This object identifies the class of managed object, such as a specific interface or hardware component, that is the source of an alarm, and is carried as a variable binding in the corresponding SNMP notification. A network operations center uses this value to know what kind of resource raised an alarm without having to cross-reference the alarm's OID against equipment documentation. For example, managedObjectClass carrying a value identifying 'power supply' tells the operator the alarm concerns a power module rather than a network interface.