. Indeed, newly created MIB objects (for example, the link utilization MIB variable), created with the Distributed Management Expression MIB [RFC2982] could nicely complement Data Records.

Another advantage of exporting MIB objects via IPFIX is that IPFIX would benefit from an extended series of types to be exported. The simple and application-wide data types specified in SMIv2 [RFC2578], along with new Textual Conventions, can be exported within IPFIX and then decoded in the Collector. However, since a Textual Convention can contain almost any name, this document does not extend the existing informationElementDataType registry [IANA-IPFIX].

The overall architectural model is depicted in Figure 1. The IPFIX Exporter accesses the device's instrumentation, which follows the specifications contained in MIB modules. Other management interfaces such as NETCONF or the device's Command Line Interface (CLI) may provide access to the same instrumentation. 

  +------+  +-------+  +.........+  +.....+
  | SNMP |  | IPFIX |  : NETCONF :  : CLI :
  +------+  +-------+  +.........+  +.....+
      |         |           |          |
+--------------------------------------------+
| Instrumentation (specified in MIB modules) |
+--------------------------------------------+

Figure 1: Architectural Model

3. Terminology

IPFIX-specific terminology (Information Element, Template, Template Record, Options Template Record, Template Set, Collector, Exporter, Data Record, etc.) used in this document is defined in Section 2 of [RFC7011]. As in [RFC7011], these IPFIX-specific terms have the first letter of a word capitalized.

This document prefers the more generic term "Data Record" (as opposed to "Flow Record") in relation to the export of MIB objects.

Object Identifier (MIB OID)

MIB Object Identifier Information Element

SMIv2 Terminology

SMIv2 SYNTAX

SNMP Context Terminology

mibObjectValue Information Elements

IE

The key words "MUST", "MUST NOT", "REQUIRED", "SHALL", "SHALL NOT", "SHOULD", "SHOULD NOT", "RECOMMENDED", "NOT RECOMMENDED", "MAY", and "OPTIONAL" in this document are to be interpreted as described in [RFC2119].

4. High Level Solution Overview

This document specifies a method for creating IPFIX Options Templates that are used to export the extra data required to describe MIB variables (see Section 5.1).

This allows IPFIX Templates to contain any combination of fields defined by traditional IPFIX Information Element(s) and/or MIB Object Identifier(s). The MIB Object Identifiers can reference either non columnar or columnar MIB object(s). Enterprise-specific MIB Object Identifiers are also supported.

This document also defines two standard IPFIX Options Templates (see Section 5.3) that are used as part of the mechanism to export MIB object meta data:

This document defines three classes of new IPFIX Information Elements. These are used to export values from the MIB, export required Object Identifier information, and optionally export type data from a MIB Module:

Additionally, this document defines two new IPFIX semantics which are required for the new Information Elements:

One common type defined in the SMIv2 are conceptual rows and conceptual tables. It is desirable that exporting a complete or partial conceptual row is simple and efficient. This is accomplished by using IPFIX Structured Data [RFC6313] to reduce repetition of Object Identifier and indexing data.

To allow the use of individual columnar objects that make up a conceptual row, a method is also specified to detail that a MIB object is indexed by other fields in the same Data Flow. For an individually indexed mibObjectValue the INDEX fields are sent as any of the other fields in the same Record, and may be mibObjectValue Information Element(s) or other existing Information Element(s).

Also, in some cases Exporters may not want (or be able) to export the full information on how the MIB objects being exported are indexed. This may be because the MIB object is being used purely as type information or the Exporting Process may not have knowledge of the indexing required. Therefore providing index information for Columnar Objects is optional.

5. MIB Object Value Information Elements and the MIB Field Options Template

This document defines new mibObjectValue Information Elements (in Section 11.2.1). These are used to export MIB objects as part of standard IPFIX Templates. The mibObjectValue Information Elements contain the actual data values.

The Metering or Exporting Process may extract the data values for mibObjectValue Information Elements from a Process that resides on the same device or may capture or create the data required to match the definition of the MIB object. In particular exporting a value of a MIB object defined in a certain MIB module does not imply that the SNMP process on the device supports that MIB module.

The main issue that arises from exporting values of MIB objects in IPFIX is that MIB Object Identifiers do not fit into the standard IPFIX Template format [RFC7011], as this only provides a 16-bit Information Element identifier.

The values of a MIB object could be exported using a MIB specific Information Element without providing any Object Identifiers. However, without exporting the actual MIB OID the full type of the data would be unknown and every Field containing MIB object data would appear identical. Without knowing which OID the contents of a field map to, the data would be incomprehensible to a Collector.

For the values in the mibObjectValue Information Elements to be understandable, more meta information about the mibObjectValue Information Elements must be sent as part of the IPFIX export. The required minimum to understand each field is the OID as defined in Section 5.3.1.

One approach to this problem would be to extend the IPFIX standard to allow extended field specifiers so metadata about fields can be included in Data Templates. This would however require a new version of the IPFIX standard which may not be backwards compatible. However, future versions of IPFIX may export the required MIB metadata as part of newer set versions.

This document defines a MIB Field Options Template to export the extra meta information required for mibObjectValue Information Elements. This is a standard IPFIX Options Template Set which includes a minimum set of required fields (see Section 5.3.1) and may include extra fields to provide more meta information about one of the mibObjectValue Information Elements.

The MIB Field Options export is used to tell the Collecting process: for the following (template, field) the MIB Object type definition has this OID.

5.1. MIB Field Options Architecture

Four IPFIX Sets are used together to export a Flow which contains mibObjectValue Information Elements. These are:

  1. A Template Set which includes the mibObjectValue Information Element.
    • The Template Set informs the Collector that a MIB object value of length N will be exported. This Set may also be an Options Template Set.

  2. A MIB Field Options Template Set
    • The MIB Field Options Template describes which metadata will be sent for each mibObjectValue Information Element being exported.

  3. A MIB Field Options Data Set
    • The MIB Field Options Data Set includes the metadata for each MIB object (i.e. the mibObjectIdentifier or mibSubIdentifier). The metadata about the mibObjectValue Information Elements only needs to be resent as per normal Template refreshes or resends.

  4. A Data Set.
    • The Data Set contains only the actual data extracted from the MIB or described by the MIB module.

Figure 2 shows the IPFIX Message structure for a MIB Field in a Template Set. 

+-------------------------------------------------------+
| IPFIX Message Header                                  |
+-------------------------------------------------------+
| Template Set         (A)                              |
+-------------------------------------------------------+
| Options Template Set (B) (MIB Field Options Template) |
+-------------------------------------------------------+
| Data Set             (B) (MIB Field Options Data)     |
+-------------------------------------------------------+
| Data Set             (A)                              |
+-------------------------------------------------------+

Figure 2: IPFIX Message structure for a MIB Field in a Template Set

The MIB Field Options Template defines MIB Field Options Data Records. The MIB Field Options Data Records annotate the Data Template with mibObjectValue metadata. Together the Data Template and MIB Field Options Data Records define the Data Records that will be exported.

The Data Records (A) have a dependency on the two Templates and the MIB Field Options Data Records.

More Data Sets that use the same mibObjectValue Information Element can then be send in subsequent packets.

Figure 3 shows the relationships between the Sets discussed above.

                                     +------------------------------+
                                     |MIB Field Options Template (B)|
                                     +------------------------------+
                                     |(templateId, elementIndex)    |
                                     +------------------------------+
                                     |        mibOID                |
                                     +------------------------------+
                                                  |
                                                  | Defines
                                                  V
 +------------------------+              +--------------------------+
 |    Data Template (A)   |              |MIB Field Options Data (B)|
 +------------------------+              +--------------------------+
 |Field 0 - regular IE    |              |                          |
 +------------------------+              +--------------------------+
 |Field 1-mibObjectValue  | <----------- | (X,1) =  OID             |
 +------------------------+   Annotates  +--------------------------+
 |Field 2-mibObjectValue  | <----------- | (X,2) =  OID             |
 +------------------------+              +--------------------------+
             |                                    |
             |------------------------------------/
             |
             | Defines
             |
             V
 +------------------------+
 |    Data Records  (A)   |
 |------------------------|
 | Field 0 data           |
 +------------------------+
 | Field 1 data           |
 +------------------------+
 | Field 2 data           |
 +------------------------+

Figure 3: Relationships between Sets

5.2. IPFIX and MIB Data Model

[RFC2578] species that the SYNTAX clause for a MIB object defines the abstract data structure of an Object and what it must contain:

"The data structure must be one of the following: a base type, the BITS construct, or a textual convention. (SEQUENCE OF and SEQUENCE are also possible for conceptual tables, see section 7.1.12)." (From [RFC2578] section 7.1).

For each of the SYNTAX clause options this document specifies exactly which mibObjectValue Information Element to use.

If a MIB object to be exported is a Textual Convention, the definition of the Textual Convention must be consulted and the SYNTAX clause used to determine the correct base type. This may recurse if the Textual Convention is defined in terms of another Textual Convention but this should end at a base type.

If the SYNTAX clause contains a Textual Convention or Subtyping the mibObjectSyntax Information Element SHOULD be used to export this detail to the Collecting Process.

The Options for the SYNTAX are then mapped as follows:

SMIv2 SYNTAX to mibObjectValue types
RFC2578 Section SYNTAX mibObjectValue IE
7.1.1 INTEGER/Integer32 mibObjectValueInteger
7.1.2 OCTET STRING mibObjectValueOctetString
7.1.3 OBJECT IDENTIFIER mibObjectValueOID
7.1.4 The BITS construct mibObjectValueBits
7.1.5 IpAddress mibObjectValueIPAddress
7.1.6 Counter32 mibObjectValueCounter
7.1.7 Gauge32 mibObjectValueGauge
7.1.8 TimeTicks mibObjectValueTimeTicks
7.1.9 Opaque mibObjectValueOctetString
7.1.10 Counter64 mibObjectValueCounter
7.1.11 Unsigned32 mibObjectValueUnsigned
7.1.12 SEQUENCE mibObjectValueRow
7.1.12 SEQUENCE OF mibObjectValueTable

Values are encoded as per the standard IPFIX encoding of Abstract Data Types. The only new encoding references in this document is that Object Identifiers (OID) will be encoded as per ASN.1/BER [BER] in an octetArray.

The mibObjectValue and mibObjectIdentifier Information Elements are standard IPFIX fields. Therefore the E bit of the mibObjectValue or mibObjectIdentifier Information Elements is set to "0".

The MIB object being exported may be defined in an enterprise-specific MIB module but the Information Elements defined in this standard are still exported with the E bit set to "0". The OID exported encodes that the MIB object was defined in a enterprise-specific MIB Module.

5.3. MIB Field Options - Specifications and Required Fields

For each mibObjectValue Information Element that is defined in an IPFIX Template, a MIB Field Options Data Record will be exported that provides the required minimum information to define the MIB object that is being exported (see Section 5.3.1).

The MIB Field Options Data Records are defined in a template referred to in this document as a MIB Field Options Template with the format specified in Section 5.4.

The MIB Field Options Template and MIB Field Options Data Records MUST be exported in the same IPFIX Message as any Template that is using a mibObjectValue Information Element. Note that this places an implicit size constraint on the export.

This whole set of Templates and MIB Field Options Data Records MUST all be exported prior to the corresponding Data Records which depend upon them. i.e. the export order MUST be:

  1. Data Template for mibObjectValue Information Elements
  2. MIB Field Options Template
  3. MIB Field Options Data Records
  4. MIB Object Value Data Records

Note that the ID of an identical MIB Field Options Template which has already been exported MAY be reused without exporting the Template again.

5.3.1. MIB Field Options Template

Three fields are REQUIRED to unambiguously export a standalone mibObjectValue Information Element with a MIB Field Options Template: Section 5.4.2).

These are the minimum fields required in a MIB Field Options Template (see

The mibObjectIdentifier is used to provide the OID for all mibObjectValue Information Elements exported except for when Structured Data is being used to export a conceptual row (see Section 5.8.2).

While the following are optional, they are nevertheless RECOMMENDED in certain circumstances as described in the referenced sections:

5.3.2. MIB Type Options Template

There are also fields that provide type information from a MIB object definition that MAY be exported to a Collecting Process.

Type information is statically defined in a MIB module; it is not expected to change. However, the additional information about the MIB object may help a Collecting Process that does not have access to the MIB module.

To export a MIB Type Options Template, the mibObjectIdentifier is RECOMMENDED as a Scope Field so that it matches the MIB Field Options Template. Any combination of the other MIB Type fields may be included.

5.4. MIB Field Options Template Formats

5.4.1. Data Template containing a mibObject Field

The Template Record format of a Template that uses a mibObjectValue Information Element is identical to the standard IPFIX format as defined in [RFC7011], so a field using a mibObjectValue Information Element is specified using standard IPFIX Field Specifiers as in [RFC7011].

The only extra requirement on a Template Record using mibObjectValue Information Element is that it MUST export the required metadata specified for EACH mibObjectValue Information Element (see Section 5.3.1).

If Multiple MIB Field Options Data Records that refer to a mibObjectValue are received the latest MUST be used. This matches the expected behavior of IPFIX Templates.

There is a one to one mapping between each mibObjectValue Information Element and a MIB Field Options Data Record.

A MIB Field Options Template and corresponding Data Record MUST be exported to provide the minimum required metadata.

Figure 4 shows an IPFIX Template Set using a mibObjectValue Information Element. 

 0                   1                   2                   3
 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|          Set ID = 2           |          Length = 16          |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|       Template ID             |         Field Count = 2       |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|0| IE = Existing IPFIX Field   |        Field Length           |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|0| IE = <mibObjectValue>       |        Field Length (MIB)     |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

Figure 4: IPFIX Template Set using mibObjectValue Information Element

Where:

  • <mibObjectValue>
    • One of the mibObjectValue IPFIX Information Elements that denotes that a MIB object data (i.e, the value of a MIB object) will be exported in the (Options) Template Record.
    • This could be any one of the mibObjectValue Information Elements defined in Section 11.2.1: mibObjectValueInteger, mibObjectValueOctetString, mibObjectValueOID, mibObjectValueIPAddress, mibObjectValueBITS, mibObjectValueCounter, mibObjectValueGauge, mibObjectValueTimeTicks, mibObjectValueUnsigned, mibObjectValueTable, and mibObjectValueRow.
    • When a mibObjectValue Information Element is used, the MIB Object Identifier ("mibObjectIdentifier") MUST be exported via a MIB Field Options or by other means. See Section 5.3.1.

  • Field Length (MIB)
    • The length of the encoded MIB object data in the corresponding Data Records, in octets. The definition is as [RFC7011]. Note that the Field Length can be expressed using reduced size encoding per [RFC7011]. Note that the Field Length may be encoded using variable-length encoding per [RFC7011].

5.4.2. MIB Field Options Template

The MIB Field Options Template is a Standard Options Template which defines the Fields that will be exported to provide enough metadata about a mibObjectValue Information Element so that the Collector can tie the data values in the mibObjectValue Information Element back to the definition of the MIB object.

All MIB Field Options Templates contain the fields as specified in Section 5.3.1.

Figure 5 shows the required fields to export a mibObjectIdentifier for the MIB Field Options Template format. 

 0                   1                   2                   3
 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|          Set ID = 3           |          Length = 22          |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|       Template ID             |        Field Count = 3        |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|   Scope Field Count = 2       |0| IE = templateId             |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|        Field Length = 2       |0| IE = informationElementIndex|
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|        Field Length = 2       |0| IE = mibObjectIdentifier    |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|        Field Length = 65535   |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

Figure 5: MIB Field Options Template Format - Required Fields

Where:

  • templateId
    • The first Scope Field is an IPFIX Information Element which denotes that a Template Identifier will be exported as part of the MIB Field Options Data Record. This Template Identifier paired with an index into that template, the "informationElementIndex" field, uniquely references one mibObjectValue Information Element being exported.

  • informationElementIndex
    • The second Scope Field is an IPFIX Information Element which denotes a zero based index into the fields defined by a Template. When paired with a "templateId" the Record uniquely references one mibObjectValue Information Element being exported.

  • mibObjectIdentifier
    • An IPFIX Information Element which denotes the a MIB Object Identifier for the mibObjectValue Information Element exported in the (Options) Template Record.
    • When a MIB Object Value Information Element is used, the MIB Object Identifier MUST be specified in the MIB Field Options Template Record or specified by other means.
    • The Object Identifier is encoded in the IPFIX data record in ASN.1/BER [BER] format.
    • Variable-length encoding SHOULD be used with the mibObjectIdentifier so that multiple different length MIB OIDs can be exported efficiently. This will also allow reuse of the MIB Field Options Template.

5.4.3. MIB Field Options Data Records

The MIB Field Options Data Records conform to the Template Specification in the MIB Field Options Template. There may be multiple MIB Field Options Data Records exported.

The Collecting Process MUST store all received MIB Field Options Data information for the duration of each Transport Session, because the Collecting Process will need to refer to the extra meta information to fully decode each mibObjectValue Information Element.

Figure 6 shows the format of the exported MIB Field Options Data Record detailing the metadata that will be exported to match the Template in Figure 5. 

 0                   1                   2                   3
 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|          Set ID               |          Length = N           |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|        templateId             |  informationElementIndex      |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|   VLEN        |                  mibObjectIdentifier ...      |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|         ... mibObjectIdentifier continued ...                 |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|        templateId             |  informationElementIndex      |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|    VLEN       |  mibObjectIdentifier  ...                     |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|         ... mibObjectIdentifier continued ...                 |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

Figure 6: Format of MIB Field Options Data Record

5.4.4. Options Template containing a mibObject Field

The Options Template Record format of a Template that uses a mibObjectValue Information Element is identical to the standard format as defined in [RFC7011]. The mibObjectValue Information Element is specified using standard Field Specifiers as in [RFC7011].

A mibObjectValue Information Element can be either a Scope Field or a non-Scope Field in an Options Template Record.

The only extra requirement on a Options Template Record using mibObjectValue Information Element is that it MUST export the required metadata specified in Section 5.3.1 for EACH mibObjectValue Information Element.

An IPFIX Options Template Record MUST export a MIB Field Options Template and Data Record to provide the minimum required metadata for each mibObjectValue Information Element.

Figure 7 shows an IPFIX Options Template Set using an existing IPFIX Field as a Scope Field and with a mibObjectValueInteger IE as a non-Scope Field, while Figure 8 shows an IPFIX Options Template Set using a mibObjectValueInteger IE as a Scope Field with an existing IPFIX Field as a non-Scope Field. 

 0                   1                   2                   3
 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|          Set ID = 3           |          Length = 18          |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|       Template ID             |         Field Count = 2       |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|      Scope Field Count = 1    |0| IE = Existing IPFIX Field   |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|        Field Length           |0| IE = mibObjectValueInteger  |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|        Field Length           |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

Figure 7: IPFIX Options Template Set using a Non Scope mibObjectValueInteger Field

 0                   1                   2                   3
 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|          Set ID = 3           |          Length = 18          |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|       Template ID             |         Field Count = 2       |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|      Scope Field Count = 1    |0| IE = mibObjectValueInteger  |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|        Field Length           |0| IE = Existing IPFIX Field   |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|        Field Length           |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

Figure 8: IPFIX Options Template Set using a Scope mibObjectValueInteger Field

5.4.5. MIB Field Options Template with Semantics Fields

A MIB Field Options Template MAY specify that extra Information Elements will be exported to record how the mibObjectValue was collected.

Alternatively, one of the existing IPFIX observationTime* elements [IANA-IPFIX] may be exported to specify exactly when the value was collected.

Figure 9 shows the MIB Field Options Template for a non-columnar Field with Semantic Data. 

 0                   1                   2                   3
 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|          Set ID = 3           |          Length = 26          |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|       Template ID             |        Field Count = 4        |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|   Scope Field Count = 2       |0| IE = templateId             |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|        Field Length = 2       |0| IE = informationElementIndex|
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|        Field Length = 2       |0| IE = mibObjectIdentifier    |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|        Field Length = 65535   |0| IE = mibCaptureTimeSemantics|
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|        Field Length = 1       |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

Figure 9: MIB Field Options Template for a non-indexed Field with Semantic Data

Where:

  • mibCaptureTimeSemantics
    • The MIB Capture Time Semantics IPFIX Information Element, as defined in Section 11.2.2.4.
    • It is RECOMMENDED to include this field when exporting a mibObjectValue Information Element that specifies counters or statistics, in particular for situations with long lived Flows.

5.4.6. MIB Field Options Template with extra MIB Object Details

The OID exported within the mibObjectIdentifier IPFIX Information Element provides a OID reference to a MIB object type definition that will fully describe the MIB object data being Exported.

However an Exported Process MAY decide to include some extra fields to more fully describe the MIB Object that is being exported with a mibObjectValue Information Element.

This can be helpful if the Collecting Process may not have access to the MIB module.

The exporting process can either include the extra object details fields as part of the MIB Field Options Template, or export a separate Options Template and Data that maps MIB OIDs in mibObjectIdentifier Fields to the object details.

If only a few fields are being exported then including extra type data in the MIB Field Options export will be more efficient.

The MIB Field Options Template for a non-indexed Field with extra MIB object details is shown in Figure 10. 

 0                   1                   2                   3
 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|          Set ID = 3           |          Length = 38          |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|       Template ID             |        Field Count = 7        |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|   Scope Field Count = 2       |0| IE = templateId             |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|        Field Length = 2       |0| IE = informationElementIndex|
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|        Field Length = 2       |0| IE = mibObjectIdentifier    |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|        Field Length = 65535   |0| IE = mibObjectSyntax        |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|        Field Length = 65535   |0| IE = mibObjectName          |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|        Field Length = 65535   |0| IE = mibObjectDescription   |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|        Field Length = 65535   |0| IE = mibModuleName          |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|        Field Length = 65535   |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

Figure 10: MIB Field Options Template for a non-indexed Field with extra MIB object details

Where:

  • mibObjectSyntax
    • The MIB object syntax string as defined in Section 11.2.3.3.
    • Note that a separate mibObjectSyntax Information Element is required (rather than extend the existing informationElementDataType registry [IANA-IPFIX]) because the SYNTAX clause could contain almost any name.

  • mibObjectName
    • The textual name a mibObjectIdentifier Object.

  • mibObjectDescription
    • The textual description for a mibObjectIdentifier.

  • mibModuleName
    • The textual name of the MIB module that defines a MIB Object.

The MIB details can be exported as an standard IPFIX Option export [RFC7011] as shown in Figure 11. This may be more efficient as the bulk of this data is text based and SHOULD be exported only once to the Collecting Process if there are many MIB objects being exported. This prevents this large textual data being included for every use of a mibObjectValue Information Element. 

 0                   1                   2                   3
 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|          Set ID = 3           |          Length = 30          |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|       Template ID             |        Field Count = 5        |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|   Scope Field Count = 1       |0| IE = mibObjectIdentifier    |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|        Field Length = 65535   |0| IE = mibObjectSyntax        |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|        Field Length = 65535   |0| IE = mibObjectName          |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|        Field Length = 65535   |0| IE = mibObjectDescription   |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|        Field Length = 65535   |0| IE = mibModuleName          |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|        Field Length = 65535   |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

Figure 11: Alternative mibObjectIdentifier Option Export with object details

5.5. Use of field order in the MIB Field Option template

The MIB Field Options Template export makes use of the informationElementIndex [IANA-IPFIX] to specify which field in the template that the metadata relates to, which avoids any ordering constraints on the data template. The mibObjectValue Information Elements in a IPFIX export can be in any order in the export packet. However, fields used as an INDEX MUST be in the same order as specified in the INDEX clause of the conceptual row MIB object.

The informationElementIndex specifies which Field in the Template extra information is being provided for.

This is analogous to standard IPFIX Template Sets which also specify the order of the fields and provide their type and size.

If the template changes such that the order is different then the MIB Field Options data MUST be resent to reflect the new ordering. A new Template ID MUST be used to reflect that the ordering has changed. Older MIB Field Options Data may refer to the incorrect field.

A templateId [IANA-IPFIX] is only locally unique within a combination of a Observation Domain and Transport session. As such each MIB Field Options Data Record can only refer to templateIds within the same Observation Domain and session.

5.6. Identifying the SNMP Context

Each MIB OID is looked up in a specific context, usually the default context. If exporting a MIB OID value that isn't in the default context then the context MUST be identified by including the mibContextEngineID (see Section 11.2.2.5) and mibContextName (see Section 11.2.2.6) fields in the MIB Field Options Template and associated MIB Field Options Data Records, or be included in the same template as the mibFieldValue Field.

This context data MUST be included for each field that is not in the default context.

The context information MAY be exported as part of the Template that includes the mibObjectValue Information Element or the context information MAY be exported in the MIB Field Options Data Record that refers to the field. Context fields exported in the same Template MUST take precedence over those that refer to the template. Context fields MUST apply to all mibObjectValue Information Elements in the same template and there MUST NOT be duplicates of mibContextName or mibContextEngineID in a Template.

So a MIB Field Options Template MAY specify no Context information, just the Context Engine ID or both the context engine and context name. This allows the exporter to export the bulk of data in the default context and only tag those required.

Since the MIB Field Options Template applies for all the records of a Template using Context Fields in the MIB Field Options Data Template requires that each mibContextEngineID / mibContextName pair have its own Template.

5.7. Template Management

Templates are managed as per section 8 of [RFC7011] with the additional constraint that the MIB Field Options Template and MIB Field Options Data Records MUST be exported in the same IPFIX Message as any (Option) Template Record that uses a mibObjectValue Information Element.

When exporting over an SCTP transport [RFC4960], the MIB Field Options Data Records MUST be exported reliably and in the same SCTP stream as their associated Templates per [RFC6526].

If a Template using a mibObjectValue Information Element is resent for any reason the Records it depends on MUST be sent as well.

If a Template is replaced with a new (Option) Template then a new MIB Field Options Data Record MUST be sent with the replacement referencing the new Template ID.

An Exporting Process SHOULD reuse MIB Field Options Template IDs when the Templates are identical. Each (Option) Template Record MUST still be accompanied by a copy of the MIB Field Options Template.

5.7.1. Large Messages

The requirement to export the MIB Field Options Template and MIB Field Options Data Records in the same IPFIX Message as any (Option) Template Record that uses a mibObjectValue Information Element may result in very large IPFIX Messages.

In environments with restricted Message sizes, and only when a reliable SCTP transport is being used, the MIB Field Options Template, MIB Field Options Data, Data Template, and Data Records, MAY be exported in separate Messages in the same SCTP stream, provided that their order is maintained.

5.7.2. Template Withdrawal and Reuse

Data Records containing mibObjectValue Information Elements MUST NOT be exported if their corresponding Data Template or MIB Field Options Template has been withdrawn, since the MIB Field Options Template MUST be exported in the same IPFIX Message as the Data Template which it annotates.

MIB Field Options Template IDs MUST NOT be reused while they are required by any existing Data Templates.

5.8. Exporting Conceptual Rows and Tables

There are three approaches for an IPFIX exporting process to export the values of columnar objects:

  1. Ignoring the indexing of Columnar Objects
  2. Exporting conceptual rows/table objects using structured data
  3. Exporting individual indexed Columnar Objects

Firstly, a subordinate columnar object may be used purely use as a data type. In this case there is no index information or relation to a conceptual row object provided by the exporting process.

Secondly, mibObjectValueRow or mibObjectValueTable can be used to export partial or complete conceptual rows using [RFC6313] structured data.

Thirdly, in a mixed option/data IPFIX/MIB template, the mibObjectValue Information Element can have the values of the INDEX clause of the conceptual row provided by other fields in the record. In this case each mibObjectValue Information Element must specify which other field(s) in the template is providing the index information

5.8.1. Exporting Conceptual Rows - indexing

This document defines two forms of indexing that can be used for conceptual row MIB objects.

Structured Data based indexing is used solely by the mibObjectValueRow Information Element. Each conceptual row of the MIB object corresponds to a single Data Record exported. The index fields defined in the INDEX clause of the MIB object MUST all be present in the same order as the Scope Fields. This allows a simple table export of a conceptual row MIB object without any extra fields required to indicate which fields make up the conceptual row INDEX.

Field based indexing is used by giving each mibObjectValue Information Element a mibIndexIndicator to flag the required index fields. This allows complex indexing or mixing of existing IPFIX Information Element with MIB Fields with minimum overhead. It also allows multiple Columnar MIB objects from different conceptual rows be exported with complete indexing in one IPFIX Template.

5.8.2. Exporting Conceptual Rows - mibObjectValueRow

The simplest approach to exporting a complete or partial conceptual row object is done with the mibObjectValueRow Information Element.

This is a Structured Data subTemplateList Information Element. The template specified MUST be an Options Template. It also MUST have the fields specified in the INDEX clause of the conceptual row object as the Scope Fields for the Option Export.

An overview of this architecture is given in Figure 12. This shows that the full MIB object type definition OID is exported for the mibObjectValueRow conceptual row field but that the individual columnar objects only require the subIdentifier to be exported. To make the diagram clearer the Templates for the MIB Field Options Templates are not shown.

              
+---------------------------+    +------------------------+
| Data Template             |    | MIB Field Options Data |
|                           |    |                        |
| mibObjectValueRow         |<---| OID                    |
+---------------------------+    +------------------------+
  |
  | +-----------------------+    +------------------------+
  | | Options Template      |    | MIB Field Options Data |
  | |                       |    |                        |
  | | Scope mibObjectValue* |<---| subIdentifiers         |
  | |       mibObjectValue* |<---| subIdentifiers         |
  | +-----------------------+    +------------------------+
  |             |
  V             V
+---------------------------+
| Data Flows                |
|                           |
| subTemplateList           |
+---------------------------+

Figure 12: Architecture for Exporting Conceptual Rows with mibObjectValueRow

The mibIndexIndicator is not required for each individual mibObjectValue Information Element as mibObjectValueRow provides a structure that includes the index details.

When Structured Data based indexing is used all Scope Fields MUST be the INDEX Objects in the same order as defined in the INDEX clause of the conceptual row being exported.

The Full OID for the conceptual row MIB object type definition being exported with the mibObjectValueRow Information Element MUST be exported. However the fields that are members of the conceptual row need not have the full OID of their MIB object type definition exported. Instead the mibSubIdentifier Information Element can be used to document which entry in the conceptual row the Field is.

In this case the export flow will contain a complete or partial row from a table inside a single field of the record.

There may be MIB objects that are specified in the INDEX of the conceptual row but not columnar objects of the same conceptual row, for these the Exporter MUST provide the full OID in a mibObjectIdentifier field.

So for a conceptual row object with the OID "1.2.3.4.5.6" the OID of the type definitions for columnar objects "1.2.3.4.5.6.1" "1.2.3.4.5.6.2" can be exported with just a subIdentifier of "1" and "2" respectively.

The mibObjectValue Information Elements exported using the mibObjectValueRow export MUST all either be Objects defined in the INDEX clause, Columnar Objects of the same conceptual row object or Columnar Objects that AUGMENT the same conceptual row.

Figure 13 shows an IPFIX Template for a Structured Data export of a conceptual row, while Figure 14 shows an IPFIX Options Template for a complete conceptual row with five columns and two INDEX fields. Figure 15 shows the MIB Field Options Template for a conceptual row field. Figure 16 shows the MIB Field Options Template for the columns inside the conceptual row. Figure 17 shows the OID data for the conceptual row would be exported. 

 0                   1                   2                   3
 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|          Set ID = 2           |          Length = 12          |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|       Template ID = 300       |         Field Count = 1       |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|0| IE = mibObjectValueRow      |         Field Length          |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

Figure 13: IPFIX Template for a Conceptual Row

 0                   1                   2                   3
 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|          Set ID = 3           |          Length = 30          |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|       Template ID = 301       |         Field Count = 5       |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|      Scope Field Count = 2    |0| IE = mibObjectValue  INDEX1 |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|        Field Length           |0| IE = mibObjectValue  INDEX2 |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|        Field Length           |0| IE = mibObjectValue  COLUM3 |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|        Field Length           |0| IE = mibObjectValue  COLUM4 |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|        Field Length           |0| IE = mibObjectValue  COLUM5 |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|        Field Length           |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

Figure 14: IPFIX Options Template for a mibObjectValueRow with 5 columns and 2 INDEX fields

 0                   1                   2                   3
 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|          Set ID = 3           |          Length = 22          |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|       Template ID = 302       |        Field Count = 3        |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|   Scope Field Count = 2       |0| IE = templateId             |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|        Field Length = 2       |0| IE = informationElementIndex|
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|        Field Length = 2       |0| IE = mibObjectIdentifier    |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|        Field Length = 65535   |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

Figure 15: MIB Field Options Template for a Conceptual Row Object

Where:

  • templateId
    • The templateId for the MIB Option that will be exported.

  • mibObjectIdentifier
    • The MIB OID for the Conceptual Row that is being exported. 

 0                   1                   2                   3
 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|          Set ID = 3           |          Length = 22          |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|       Template ID = 303       |        Field Count = 3        |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|   Scope Field Count = 2       |0| IE = templateId             |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|        Field Length = 2       |0| IE = informationElementIndex|
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|        Field Length = 2       |0| IE = mibSubIdentifier       |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|        Field Length = 2       |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

Figure 16: MIB Field Options Template for Columnar Objects of a Conceptual Table

Where:

  • templateId
    • The templateId used will be for the Template referred to in the subTemplateList of the mibObjectValueRow that will be exported.

  • mibSubIdentifier
    • The sub identifier that specifies the columnar object's ID within the conceptual row. 


 0                   1                   2                   3
 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|          Set ID = 302         |          Length = N           |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|        templateId = 300       |  informationElementIndex      |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|   VLEN        |                  mibObjectIdentifier ...      |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|         ... mibObjectIdentifier continued ...                 |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|          Set ID = 303         |          Length = N           |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|        templateId = 301       |  informationElementIndex      |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|  mibSubIdentifier             |        templateId = 301       |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|  informationElementIndex      |  mibSubIdentifier             |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|        templateId = 301       |  informationElementIndex      |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|  mibSubIdentifier             |        templateId = 301       |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|  informationElementIndex      |  mibSubIdentifier             |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|        templateId = 301       |  informationElementIndex      |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|  mibSubIdentifier             |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

Figure 17: mibOption Data Record for the conceptual row

Where:

  • mibObjectIdentifier
    • Will contain the OID for the conceptual row as a whole.

  • mibSubIdentifier
    • The mibSubIdentifier fields will contain the extra Sub Identifier that when added to the OID for the conceptual row give the full OID for the Object.

5.8.3. Exporting Conceptual Rows - Augments

SMIv2 defines conceptual rows as either having an INDEX clause or an AUGMENTS clause. Conceptual row definitions with an AUGMENTS clause extend an existing base conceptual row with an INDEX clause. It is not possible in SMIv2 to AUGMENT a conceptual row that itself has an AUGMENTS clause. The base table and the augmentation have an identical INDEX.

Since augmentations allow adding extra columns to existing tables it is beneficial to be able to support them easily in IPFIX exports of conceptual rows.

The mibObjectValueRow OID MAY refer either to the base table with the INDEX clause, or to a conceptual row with an AUGMENTS clause. The subIdentifiers in any MIB Field Options Data Record MUST always refer to the OID exported for the mibObjectValueRow IE.

If the mibObjectValueRow OID refers to a base table then any extra columns from conceptual rows with an AUGMENTS clause MUST have their full OID exported.

If the mibObjectValueRow OID refers to a conceptual row that augments another conceptual row using the AUGMENTS clause then any MIB fields from the original table's INDEX or Columnar Objects MUST NOT use the mibSubIdentifier and MUST instead export the full OID in a mibObjectIdentifier.

If the mibObjectValueRow refers to an AUGMENTS conceptual row the Scope Fields of the Template using in the subTemplateList MUST have the INDEX fields from the base table, in the same order as its scope. This is identical to the Scope Field requirements for conceptual rows with an INDEX clause.

This flexibility is provided so that the conceptual rows with the most columns can be exported using the more efficient mibSubIdentifier. For example exporting a complete set of augmentation columns would only require the full OIDs for the MIB objects in the INDEX.

It is possible to export MIB object columns from multiple AUGMENTS conceptual rows. If this is done then the base table SHOULD be used as the main OID for the mibObjectValueRow.

5.8.4. Exporting Conceptual Tables - mibObjectValueTable

A list of mibObjectValueRow Information Element can be exported in the mibObjectValueTable Information Element (Section 11.2.1.10). This allows a set of conceptual rows corresponding to a conceptual table to be exported as a single field. This allows a complete set of rows to be used as a single entry with other information elements in a Template.

The contents of a mibObjectValueTable MUST be mibObjectValueRow entries that all refer to the same MIB conceptual table.

The complete OID for the conceptual table MUST be exported for any mibObjectValueTable Information Element. The complete OID for the contained mibObjectValueRow MUST also be exported.

Each individual mibObjectValueRow includes in the mibObjectValueTable MUST follow the requirements in Section 5.8.2.

5.8.5. Exporting Columnar Objects - using mibIndexIndicator

The other option for indexing a Columnar Object that is part of a conceptual table is explicit indexing. In this case there may be non index fields in the scope of the option export or there may be columnar MIB objects from multiple conceptual rows being exported. In this case each mibObjectValue Information Element requires the mibIndexIndicator with the bits set for the fields that are used to index that individual columnar object.

The index fields MUST be in the 'correct' order as defined in the conceptual row that each columnar object is a member of.

If a mibObjectValue Information Element that is being indexed using mibIndexIndicator is being used as an Options Template Scope Field, then all fields used to index that field MUST also be Scope Fields.

Figure 18 shows the MIB Field Options Template for an indexed MIB Columnar Object. 

 0                   1                   2                   3
 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|          Set ID = 3           |          Length = 26          |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|       Template ID             |        Field Count = 4        |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|   Scope Field Count = 2       |0| IE = templateId             |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|        Field Length = 2       |0| IE = informationElementIndex|
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|        Field Length = 2       |0| IE = mibIndexIndicator      |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|        Field Length = 2       |0| IE = mibObjectIdentifier    |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|        Field Length = 65535   |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

Figure 18: MIB Field Options Template for an indexed MIB Columnar Object

Where:

  • mibIndexIndicator
    • The MIB Index Indicator IPFIX Information Element which marks which fields in the record will act as INDEX values for the exported MIB object.
    • The index data for a mibObjectValue will be other fields contained in the same Data Record. The mibIndexIndicator marks the Fields whose value(s) should be added to the OID for the MIB object type definition exported in mibObjectIdentifier to get the OID for the instance of the MIB object.
    • Elements used to index MIB objects MUST be exported in the same order as they are specified in the INDEX field of the conceptual table they belong to.

6. Example Use Cases

6.1. Non Columnar MIB Object: Established TCP Connections

The number of established TCP connections of a remote network device could be monitored by configuring it to periodically export the number of established TCP connections to a centralized Collector. In this example, the Exporter would export an IPFIX Message every 30 minutes that contained Data Records detailing the number of established TCP connections.

The table of data that is to be exported looks like:

Established TCP Connections
TIMESTAMP ESTABLISHED TCP CONN.
StartTime + 0 seconds 10
StartTime + 60 seconds 14
StartTime + 120 seconds 19
StartTime + 180 seconds 16
StartTime + 240 seconds 23
StartTime + 300 seconds 29

The Template Record for such a Data Record will detail two Information Elements:

  1. flowStartSeconds from [IANA-IPFIX], Information Element 150: The absolute timestamp of the first packet of this Flow.
  2. tcpCurrEstab from [RFC4022], Object ID "1.3.6.1.2.1.6.9": The number of TCP connections for which the current state is either ESTABLISHED or CLOSE-WAIT.

Figure 19 shows the exported Template Set detailing the Template Record for exporting the number of established TCP connections. 

 0                   1                   2                   3
 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|          Set ID = 2           |          Length = 16          |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|       Template ID = 400       |        Field Count = 2        |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|0|   IE = flowStartSeconds     |        Field Length = 4       |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|0|   IE = mibObjectValueGauge  |        Field Length = 4       |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

Figure 19: Example of tcpCurrEstab Template Set

Figure 20 shows the exported MIB Field Options Template Set detailing the metadata that will be exported about the mibObjectValueGauge Information Element in Template 400 in Template Record. 

 0                   1                   2                   3
 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|          Set ID = 3           |          Length = 22          |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|       Template ID = 401       |        Field Count = 3        |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|  Scope Field Count = 2        |0| IE = templateId             |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|        Field Length = 2       |0| IE = informationElementIndex|
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|        Field Length = 2       |0| IE = mibObjectIdentifier    |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|        Field Length = 65535   |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

Figure 20: Example of tcpCurrEstab MIB Field Options Template Set

Figure 21 shows the exported MIB Field Options Data Set detailing the metadata that will be exported about the mibObjectValueGauge Information Element in Template 400 in Template Record.

The OID for the MIB object tcpCurrEstab from [RFC4022], Object ID "1.3.6.1.2.1.6.9", will be encoded in ASN.1/BER [BER] as '06072b060102010609' in the data record, which takes nine octets. 

 0                   1                   2                   3
 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|          Set ID = 401         |          Length = 18          |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|        templateId = 400       | informationElementIndex = 1   |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|  VLEN=9       | mibObjectIdentifier ...                       |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|      ... mibObjectIdentifier =  "1.3.6.1.2.1.6.9" ...         |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|   ... 06072b060102010609 ...  |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

Figure 21: Example of tcpCurrEstab MIB Field Options Data Set

Figure 22 shows the start of the Data Set for exporting the number of established TCP connections (see Section 6.1). 

 0                   1                   2                   3
 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|          Set ID = 400         |          Length = 52          |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|                    StartTime +   0 seconds                    |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|                              10                               |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|                    StartTime +  60 seconds                    |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|                              14                               |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|                    StartTime + 120 seconds                    |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|                              19                               |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|                    StartTime + 180 seconds                    |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|                              16                               |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|                    StartTime + 240 seconds                    |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|                              23                               |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|                    StartTime + 300 seconds                    |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|                              29                               |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

Figure 22: Example of tcpCurrEstab Data Set

6.2. Enterprise Specific MIB Object: Detailing CPU Load History

For the sake of demonstrating a enterprise-specific MIB object from the CISCO-PROCESS-MIB ([CISCO-PROCESS-MIB]) is chosen. This example would be valid with any enterprise-specific MIB module.

The CPU Usage of a remote network device with 1 CPU could be monitored by configuring it to periodically export CPU usage information, i.e. the cpmCPUTotal1minRev from the proprietary CISCO-PROCESS-MIB, Object ID "1.3.6.1.4.1.9.9.109.1.1.1.1.7", to a centralized Collector.

Although the cpmCPUTotal1minRev MIB object is a columnar object in a conceptual row, while there is only 1 CPU no extra information is conveyed by providing the INDEX field. So in this case it is acceptable to not export the cpmCPUTotalIndex MIB object. If there were multiple CPUs it would be appropriate to include this the cpmCPUTotalIndex field and specify the relationship.

In this example, the Exporter would export an IPFIX Message every 30 minutes that contained Data Records detailing the CPU 1 minute busy average at 1 minute intervals.

The table of data that is to be exported looks like:

CPU Usage Data
TIMESTAMP CPU BUSY PERCENTAGE
StartTime + 0 seconds 10%
StartTime + 60 seconds 14%
StartTime + 120 seconds 19%
StartTime + 180 seconds 16%
StartTime + 240 seconds 23%
StartTime + 300 seconds 29%

The Template Record for such a Data Record will detail two Information Elements:

  1. flowStartSeconds from [IANA-IPFIX], Information Element 150: The absolute timestamp of the first packet of this Flow.
  2. a mibObjectValueGauge for cpmCPUTotal1minRev, the overall CPU busy percentage in the last one-minute period

Figure 23 shows the exported Template Set detailing the Template Record for exporting CPU Load (see Section 6.2). 

 0                   1                   2                   3
 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|          Set ID = 2           |          Length = 16          |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|       Template ID = 402       |        Field Count = 2        |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|0|   IE = flowStartSeconds     |        Field Length = 4       |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|0|   IE = mibObjectValueGauge  |        Field Length = 1       |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

Figure 23: Example of CPU Load Template Set

Figure 24 shows the exported Template Set detailing the MIB Field Options Template for exporting CPU Load (see Section 6.2). Note this is identical to the MIB Field Options Template given in Figure 20 so the same template could have been reused. 

 0                   1                   2                   3
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|          Set ID = 3           |          Length = 22          |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|       Template ID = 403       |        Field Count = 3        |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|  Scope Field Count  = 2       |0| IE = templateId             |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|        Field Length = 2       |0| IE = informationElementIndex|
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|        Field Length = 2       |0| IE = mibObjectIdentifier    |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|        Field Length = 65535   |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

Figure 24: Example of CPU Load MIB Field Options Template Set

Figure 25 shows the exported MIB Field Options Data Set detailing the metadata that will be exported about the mibObjectValueGauge Information Element in Template 402 in Template Record (see Section 6.2).

The OID for the cpmCPUTotal1minRev has been encoded using ASN.1/BER to '060d2b0601040109096d0101010107' at 15 octets long.

 0                   1                   2                   3
 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|          Set ID = 403         |          Length = 24          |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|        templateId = 402       | informationElementIndex = 1   |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|  VLEN=15      |  mibObjectIdentifier                     ...  |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|              "1.3.6.1.4.1.9.9.109.1.1.1.1.7"             ...  |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|               060d2b0601040109096d0101010107             ...  |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|                                                          ...  |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

Figure 25: Example of CPULoad MIB Field Options Data Set

Note that although cpmCPUTotal1minRev is 32 bits long, reduced size encoding [RFC7011] has been used to encoded it within a single octet.

This example stresses that, even though the OID cpmCPUTotal1minRev is enterprise-specific, the E bit for the mibObjectValueGauge and mibObjectIdentifier is set to "0" since the "mibObjectValueGauge" and "mibObjectIdentifier" Information Element is not enterprise-specific. That this data is from an Enterprise MIB is included in the OID that includes an Enterprise ID.

The corresponding Data Set does not add any value for this example, and is therefore not displayed.

6.3. Exporting a Conceptual Row: The OSPF Neighbor Row

Many conceptual tables are already defined in standard and proprietary MIBs. These can be exported with a minimum of overhead by using the mibObjectValueRow. This allows the Exporting Process to unambiguously define the INDEX for the entire conceptual row as the Scope Fields of an Option Export. The use of a MIB Field Options Template with mibSubIdentifier being used means that each individual columnar object does not need to have its OID exported to the collector

The ospfNbrTable defined in the OSPF MIB [RFC4750] consists of ospfNbrEntry, which has the OID "1.3.6.1.2.1.14.10.1". Each mibObjectValueRow data record will therefore correspond to an ospfNbrEntry.

The following fields will be exported:

OSPF Neighbor Entry Objects
Object ID mibObjectValue Length in octets
ospfNbrIpAddr ospfNbrEntry 1 mibObjectValueIPAddress 4
ospfNbrAddressLessIndex ospfNbrEntry 2 mibObjectValueInteger 4
ospfNbrRtrId ospfNbrEntry 3 mibObjectValueIPAddress 4
ospfNbrState ospfNbrEntry 6 mibObjectValueInteger 1

The OIDs that will be used to export this table are shown in Table 5.

OSPF OIDs
Entity Full OID Exported as
ospfNbrEntry 1.3.6.1.2.1.14.10.1 OID = 1.3.6.1.2.1.14.10.1
ospfNbrIpAddr 1.3.6.1.2.1.14.10.1.1 subID = 1
ospfNbrAddressLessIndex 1.3.6.1.2.1.14.10.1.2 subID = 2
ospfNbrRtrId 1.3.6.1.2.1.14.10.1.3 subID = 3
ospfNbrState 1.3.6.1.2.1.14.10.1.6 subID = 6

Figure 26 shows the Templates Exported to Support the mibObjectValueRow. Figure 27 shows the example OID Data for the conceptual row exported in mibObjectValueRow Figure 28 shows the example data export for a few neighbors in the table. Note that the OID for ospfNbrEntry has been encoded using ASN.1/BER to '06082B060102010E0A01' at 10 octets long. 

 0                   1                   2                   3
 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|          Set ID = 2           |          Length = 12          |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|       Template ID = 500       |         Field Count = 1       |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|0| IE = mibObjectValueRow      |         Field Length = 16     |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|          Set ID = 3           |          Length = 26          |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|       Template ID = 501       |        Field Count = 4        |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|   Scope Field Count = 2       |0| IE = mibObjectValueIPAddress|
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|        Field Length = 4       |0| IE = mibObjectValueInteger  |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|        Field Length = 4       |0| IE = mibObjectValueIPAddress|
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|        Field Length = 4       |0| IE = mibObjectValueInteger  |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|        Field Length = 1       |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

                                +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
                                |       Set ID = 3              |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|          Length = 22          |      Template ID = 502        |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|        Field Count = 3        |  Scope Field Count = 2        |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|0| IE = templateId             |        Field Length = 2       |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|0| IE = informationElementIndex|        Field Length = 2       |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|0| IE = mibObjectIdentifier    |        Field Length = 65535   |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|          Set ID = 3           |          Length = 22          |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|       Template ID = 503       |        Field Count = 3        |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|   Scope Field Count = 2       |0| IE = templateId             |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|        Field Length = 2       |0| IE = informationElementIndex|
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|        Field Length = 2       |0| IE = mibSubIdentifier       |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|        Field Length = 2       |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

Figure 26: Example of ospfNbrEntry Template and Options Template Sets

 0                   1                   2                   3
 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|          Set ID = 502         |          Length = 20          |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|        templateId = 500       | informationElementIndex = 0   |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|   VLEN=10     | mibObjectIdentifier = "1.3.6.1.2.1.14.10.1"   |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|                  06082B060102010E0A01                         |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|                                               | Padding = 0   |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|          Set ID = 503         |          Length = 28          |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
| templateId              = 501 | informationElementIndex = 0   |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
| mibSubIdentifier        = 1   | templateId              = 501 |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
| informationElementIndex = 1   | mibSubIdentifier        = 2   |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
| templateId              = 501 | informationElementIndex = 2   |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
| mibSubIdentifier        = 3   | templateId              = 501 |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
| informationElementIndex = 3   | mibSubIdentifier        = 6   |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

Figure 27: Example of ospfNbrEntry OID Data export

 0                   1                   2                   3
 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|          Set ID = 500         |          Length = 52          |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|Semantic=FF    |     Template ID = 501         |        ...    |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|       ospfNbrIpAddr = 192.0.2.1               |        ...    |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|       ospfNbrAddressLessIndex = 0             |        ...    |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|       ospfNbrRtrId = 1.1.1.1                  |ospfNbrState=8 |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|Semantic=FF    |     Template ID = 501         |        ...    |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|       ospfNbrIpAddr = 192.0.2.2               |        ...    |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|       ospfNbrAddressLessIndex = 0             |        ...    |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|       ospfNbrRtrId = 2.2.2.2                  |ospfNbrState=8 |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|Semantic=FF    |     Template ID = 501         |        ...    |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|       ospfNbrIpAddr = 192.0.2.3               |        ...    |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|       ospfNbrAddressLessIndex = 0             |        ...    |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|       ospfNbrRtrId = 3.3.3.3                  |ospfNbrState=1 |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

Figure 28: Example of Data Export for ospfNbrEntry

6.4. Exporting Augmented Conceptual Row: The IF-MIB id to name mapping

The ifTable defined in the [RFC2863] is augmented by the ifXTable (defined in the same MIB module).

The OID of the ifEntry is 1.3.6.1.2.1.2.2.1 which is encoded using ASN.1/BER to '06082B06010201020201' at 10 octets long, while the OID of the augmenting ifXEntry is 1.3.6.1.2.1.31.1.1.1 which is encoded using ASN.1/BER to '060a2b060102011f01010101' at 12 octets long.

This example demonstrates how columnar objects from the base conceptual row and the augmenting row can be exported in a single mibObjectValueRow Information Element.

Table 6 shows the fields which will be exported.

IF-MIB Data
ifIndex ifType ifMtu ifName
1 ethernetCsmacd:6 1500 Ethernet 10
2 ethernetCsmacd:6 1500 Ethernet 20
3 ethernetCsmacd:6 1500 FastEthernet 30

The OIDs that will be used to export this table are shown in Table 7.

IF-MIB OIDs
Entity Full OID Exported as
ifEntry 1.3.6.1.2.1.2.2.1 OID = 1.3.6.1.2.1.2.2.1
ifIndex 1.3.6.1.2.1.2.2.1.1 subID = 1
ifType 1.3.6.1.2.1.2.2.1.3 subID = 3
ifMtu 1.3.6.1.2.1.2.2.1.4 subID = 4
ifName 1.3.6.1.2.1.31.1.1.1.1 OID = 1.3.6.1.2.1.31.1.1.1.1

Figure 29 shows the Templates Exported to Support the mibObjectValueRow Information Element. Figure 30 shows the example OID Data for the conceptual row exported in mibObjectValueRow to match Table 7. Figure 31 shows the example data export as per Table 6. 

 0                   1                   2                   3
 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|          Set ID = 2           |          Length = 12          |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|       Template ID = 600       |         Field Count = 1       |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|0| IE = mibObjectValueRow      |         Field Length = 24     |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|          Set ID = 3           |          Length = 26          |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|       Template ID = 601       |        Field Count = 4        |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|   Scope Field Count = 1       |0| IE = mibObjectValueInteger  |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|        Field Length = 1       |0| IE = mibObjectValueInteger  |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|        Field Length = 2       |0| IE = mibObjectValueInteger  |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|        Field Length = 2       |0|IE =mibObjectValueOctetString|
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|        Field Length = 65535   |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

                                +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
                                |       Set ID = 3              |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|          Length = 22          |      Template ID = 602        |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|        Field Count = 3        |   Scope Field Count = 2       |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|0| IE = templateId             |        Field Length = 2       |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|0| IE = informationElementIndex|        Field Length = 2       |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|0| IE = mibObjectIdentifier    |        Field Length = 65535   |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|          Set ID = 3           |          Length = 22          |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|       Template ID = 603       |        Field Count = 3        |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|   Scope Field Count = 2       |0| IE = templateId             |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|        Field Length = 2       |0| IE = informationElementIndex|
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|        Field Length = 2       |0| IE = mibSubIdentifier       |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|        Field Length = 2       |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

Figure 29: Example of Augmented ifEntry Template and Options Template Sets

 0                   1                   2                   3
 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|          Set ID = 602         |          Length = 40          |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|        templateId = 600       | informationElementIndex = 0   |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|   VLEN=10     | mibObjectIdentifier ...                       |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|              ifEntry = 1.3.6.1.2.1.2.2.1                      |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|              06082B06010201020201             |   Padding = 0 |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|        templateId = 601       | informationElementIndex = 3   |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|   VLEN=12     | mibObjectIdentifier ifName ...                |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|              ifName = 1.3.6.1.2.1.31.1.1.1.1                  |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|              060a2b060102011f01010101                         |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|               |                  Padding = 0                  |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|          Set ID = 603         |          Length = 22          |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
| templateId              = 601 | informationElementIndex = 0   |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
| mibSubIdentifier        = 1   | templateId              = 601 |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
| informationElementIndex = 1   | mibSubIdentifier        = 3   |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
| templateId              = 601 | informationElementIndex = 2   |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
| mibSubIdentifier        = 4   |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

Figure 30: Example of Augmented ifEntry OID Data export

 0                   1                   2                   3
 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|          Set ID = 600         |          Length = 68          |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|Semantic=FF    |     Template ID = 601         | ifIndex = 1   |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|       ifType = 6              |        ifMtu = 1500           |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|  length = 11  |      ifName = Ethernet 10                     |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|                        ...                                    |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|                        ...                                    |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|Semantic=FF    |     Template ID = 601         | ifIndex = 2   |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|       ifType = 6              |        ifMtu = 1500           |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|  length = 11  |      ifName = Ethernet 20                     |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|                        ...                                    |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|                        ...                                    |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|Semantic=FF    |     Template ID = 601         | ifIndex = 3   |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|       ifType = 6              |        ifMtu = 1500           |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|  length = 15  |      ifName = FastEthernet 30                 |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|                        ...                                    |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|                        ...                                    |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|                        ...                                    |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

Figure 31: Example of Data Export for Augmented ifEntry

6.5. Exporting a Columnar Object: The ipIfStatsInForwDatagrams

It may be that the full set of columnar objects that are supported by a conceptual row are not required to be exported. Rather than use the Structured Data method the mibIndexIndicator method can be used to provide the relation between fields.

This example shows the MIB Objects that are part of the INDEX of the conceptual row being exported in the correct order and then being referred to by using mibIndexIndicator.

This example shows the export of ipIfStatsInForwDatagrams from the IP-MIB [RFC4293]. ipIfStatsInForwDatagrams is a columnar object that is part of the conceptual table ipIfStatsTable. This is comprised of ipIfStatsEntry conceptual rows.

The ipIfStatsTable conceptual table is indexed by the ipIfStatsIPVersion and ipIfStatsIfIndex.

The Options Template Record for the example Data Record contains the following Information Elements:

  1. ipIfStatsIPVersion (1.3.6.1.2.1.4.31.3.1.1) (Scope Field)
    (encoded using ASN.1/BER to '060A2B06010201041F030101' at 12 octets long)
  2. ipIfStatsIfIndex (1.3.6.1.2.1.4.31.3.1.2) (Scope Field)
    (encoded using ASN.1/BER to '060A2B06010201041F030102' at 12 octets long)
  3. ipIfStatsInForwDatagrams (1.3.6.1.2.1.4.31.3.1.12) (non-Scope Field)
    (encoded using ASN.1/BER to '060A2B06010201041F03010c' at 12 octets long)

Note ipIfStatsIfIndex has been reduce length encoded to 2 octets in the following example. An exporting device with more interfaces would use the full length.

Figure 32 shows the exported Options Template Set. 

 0                   1                   2                   3
 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|          Set ID = 3           |          Length = 22          |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|       Template ID = 701       |        Field Count = 3        |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|     Scope Field Count = 2     |0|Scope 1=mibObjectValueInteger|
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|   Scope Field 1 Length = 1    |0|Scope 2=mibObjectValueInteger|
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|   Scope Field 1 Length = 2    |0| IE = mibObjectValueCounter  |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|           Field Length = 4    |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

Figure 32: Example of an Options Template for an Indexed MIB Object with two indices.

Figure 33 shows the exported MIB Field Options Template used to export the required mibObjectValue Information Element metadata. This example of the MIB Field Options Template includes the mibIndexIndicator to indicate that some of the other fields in the data records are indexes. 

 0                   1                   2                   3
 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|          Set ID = 3           |          Length = 26          |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|       Template ID = 702       |        Field Count = 4        |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|  Scope Field Count  = 2       |0| IE = templateId             |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|        Field Length = 2       |0| IE = informationElementIndex|
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|        Field Length = 2       |0| IE = mibIndexIndicator      |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|        Field Length = 1       |0| IE = mibObjectIdentifier    |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|        Field Length = 65535   |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

Figure 33: Example of an MIB Field Options Template for an Indexed MIB Object with two indices.

Figure 34 shows the exported MIB Field Options Data used to export the required mibObjectValue Information Element metadata. Note that the first two Data Records have all their mibIndexIndicator bits set to 0. The third mibIndexIndicator has the value '11000000' to show that the first two fields in the record are the INDEX's for this columnar object. 

 0                   1                   2                   3
 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|          Set ID = 702         |          Length = 58          |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|        templateId = 701       | informationElementIndex = 0   |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|Index 00000000 | VLEN = 12     | mibObjectIdentifier       ... |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|              "1.3.6.1.2.1.4.31.3.1.1"                     ... |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|               060A2B06010201041F030101                    ... |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|                               |        templateId = 701       |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
| informationElementIndex = 1   |Index 00000000 |   VLEN = 12   |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|  mibObjectIdentifier = "1.3.6.1.2.1.4.31.3.1.2"           ... |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|                         060A2B06010201041F030102          ... |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|                                                           ... |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|        templateId = 701       | informationElementIndex = 2   |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
| Index 11000000 |  VLEN = 12   | mibObjectIdentifier      ...  |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|                  "1.3.6.1.2.1.4.31.3.1.12"               ...  |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|                   060A2B06010201041F03010c               ...  |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|                               |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

Figure 34: Example of an MIB Field Options Data Set for an Indexed MIB Object with two indices.

Figure 35 shows the Data Records that export the values of the 3 mibObjectValue Information Elements. 

 0                   1                   2                   3
 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|          Set ID = 701         |          Length = 18          |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
| ipVer = 1     |    ifIndex =  10              |  ...          |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|    InForwDatagrams = 10000                    | ipVer = 2     |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|    ifIndex = 10               | InForwDatagrams = 20000       |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|             ...               |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

Figure 35: Example of an MIB Data Set for an Indexed MIB Object with two indices.

6.6. Exporting a Columnar Object indexed by IEs: ifOutQLen

If a PSAMP Packet Report [RFC5476] was generated on any dropped packets on an interface then it may be desirable to know if the send queue on the output interface was full. This could be done by exporting the size of the send queue (ifOutQLen) in the same Data Record as the PSAMP Packet Report.

The exported data looks like:

Packet Report with Interface Output Queue Length (ifOutQLen) Data
SRC ADDR DST ADDR PAK LEN OUTPUT INTERFACE OUTPUT Q. LEN (ifOutQLen)
192.0.2.1 192.0.2.3 150 Eth 1/0 (15) 45
192.0.2.4 192.0.2.9 350 Eth 1/0 (15) 45
192.0.2.3 192.0.2.9 650 Eth 1/0 (15) 23
192.0.2.4 192.0.2.6 350 Eth 1/1 (16) 0

The ifOutQLen MIB object defined in the IF-MIB [RFC2863] provides the length of the output packet queue. This columnar object is part of the ifEntry conceptual row and indexed by the interface index (ifIndex).

This relationship between the ifOutQLen field and the index field is exported using mibIndexIndicator in the MIB Field Options Template. The value of "00010000" flags the index fields concisely.

The Template Record for the example Data Record contains the following Information Elements:

  1. sourceIPv4Address
  2. destinationIPv4Address
  3. totalLengthIPv4
  4. egressInterface
  5. ifOutQLen indexed by: egressInterface

Figure 36 shows the exported Template Set detailing the Template for exporting a PSAMP Report with Interface Output Queue Length (ifOutQLen). Figure 37 and Figure 38 show the MIB Field Options Template and Data Record.

 0                   1                   2                   3
 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|          Set ID = 2           |          Length = 28          |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|       Template ID = 703       |        Field Count = 5        |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|0| IE = sourceIPv4Address      |        Field Length = 4       |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|0| IE = destinationIPv4Address |        Field Length = 4       |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|0| IE = totalLengthIPv4        |        Field Length = 4       |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|0| IE = egressInterface        |        Field Length = 4       |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|0| IE = mibObjectValueGauge    |        Field Length = 4       |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

Figure 36: Example of Template for a PSAMP Report with ifOutQLen indexed by egressInterface

 0                   1                   2                   3
 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|          Set ID = 3           |          Length = 26          |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|       Template ID = 704       |        Field Count = 4        |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|  Scope Field Count  = 2       |0| IE = templateId             |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|        Field Length = 2       |0| IE = informationElementIndex|
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|        Field Length = 2       |0| IE = mibIndexIndicator      |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|        Field Length = 1       |0| IE = mibObjectIdentifier    |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|        Field Length = 65535   |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

Figure 37: Example of MIB Field Options Template for a PSAMP Report with ifOutQLen indexed by egressInterface

 0                   1                   2                   3
 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|          Set ID = 704         |          Length = 21          |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|        templateId = 703       | informationElementIndex = 4   |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|Index 00010000  | VLEN = 11    | mibObjectIdentifier    ...    |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|             "1.3.6.1.2.1.2.2.1.21"                     ...    |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|              06092B0601020102020115                    ...    |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|               |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

Figure 38: Example of MIB Field Options Data Record for a PSAMP Report with ifOutQLen indexed by egressInterface

The corresponding IPFIX Data Record is shown in Figure 39. For the sake of the example, the interface index of "Eth 1/0" is 15 and the interface index of "Eth 1/1" is 16. 

 0                   1                   2                   3
 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|          Set ID = 703         |          Length = 84          |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|                          192.0.2.1                            |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|                          192.0.2.3                            |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|                             150                               |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|                        15 (Eth 1/0)                           |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|                              45                               |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|                          192.0.2.4                            |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|                          192.0.2.9                            |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|                             350                               |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|                        15 (Eth 1/0)                           |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|                              45                               |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|                          192.0.2.3                            |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|                          192.0.2.9                            |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|                             650                               |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|                        15 (Eth 1/0)                           |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|                              23                               |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|                          192.0.2.4                            |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|                          192.0.2.6                            |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|                             350                               |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|                        16 (Eth 1/1)                           |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|                               0                               |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

Figure 39: Example of PSAMP Packet Report with ifOutQLen indexed by egressInterface

6.7. Exporting With Multiple Contexts: The OSPF Neighbor Row Revisited

If the Context used to export the MIB objects is the default one no extra context fields are required. This example demonstrates how to handle the case when the Context needs to be specified. It is based on the previous example Section 6.3.

The OSPF details exported of the conceptual row in Section 6.3 would be suitable if there were only one OSPF process running at the Observation Point. If multiple OSPF processes are present then they can be differentiated by also exporting the mibContextEngineID and mibContextName.

The following fields will be exported:

OSPF Neighbor Entry Objects
Object ID mibObjectValue Length in octets
ospfNbrIpAddr ospfNbrEntry 1 mibObjectValueIPAddress 4
ospfNbrAddressLessIndex ospfNbrEntry 2 mibObjectValueInteger 4
ospfNbrRtrId ospfNbrEntry 3 mibObjectValueIPAddress 4
ospfNbrState ospfNbrEntry 6 mibObjectValueInteger 1

The example contextEngineID matches the example from [RFC3411] for Acme Networks: "'800002b804616263'H (enterprise 696, string 'abc')"

Figure 40 shows the Templates Exported to support a mibObjectValueRow that is defined within a context. Figure 41 shows the example OID Data for the conceptual row exported in mibObjectValueRow. These are unchanged from the previous example. Figure 42 shows the example data for 2 OSPF neighbors. Although these have identical INDEX/scope values the context information indicates they come from different OSPF processes. Note that the OID for ospfNbrEntry has been encoded using ASN.1/BER to '06082B060102010E0A01' at 10 octets long. 

 0                   1                   2                   3
 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|          Set ID = 2           |          Length = 20          |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|       Template ID = 800       |         Field Count = 3       |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|0| IE = mibContextEngineID     |         Field Length = 8      |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|0| IE = mibContextName         |         Field Length = 4      |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|0| IE = mibObjectValueRow      |         Field Length = 16     |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|          Set ID = 3           |          Length = 26          |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|       Template ID = 801       |        Field Count = 4        |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|   Scope Field Count = 2       |0| IE = mibObjectValueIPAddress|
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|        Field Length = 4       |0| IE = mibObjectValueInteger  |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|        Field Length = 4       |0| IE = mibObjectValueIPAddress|
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|        Field Length = 4       |0| IE = mibObjectValueInteger  |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|        Field Length = 1       |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

                                +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
                                |       Set ID = 3              |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|          Length = 22          |      Template ID = 802        |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|        Field Count = 3        |  Scope Field Count = 2        |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|0| IE = templateId             |        Field Length = 2       |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|0| IE = informationElementIndex|        Field Length = 2       |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|0| IE = mibObjectIdentifier    |        Field Length = 65535   |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|          Set ID = 3           |          Length = 22          |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|       Template ID = 803       |        Field Count = 3        |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|   Scope Field Count = 2       |0| IE = templateId             |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|        Field Length = 2       |0| IE = informationElementIndex|
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|        Field Length = 2       |0| IE = mibSubIdentifier       |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|        Field Length = 2       |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

Figure 40: Example of ospfNbrEntry Template and Options Template Sets with Context

 0                   1                   2                   3
 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|          Set ID = 802         |          Length = 20          |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|        templateId = 800       | informationElementIndex = 2   |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|   VLEN=10     | mibObjectIdentifier = "1.3.6.1.2.1.14.10.1"   |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|                     06082B060102010E0A01                      |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|                                               | Padding = 0   |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|          Set ID = 803         |          Length = 28          |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
| templateId              = 801 | informationElementIndex = 0   |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
| mibSubIdentifier        = 1   | templateId              = 801 |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
| informationElementIndex = 1   | mibSubIdentifier        = 2   |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
| templateId              = 801 | informationElementIndex = 2   |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
| mibSubIdentifier        = 3   | templateId              = 801 |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
| informationElementIndex = 3   | mibSubIdentifier        = 6   |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

Figure 41: Example of ospfNbrEntry OID Data export with Context

 0                   1                   2                   3
 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|          Set ID = 800         |          Length = 60          |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|  mibContextEngineID   = 800002b804616263                      |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|  ... mibContextEngineID                                       |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|  mibContextName = con1                                        |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|Semantic=FF    |     Template ID = 801         |        ...    |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|       ospfNbrIpAddr = 192.0.2.1               |        ...    |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|       ospfNbrAddressLessIndex = 0             |        ...    |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|       ospfNbrRtrId = 1.1.1.1                  |ospfNbrState=8 |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|  mibContextEngineID   = 800002b804616263                      |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|  ... mibContextEngineID                                       |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|  mibContextName = con2                                        |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|Semantic=FF    |     Template ID = 801         |        ...    |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|       ospfNbrIpAddr = 192.0.2.1               |        ...    |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|       ospfNbrAddressLessIndex = 0             |        ...    |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|       ospfNbrRtrId = 2.2.2.2                  |ospfNbrState=8 |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

Figure 42: Example of Data Export for ospfNbrEntry with Context

7. Configuration Considerations

When configuring a MIB OID for export, consideration should be given to whether the SNMP Context String should also be configurable. If a non-default Context String is used then it should be associated with the fields as per Section 5.6.

8. The Collecting Process's Side

The specifications in section 9 of [RFC7011] also apply to Collectors that implement this specification. In addition, the following specifications should be noted.

A Collecting Process that implements this specification MUST store the data records containing the OID Object Type Definitions with the same retention policy as templates.

A Collecting Process that implements this specification SHOULD have access to MIB modules in order to look up the received MIB Object Identifiers and find the full type definition and name of MIB OID fields used in received templates.

It should be noted that since reduced size encoding MAY be used by the Exporting Process, the Collecting Process cannot assume a received size for a field is the maximum size it should expect for that field.

If a Collecting Process receives a MIB Object Identifier that it cannot decode, it MAY log a warning.

A Collecting Process MUST support the 3 options for handling columnar objects detailed in Section 5.8.

9. Applicability

Making available the many and varied items from MIB modules opens up a wide range of possible applications for the IPFIX protocol, some quite different from the usual flow information.

Some monitoring applications periodically export an interface ID to interface name mapping using IPFIX Options Templates. This could be expanded to include the MIB object "ifInUcastPkts" of the IF-MIB [RFC2863] indexed using the ingressInterface Information Element. This would give the input statistics for each interface which can be compared to the flow information to ensure the sampling rate is expected. Or, if there is no sampling, to ensure that all the expected packets are being monitored.

10. Security Considerations

For this extension to the IPFIX protocol, the same security considerations as for the IPFIX protocol apply [RFC7011].

If the exporter is generating or capturing the field values itself, e.g. using the MIB objects only as an encoding or type mechanism, there are no extra security considerations beyond standard IPFIX.

However if the exporter is a client of an SNMP engine on the same device it MUST abide by existing SNMP security rules.

The access to particular MIB objects is controlled by the configuration of the IPFIX exporter. This is consistent with the way IPFIX controls access to other Information Elements in general.

The configuration of an IPFIX Exporter determines which MIB objects are included in IPFIX Data Records sent to certain collectors. Network operators should take care that the only MIB objects which are included in IPFIX Data Records are ones which the receiving flow collector is allowed to receive.

11. IANA Considerations

11.1. New IPFIX Semantics

New IPFIX semantics must be allocated in IANA's IPFIX registry [IANA-IPFIX] per section 6 of [RFC7012], as defined in the sub-sections below.

11.1.1. snmpCounter

An integral value reporting the value of a counter, identical to the Counter32 and Counter64 semantics in [RFC2578], as determined by the field length.

This is similar to IPFIX's totalCounter semantic, except that total counters have an initial value of 0, while SNMP counters do not.

11.1.2. snmpGauge

An integral value identical to the Gauge32 semantic in [RFC2578], and the Gauge64 semantic in [RFC2856], as determined by the field length.

11.2. New IPFIX Information Elements

The new Information Elements in Table 10 must be allocated in IANA's IPFIX registry [IANA-IPFIX], as defined in the sub-sections below.

In each case the "Units" and "Range" are to be left blank, since these are not applicable.

New Information Elements
ElementId Name
TBD1 mibObjectValueInteger
TBD2 mibObjectValueOctetString
TBD3 mibObjectValueOID
TBD4 mibObjectValueBits
TBD5 mibObjectValueIPAddress
TBD6 mibObjectValueCounter
TBD7 mibObjectValueGauge
TBD8 mibObjectValueTimeTicks
TBD9 mibObjectValueUnsigned
TBD10 mibObjectValueTable
TBD11 mibObjectValueRow
TBD12 mibObjectIdentifier
TBD13 mibSubIdentifier
TBD14 mibIndexIndicator
TBD15 mibCaptureTimeSemantics
TBD16 mibContextEngineID
TBD17 mibContextName
TBD18 mibObjectName
TBD19 mibObjectDescription
TBD20 mibObjectSyntax
TBD21 mibModuleName

11.2.1. New MIB Value Information Elements

11.2.1.1. mibObjectValueInteger

A new Information Element "mibObjectValueInteger" must be allocated in IANA's IPFIX registry [IANA-IPFIX], with the following definition:

  • Description: An IPFIX Information Element which denotes that the integer value of a MIB object will be exported. The MIB Object Identifier ("mibObjectIdentifier") for this field MUST be exported in a MIB Field Option or via another means. This Information Element is used for MIB objects with the Base Syntax of Integer32 and INTEGER with IPFIX Reduced Size Encoding used as required. The value is encoded as per the standard IPFIX Abstract Data Type of signed64.
  • Abstract Data Type: signed64
  • Data Type Semantics: identifier
  • ElementId: TBD1
  • Status: current
  • Reference: [this document].

11.2.1.2. mibObjectValueOctetString

A new Information Element "mibObjectValueOctetString" must be allocated in IANA's IPFIX registry [IANA-IPFIX], with the following definition:

  • Description: An IPFIX Information Element which denotes that an Octet String or Opaque value of a MIB object will be exported. The MIB Object Identifier ("mibObjectIdentifier") for this field MUST be exported in a MIB Field Option or via another means. This Information Element is used for MIB objects with the Base Syntax of OCTET STRING and Opaque. The value is encoded as per the standard IPFIX Abstract Data Type of octetArray.
  • Abstract Data Type: octetArray
  • Data Type Semantics: default
  • ElementId: TBD2
  • Status: current
  • Reference: [this document].

11.2.1.3. mibObjectValueOID

A new Information Element "mibObjectValueOID" must be allocated in IANA's IPFIX registry [IANA-IPFIX], with the following definition:

  • Description: An IPFIX Information Element which denotes that an Object Identifier or OID value of a MIB object will be exported. The MIB Object Identifier ("mibObjectIdentifier") for this field MUST be exported in a MIB Field Option or via another means. This Information Element is used for MIB objects with the Base Syntax of OBJECT IDENTIFIER. Note - In this case the "mibObjectIdentifier" will define which MIB object is being exported while the value contained in this Information Element will be an OID as a value. The mibObjectValueOID Information Element is encoded as ASN.1/BER [BER] in an octetArray.
  • Abstract Data Type: octetArray
  • Data Type Semantics: default
  • ElementId: TBD3
  • Status: current
  • Reference: [this document].

11.2.1.4. mibObjectValueBits

A new Information Element "mibObjectValueBits" must be allocated in IANA's IPFIX registry [IANA-IPFIX], with the following definition:

  • Description: An IPFIX Information Element which denotes that a set of Enumerated flags or bits from a MIB object will be exported. The MIB Object Identifier ("mibObjectIdentifier") for this field MUST be exported in a MIB Field Option or via another means. This Information Element is used for MIB objects with the Base Syntax of BITS. The flags or bits are encoded as per the standard IPFIX Abstract Data Type of octetArray, with sufficient length to accomodate the required number of bits. If the number of bits is not an integer multiple of octets then the most significant bits at end of the octetArray MUST be set to zero.
  • Abstract Data Type: octetArray
  • Data Type Semantics: flags
  • ElementId: TBD4
  • Status: current
  • Reference: [this document].

11.2.1.5. mibObjectValueIPAddress

A new Information Element "mibObjectValueIPAddress" must be allocated in IANA's IPFIX registry [IANA-IPFIX], with the following definition:

  • Description: An IPFIX Information Element which denotes that the IPv4 Address of a MIB object will be exported. The MIB Object Identifier ("mibObjectIdentifier") for this field MUST be exported in a MIB Field Option or via another means. This Information Element is used for MIB objects with the Base Syntax of IPaddress. The value is encoded as per the standard IPFIX Abstract Data Type of ipv4Address.
  • Abstract Data Type: ipv4Address
  • Data Type Semantics: default
  • ElementId: TBD5
  • Status: current
  • Reference: [this document].

11.2.1.6. mibObjectValueCounter

A new Information Element "mibObjectValueCounter" must be allocated in IANA's IPFIX registry [IANA-IPFIX], with the following definition:

  • Description: An IPFIX Information Element which denotes that the counter value of a MIB object will be exported. The MIB Object Identifier ("mibObjectIdentifier") for this field MUST be exported in a MIB Field Option or via another means. This Information Element is used for MIB objects with the Base Syntax of Counter32 or Counter64 with IPFIX Reduced Size Encoding used as required. The value is encoded as per the standard IPFIX Abstract Data Type of unsigned64.
  • Abstract Data Type: unsigned64
  • Data Type Semantics: snmpCounter
  • ElementId: TBD6
  • Status: current
  • Reference: [this document].

11.2.1.7. mibObjectValueGauge

A new Information Element "mibObjectValueGauge" must be allocated in IANA's IPFIX registry [IANA-IPFIX], with the following definition:

  • Description: An IPFIX Information Element which denotes that the Gauge value of a MIB object will be exported. The MIB Object Identifier ("mibObjectIdentifier") for this field MUST be exported in a MIB Field Option or via another means. This Information Element is used for MIB objects with the Base Syntax of Gauge32. The value is encoded as per the standard IPFIX Abstract Data Type of unsigned64. This value will represent a non-negative integer, which may increase or decrease, but shall never exceed a maximum value, nor fall below a minimum value.
  • Abstract Data Type: unsigned32
  • Data Type Semantics: snmpGauge
  • ElementId: TBD7
  • Status: current
  • Reference: [this document].

11.2.1.8. mibObjectValueTimeTicks

A new Information Element "mibObjectValueTimeTicks" must be allocated in IANA's IPFIX registry [IANA-IPFIX], with the following definition:

  • Description: An IPFIX Information Element which denotes that the TimeTicks value of a MIB object will be exported. The MIB Object Identifier ("mibObjectIdentifier") for this field MUST be exported in a MIB Field Option or via another means. This Information Element is used for MIB objects with the Base Syntax of TimeTicks. The value is encoded as per the standard IPFIX Abstract Data Type of unsigned32.
  • Abstract Data Type: unsigned32
  • Data Type Semantics: default
  • ElementId: TBD8
  • Status: current
  • Reference: [this document].

11.2.1.9. mibObjectValueUnsigned

A new Information Element "mibObjectValueUnsigned" must be allocated in IANA's IPFIX registry [IANA-IPFIX], with the following definition:

  • Description: An IPFIX Information Element which denotes that an unsigned integer value of a MIB object will be exported. The MIB Object Identifier ("mibObjectIdentifier") for this field MUST be exported in a MIB Field Option or via another means. This Information Element is used for MIB objects with the Base Syntax of unsigned64 with IPFIX Reduced Size Encoding used as required. The value is encoded as per the standard IPFIX Abstract Data Type of unsigned64.
  • Abstract Data Type: unsigned64
  • Data Type Semantics: identifier
  • ElementId: TBD9
  • Status: current
  • Reference: [this document].

11.2.1.10. mibObjectValueTable

A new Information Element "mibObjectValueTable" must be allocated in IANA's IPFIX registry [IANA-IPFIX], with the following definition:

  • Description: An IPFIX Information Element which denotes that a complete conceptual table will be exported. The MIB Object Identifier ("mibObjectIdentifier") for this field MUST be exported in a MIB Field Option or via another means. This Information Element is used for MIB objects with a SYNTAX of SEQUENCE OF. This is encoded as a basicList of "mibObjectValueRow"s. The Field ID for the basicList MUST be TBD11. The mibObjectValueRow MUST be of the same type/OID as specified in this MIB object's syntax.
  • Abstract Data Type: basicList
  • Data Type Semantics: list
  • ElementId: TBD10
  • Status: current
  • Reference: [this document].

11.2.1.11. mibObjectValueRow

A new Information Element "mibObjectValueRow" must be allocated in IANA's IPFIX registry [IANA-IPFIX], with the following definition:

  • Description: An IPFIX Information Element which denotes that a row of a conceptual table will be exported. The MIB Object Identifier ("mibObjectIdentifier") for this field MUST be exported in a MIB Field Option or via another means. This Information Element is used for MIB objects with a SYNTAX of SEQUENCE. This is encoded as a subTemplateList of mibObjectValue Information Elements. The template specified in the subTemplateList MUST be an Options Template and MUST include all the Objects listed in the INDEX clause as Scope Fields.
  • Abstract Data Type: subTemplateList
  • Data Type Semantics: list
  • ElementId: TBD11
  • Status: current
  • Reference: [this document].

11.2.2. New MIB Field Options Information Elements

11.2.2.1. mibObjectIdentifier

A new Information Element "mibObjectIdentifier" must be allocated in IANA's IPFIX registry [IANA-IPFIX], with the following definition:

  • Description: An IPFIX Information Element which denotes that a MIB Object Identifier (MIB OID) is exported in the (Options) Template Record. The mibObjectIdentifier Information Element contains the OID assigned to the MIB Object Type Definition encoded as ASN.1/BER [BER]
  • Abstract Data Type: octetArray
  • Data Type Semantics: default
  • ElementId: TBD12
  • Status: current
  • Reference: [this document].

11.2.2.2. mibSubIdentifier

A new Information Element "mibSubIdentifier" must be allocated in IANA's IPFIX registry [IANA-IPFIX], with the following definition:

  • Description: A non-negative sub-identifier of an Object Identifier (OID).
  • Abstract Data Type: unsigned32
  • Data Type Semantics: identifier
  • ElementId: TBD13
  • Status: current
  • Reference: [this document].

11.2.2.3. mibIndexIndicator

A new Information Element "mibIndexIndicator" must be allocated in IANA's IPFIX registry [IANA-IPFIX], with the following definition:

  • Description: This set of bit fields is used for marking the Information Elements of a Data Record that serve as INDEX MIB objects for an indexed Columnar MIB object. Each bit represents an Information Element in the Data Record with the n-th bit representing the n-th Information Element. A bit set to value 1 indicates that the corresponding Information Element is an index of the Columnar Object represented by the mibFieldValue. A bit set to value 0 indicates that this is not the case.
  • If the Data Record contains more than 64 Information Elements, the corresponding Template SHOULD be designed such that all INDEX Fields are among the first 64 Information Elements, because the mibIndexIndicator only contains 64 bits. If the Data Record contains less than 64 Information Elements, then the extra bits in the mibIndexIndicator for which no corresponding Information Element exists MUST have the value 0, and must be disregarded by the Collector. This Information Element may be exported with IPFIX Reduced Size Encoding.
  • Abstract Data Type: unsigned64
  • Data Type Semantics: flags
  • ElementId: TBD14
  • Status: current
  • Reference: [this document].

11.2.2.4. mibCaptureTimeSemantics

A new Information Element "mibCaptureTimeSemantics" must be allocated in IANA's IPFIX registry [IANA-IPFIX], with the following definition:

  • Description: Indicates when in the lifetime of the flow the MIB value was retrieved from the MIB for a mibObjectIdentifier. This is used to indicate if the value exported was collected from the MIB closer to flow creation or flow export time and will refer to the Timestamp fields included in the same record. This field SHOULD be used when exporting a mibObjectValue that specifies counters or statistics.
  • If the MIB value was sampled by SNMP prior to the IPFIX Metering Process or Exporting Process retrieving the value (i.e. the data is already stale) and it's important to know the exact sampling time, then an additional observationTime* element should be paired with the OID using structured data. Similarly, if different mibCaptureTimeSemantics apply to different mibObject elements within the Data Record, then individual mibCaptureTimeSemantics should be paired with each OID using structured data.
  • Values:
    • 0. undefined
    • 1. begin - The value for the MIB object is captured from the MIB when the Flow is first observed
    • 2. end - The value for the MIB object is captured from the MIB when the Flow ends
    • 3. export - The value for the MIB object is captured from the MIB at export time
    • 4. average - The value for the MIB object is an average of multiple captures from the MIB over the observed life of the Flow

  • Abstract Data Type: unsigned8
  • Data Type Semantics: identifier
  • ElementId: TBD15
  • Status: current
  • Reference: [this document].

11.2.2.5. mibContextEngineID

A new Information Element "mibContextEngineID" must be allocated in IANA's IPFIX registry [IANA-IPFIX], with the following definition:

  • Description: A mibContextEngineID that specifies the SNMP engine ID for a MIB field being exported over IPFIX. Definition as per [RFC3411] section 3.3
  • Abstract Data Type: octetArray
  • Data Type Semantics: default
  • ElementId: TBD16
  • Status: current
  • Reference: [this document].

11.2.2.6. mibContextName

A new Information Element "mibContextName" must be allocated in IANA's IPFIX registry [IANA-IPFIX], with the following definition:

  • Description: This Information Element denotes that a MIB Context Name is specified for a MIB field being exported over IPFIX. Reference [RFC3411] section 3.3
  • Abstract Data Type: string
  • Data Type Semantics: default
  • ElementId: TBD17
  • Status: current
  • Reference: [this document].

11.2.3. New MIB Type Information Elements

11.2.3.1. mibObjectName

A new Information Element "mibObjectName" must be allocated in IANA's IPFIX registry [IANA-IPFIX], with the following definition:

  • Description: The name (called a descriptor in [RFC2578]) of an object type definition.
  • Abstract Data Type: string
  • Data Type Semantics: default
  • ElementId: TBD18
  • Status: current
  • Reference: [this document].

11.2.3.2. mibObjectDescription

A new Information Element "mibObjectDescription" must be allocated in IANA's IPFIX registry [IANA-IPFIX], with the following definition:

  • Description: The value of the DESCRIPTION clause of an MIB object type definition.
  • Abstract Data Type: string
  • Data Type Semantics: default
  • ElementId: TBD19
  • Status: current
  • Reference: [this document].

11.2.3.3. mibObjectSyntax

A new Information Element "mibObjectSyntax" must be allocated in IANA's IPFIX registry [IANA-IPFIX], with the following definition:

  • Description: The value of the SYNTAX clause of an MIB object type definition, which may include a Textual Convention or Subtyping. See [RFC2578].
  • Abstract Data Type: string
  • Data Type Semantics: default
  • ElementId: TBD20
  • Status: current
  • Reference: [this document].

11.2.3.4. mibModuleName

A new Information Element "mibModuleName" must be allocated in IANA's IPFIX registry [IANA-IPFIX], with the following definition:

  • Description: The textual name of the MIB module that defines a MIB Object.
  • Abstract Data Type: string
  • Data Type Semantics: default
  • ElementId: TBD21
  • Status: current
  • Reference: [this document].

12. Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Andrew Johnson for his collaboration on the first version of the draft, and to thank Andrew Feren and Brian Trammell for their detailed reviews.

13. References

13.1. Normative References

[BER] International Organization for Standardization, "Information processing systems - Open Systems Interconnection - Specification of Basic Encoding Rules for Abstract Syntax Notation One (ASN.1),International Organization for Standardization. International Standard 8825, December 1987"
[IANA-IPFIX] IANA, "IPFIX Information Elements registry"
[RFC2119] Bradner, S., "Key words for use in RFCs to Indicate Requirement Levels", BCP 14, RFC 2119, March 1997.
[RFC2578] McCloghrie, K., Perkins, D. and J. Schoenwaelder, "Structure of Management Information Version 2 (SMIv2)", STD 58, RFC 2578, April 1999.
[RFC2856] Bierman, A., McCloghrie, K. and R. Presuhn, "Textual Conventions for Additional High Capacity Data Types", RFC 2856, June 2000.
[RFC3411] Harrington, D., Presuhn, R. and B. Wijnen, "An Architecture for Describing Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) Management Frameworks", STD 62, RFC 3411, December 2002.
[RFC6526] Claise, B., Aitken, P., Johnson, A. and G. Muenz, "IP Flow Information Export (IPFIX) Per Stream Control Transmission Protocol (SCTP) Stream", RFC 6526, March 2012.
[RFC7011] Claise, B., Trammell, B. and P. Aitken, "Specification of the IP Flow Information Export (IPFIX) Protocol for the Exchange of Flow Information", STD 77, RFC 7011, September 2013.
[RFC7012] Claise, B. and B. Trammell, "Information Model for IP Flow Information Export (IPFIX)", RFC 7012, September 2013.

13.2. Informative References

[CISCO-PROCESS-MIB] Cisco Systems Inc., "CISCO-PROCESS-MIB.my: MIB for CPU and process statistics"
[RFC2863] McCloghrie, K. and F. Kastenholz, "The Interfaces Group MIB", RFC 2863, June 2000.
[RFC2982] Kavasseri, R., "Distributed Management Expression MIB", RFC 2982, October 2000.
[RFC3444] Pras, A. and J. Schoenwaelder, "On the Difference between Information Models and Data Models", RFC 3444, January 2003.
[RFC4022] Raghunarayan, R., "Management Information Base for the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP)", RFC 4022, March 2005.
[RFC4293] Routhier, S., "Management Information Base for the Internet Protocol (IP)", RFC 4293, April 2006.
[RFC4750] Joyal, D., Galecki, P., Giacalone, S., Coltun, R. and F. Baker, "OSPF Version 2 Management Information Base", RFC 4750, December 2006.
[RFC4960] Stewart, R., "Stream Control Transmission Protocol", RFC 4960, September 2007.
[RFC5470] Sadasivan, G., Brownlee, N., Claise, B. and J. Quittek, "Architecture for IP Flow Information Export", RFC 5470, March 2009.
[RFC5476] Claise, B., Johnson, A. and J. Quittek, "Packet Sampling (PSAMP) Protocol Specifications", RFC 5476, March 2009.
[RFC6313] Claise, B., Dhandapani, G., Aitken, P. and S. Yates, "Export of Structured Data in IP Flow Information Export (IPFIX)", RFC 6313, July 2011.

Authors' Addresses

Paul Aitken (editor) Brocade Edinburgh, Scotland UK Phone: +44 203 005 0731 EMail: paitken@brocade.com
Benoit Claise Cisco Systems, Inc. De Kleetlaan 6a b1 Diegem, 1813 Belgium Phone: +32 2 704 5622 EMail: bclaise@cisco.com
Srikar Cisco Systems, Inc. Mail Stop BGL13/3/, SEZ Unit, Cessna Business Park, Kadubeesanahalli Village Varthur Hobli, Sarjapur Marathalli Outer Ring Road Bangalore, KARNATAKA 560 103 IN Phone: +91 80 4426 3264 EMail: srikar@cisco.com
Colin McDowall Brocade Edinburgh, Scotland UK Phone: +44 203 005 0687 EMail: cmcdowal@brocade.com
Juergen Schoenwaelder Jacobs University Bremen Campus Ring 1 Bremen, 28725 Germany Phone: +49 421 200-3587 EMail: j.schoenwaelder@jacobs-university.de