Description: A count of frames received on a particular interface that are not an integral number of octets in length and do not pass the FCS check.

The count represented by an instance of this object is incremented when the alignmentError status is returned by the MAC service to the LLC (or other MAC user). Received frames for which multiple error conditions pertain are, according to the conventions of IEEE 802.3 Layer Management, counted exclusively according to the error status presented to the LLC.

This counter does not increment for group encoding schemes greater than 4 bits per group.

For interfaces operating at 10 Gb/s, this counter can roll over in less than 5 minutes if it is incrementing at its maximum rate. Since that amount of time could be less than a management station's poll cycle time, in order to avoid a loss of information, a management station is advised to poll the dot3HCStatsAlignmentErrors object for 10 Gb/s or faster interfaces.

Discontinuities in the value of this counter can occur at re-initialization of the management system, and at other times as indicated by the value of ifCounterDiscontinuityTime.