Description: The method of sampling the selected variable and calculating the value to be compared against the thresholds. If the value of this object is `absoluteValue', the value of the selected variable at the end of the sampling interval will be compared directly with both the snmpAlarmRisingThreshold and the snmpAlarmFallingThreshold values. If the value of this object is `deltaValue', the value of the selected variable at the end of the sampling interval will be subtracted from its value at the end of the previous sampling interval, and the difference compared with both the snmpAlarmRisingThreshold and the snmpAlarmFallingThreshold values.

An attempt to modify this object will fail with an `inconsistentValue' error if the associated snmpAlarmStatus object would be equal to `active' both before and after the modification attempt.