Description: This object identifies the source of the data that this switchEtherStats entry is configured to analyze. This source can be any ethernet interface on this device. In order to identify a particular interface, this object shall identify the instance of the switchIfIndex object, defined in RFC 2233 [17], for the desired interface. For example, if an entry were to receive data from interface #1, this object would be set to switchIfIndex.1.

The statistics in this group reflect all packets on the local network segment attached to the identified interface.

An agent may or may not be able to tell if fundamental changes to the media of the interface have occurred and necessitate an invalidation of this entry. For example, a hot-pluggable ethernet card could be pulled out and replaced by a token-ring card. In such a case, if the agent has such knowledge of the change, it is recommended that it invalidate this entry.

This object may not be modified if the associated switchEtherStatsStatus object is equal to valid(1).