IF-CAP-STACK-MIB

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Organization: IETF Ethernet Interfaces and Hub MIB Working Group

Last Updated: 2007-11-07

Category: Device Management, Network Interfaces

Description: Defines objects that describe the cross-connect capabilities of stacked (layered) interfaces, indicating which sub-layers could potentially operate atop other sub-layers.

IPNetwork Monitor uses several OIDs from this MIB in network discovery and polling the applicable devices. Start monitoring IF-CAP-STACK-MIB with a free 30-day trial of IPNetwork Monitor.

What Is IF-CAP-STACK-MIB?

IF-CAP-STACK-MIB is an IETF standards-track module (RFC 5066) that extends the generic Interfaces MIB framework, so it is vendor-neutral rather than tied to any single manufacturer's technology. It exposes configuration/topology data describing which layered interface sub-types are permitted to stack on top of which others, complementing the ifStackTable (IF-MIB) and ifInvStackTable (IF-INVERTED-STACK-MIB). Rather than hardware sensors, it is used to monitor the logical software configuration of interface layering, letting an operator confirm that a multiplexed interface stack (e.g., a lower-layer transport carrying an upper-layer protocol) is validly and correctly configured. It explicitly depends on and complements IF-MIB and IF-INVERTED-STACK-MIB, since it cannot be interpreted without those tables' stacking relationships. It is typically deployed on multiplexing/transmission network elements where layered interfaces (such as ATM over SONET/SDH) need topology validation rather than raw device health checks. Engineers implementing or auditing this functionality typically reference the IF-CAP-STACK-MIB RFC/standard documentation for the authoritative specification.

IPNetwork Monitor allows you to monitor SNMP objects defined in IF-CAP-STACK-MIB. Use the built-in SNMP Monitoring Browser to explore available variables, view their current values and descriptions, and select the objects you want to monitor. You can then create SNMP monitors, configure thresholds, and receive alerts when monitored values change.

Supported Devices

vendor-neutral, standards-based MIB, not tied to a specific manufacturer
layered/multiplexed transport interfaces (e.g., SONET/SDH, ATM equipment)

Monitoring Examples

No concrete object names were provided in the sample data for this module, so a specific object-level scenario cannot be honestly constructed; per its description, however, it would be used alongside ifStackTable and ifInvStackTable entries to verify that a given ifIndex's declared higher-layer/lower-layer stacking is one of the combinations this MIB marks as valid. An anomaly would show up as a device attempting (or reporting) a stacking relationship not present in this MIB's capability data, indicating a misconfigured or unsupported interface layering.

What Can Be Monitored

valid interface sub-layer stacking combinations
cross-connect capability between layered interfaces
interface stacking topology configuration

Imported Objects

From IF-INVERTED-STACK-MIB

ifInvStackGroup

OBJECT-GROUP

From IF-MIB

ifStackGroup2	OBJECT-GROUP
ifStackHigherLayer	OBJECT-TYPE
ifStackLowerLayer	OBJECT-TYPE

From SNMPv2-CONF

MODULE-COMPLIANCE
OBJECT-GROUP

From SNMPv2-SMI

MODULE-IDENTITY
OBJECT-TYPE
mib-2

From SNMPv2-TC

TruthValue

OIDs

OID symbolic	OID numeric	Type	Access	Description
ifCapStackMIB	1.3.6.1.2.1.166			The objects in this MIB module are used to describe cross-connect capabilities of stacked (layered) interfaces, complementing ifStackTable and ifInvStackTable defined in IF-MIB and IF-INVERTED-STACK-MIB, respectively. Copyright (C) The IETF Trust (2007). This version of this MIB module is part of RFC 5066; see the RFC itself for full legal notices.
ifCapStackObjects	1.3.6.1.2.1.166.1
ifCapStackTable	1.3.6.1.2.1.166.1.1		not-accessible	This table, modeled after ifStackTable from IF-MIB, contains information on the possible 'on-top-of' relationships between the multiple sub-layers of network interfaces (as opposed to actual relationships described in ifStackTable). In particular, it contains information on which sub-layers MAY possibly run 'on top of' which other sub-layers, as determined by cross-connect capability of the device, where each sub-layer corresponds to a conceptual row in the ifTable. For example, when the sub-layer with ifIndex value x can be connected to run on top of the sub-layer with ifIndex value y, then this table contains: ifCapStackStatus.x.y=true The ifCapStackStatus.x.y row does not exist if it is impossible to connect between the sub-layers x and y. Note that for most stacked interfaces (e.g., 2BASE-TL) there's always at least one higher-level interface (e.g., PCS port) for each lower-level interface (e.g., PME) and at least one lower-level interface for each higher-level interface, that is, there is at least a single row with a 'true' status for any such existing value of x or y. This table is read-only as it describes device capabilities.
ifCapStackEntry	1.3.6.1.2.1.166.1.1.1		not-accessible	Information on a particular relationship between two sub-layers, specifying that one sub-layer MAY possibly run on 'top' of the other sub-layer. Each sub-layer corresponds to a conceptual row in the ifTable (interface index for lower and higher layer, respectively).
T/F ifCapStackStatus	1.3.6.1.2.1.166.1.1.1.1	TruthValue	read-only	The status of the 'cross-connect capability' relationship between two sub-layers. The following values can be returned: true(1) - indicates that the sub-layer interface, identified by the ifStackLowerLayer MAY be connected to run 'below' the sub-layer interface, identified by the ifStackHigherLayer index. false(2) - the sub-layer interfaces cannot be connected temporarily due to unavailability of the interface(s), e.g., one of the interfaces is located on an absent pluggable module. Note that lower-layer interface availability per higher-layer, indicated by the value of 'true', can be constrained by other parameters, for example, by the aggregation capacity of a higher-layer interface or by the lower-layer interface in question being already connected to another higher-layer interface. In order to ensure that a particular sub-layer can be connected to another sub-layer, all respective objects (e.g., ifCapStackTable, ifStackTable, and efmCuPAFCapacity for EFMCu interfaces) SHALL be inspected. This object is read-only, unlike ifStackStatus, as it describes a cross-connect capability.
ifInvCapStackTable	1.3.6.1.2.1.166.1.2		not-accessible	A table containing information on the possible relationships between the multiple sub-layers of network interfaces. This table, modeled after ifInvStackTable from IF-INVERTED-STACK-MIB, is an inverse of the ifCapStackTable defined in this MIB module. In particular, this table contains information on which sub-layers MAY run 'underneath' which other sub-layers, where each sub-layer corresponds to a conceptual row in the ifTable. For example, when the sub-layer with ifIndex value x MAY be connected to run underneath the sub-layer with ifIndex value y, then this table contains: ifInvCapStackStatus.x.y=true This table contains exactly the same number of rows as the ifCapStackTable, but the rows appear in a different order. This table is read-only as it describes a cross-connect capability.
ifInvCapStackEntry	1.3.6.1.2.1.166.1.2.1		not-accessible	Information on a particular relationship between two sub- layers, specifying that one sub-layer MAY run underneath the other sub-layer. Each sub-layer corresponds to a conceptual row in the ifTable.
T/F ifInvCapStackStatus	1.3.6.1.2.1.166.1.2.1.1	TruthValue	read-only	The status of the possible 'cross-connect capability' relationship between two sub-layers. An instance of this object exists for each instance of the ifCapStackStatus object, and vice versa. For example, if the variable ifCapStackStatus.H.L exists, then the variable ifInvCapStackStatus.L.H must also exist, and vice versa. In addition, the two variables always have the same value. The ifInvCapStackStatus object is read-only, as it describes a cross-connect capability.
ifCapStackConformance	1.3.6.1.2.1.166.2
ifCapStackGroups	1.3.6.1.2.1.166.2.1
ifCapStackGroup	1.3.6.1.2.1.166.2.1.1			A collection of objects providing information on the cross-connect capability of multi-layer (stacked) network interfaces.
ifCapStackCompliances	1.3.6.1.2.1.166.2.2
ifCapStackCompliance	1.3.6.1.2.1.166.2.2.1			The compliance statement for SNMP entities, which provide information on the cross-connect capability of multi-layer (stacked) network interfaces, with flexible cross-connect between the sub-layers.

RFC description

Defines objects describing cross-connect capabilities of stacked (layered) interfaces, showing which sub-layers may potentially run on top of other sub-layers.

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Download IF-CAP-STACK-MIB

What Is IF-CAP-STACK-MIB?

Supported Devices

Monitoring Examples

What Can Be Monitored

This MIB depends on

Related MIBs

RFC description