SUBAGENT-MIB

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Organization: IBM Research - T.J. Watson Research Center

Last Updated: 1996-05-08

Category: Network Management Infrastructure, SNMP Agent and Subagent

Description: Manages IBM SNMP subagent registration, communication, and operational state at T.J. Watson Research Center.

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What Is SUBAGENT-MIB?

SUBAGENT-MIB is an IBM module, developed at the T.J. Watson Research Center, that models SNMP subagents operating under a multiplexed/extensible SNMP agent architecture. It exposes registration, communication, and operational-state data for each subagent attached to the master agent. Its monitoring emphasis is software-status: whether individual subagents are registered and actively communicating with the master agent, which indicates whether the extended MIB functionality each subagent provides is actually available to management stations. It relates to SNMP agent-extension mechanisms such as SMUX (RFC 1227) or similar multiplexing protocols that let multiple software components share a single SNMP agent. It is deployed on IBM systems (e.g., AIX hosts) that use a multiplexed SNMP agent composed of several independent subagents. Engineers can download the SUBAGENT-MIB file directly to load it into their MIB browser.

IPNetwork Monitor allows you to monitor SNMP objects defined in SUBAGENT-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

IBM AIX server/host running a multiplexed SNMP agent

Monitoring Examples

No concrete object or table names were provided for this module, so specific identifiers can't be cited. Based on its description, an operator would check per-subagent registration and communication-state objects to confirm each expected subagent (and the MIB functionality it implements) is currently attached and responsive to the master agent. A subagent showing as unregistered or non-communicating would mean the MIB data it's supposed to provide is silently missing from SNMP queries even though the master agent itself responds normally.

What Can Be Monitored

subagent registration status
subagent communication/connectivity state
subagent operational status

Imported Objects

From SNMPv2-CONF

MODULE-COMPLIANCE
OBJECT-GROUP

From SNMPv2-SMI

Counter32
Integer32
MODULE-IDENTITY
OBJECT-TYPE
TimeTicks
enterprises

From SNMPv2-TC

DisplayString

How to Use in IPNetwork Monitor

Example using saNumber OID:

Select an IBM AIX server/host running a multiplexed SNMP agent (subagent registration/status) as the target host to create a monitor — the SNMP service should be up and running on it. Click New Monitor, then check SNMP Custom on the Favorites tab, click Next, and confirm the host. On the next page, click Select... to open the built-in SNMP MIB Browser and type saNumber into the Find box to locate it in the OID tree, then select it and click OK. The number of entries in the saTable. On the monitor's Main parameters page you can set the target's SNMP port (default 161), credentials, polling interval, and other settings — see the SNMP Monitor help for details. On the State conditions and Alerting tabs, configure when the monitor should change state and trigger an alert; since this is a Counter32-type OID, Value bounds is the most useful condition here — trigger an alert if the counter increases sharply between polls relative to its normal baseline, since an unexpected spike often reflects a real change in traffic or activity. Click Finish to create the monitor; you can adjust any parameter later.

OIDs

OID symbolic	OID numeric	Type	Access	Description
ibm	1.3.6.1.4.1.2
ibmResearch	1.3.6.1.4.1.2.4
saMIB	1.3.6.1.4.1.2.4.12			The MIB module describing SNMP subagents.
I32 saDefaultTimeout	1.3.6.1.4.1.2.4.12.1	Integer32	read-write	The default timeout (in seconds) that this agent waits for a response from a SubAgent. This value is used if a timeout value is not specified for the subtree nor for the subagent that exports the subtree.
INT saMaxTimeout	1.3.6.1.4.1.2.4.12.2	INTEGER	read-write	The maximum timeout (in seconds) that this agent allows for timeout values for SubAgents. When you try to set any other timeout value it must be between 1 and this maximum value.
INT saAllowDuplicateIDs	1.3.6.1.4.1.2.4.12.3	INTEGER	read-write	Controls if multiple instances of a sub-agent (as identified by the sub-agent Identifier) are allowed. Setting this object to the value no(2) will prevent (new) duplicate sub-agentIDs. However, if any duplicates exist at that point in time, the agent will not remove them. That is considered a manager responsibility.
C32 saNumberEx	1.3.6.1.4.1.2.4.12.4	Counter32	read-only	The number of entries in the saTable
C32 saAllPacketsIn	1.3.6.1.4.1.2.4.12.5	Counter32	read-only	A count of packets received from all subagents.
C32 saAllPacketsOut	1.3.6.1.4.1.2.4.12.6	Counter32	read-only	A count of packets send to all subagents.
saTable	1.3.6.1.4.1.2.4.12.7		not-accessible	The SubAgent table, listing all subagents.
saEntry	1.3.6.1.4.1.2.4.12.7.1		not-accessible	An entry in the SubAgnet table.
INT saIndex	1.3.6.1.4.1.2.4.12.7.1.1	INTEGER	not-accessible	An index which uniquely identifies a SubAgent. The value must remain constant at least from one re-initialization of the entity's network management system to the next re-initialization.
OID saIdentifier	1.3.6.1.4.1.2.4.12.7.1.2	OBJECT IDENTIFIER	read-only	The authoritative identification for a SubAgent.
STR saDescription	1.3.6.1.4.1.2.4.12.7.1.3	DisplayString	read-only	A descriptive name for a SubAgent.
INT saStatus	1.3.6.1.4.1.2.4.12.7.1.4	INTEGER	read-write	The status of the SubAgent. The only value that can be set is invalid(2). This can only be done if the status is not already in a ClosedSomething status. (Note: it is OK for an agent to accept a SET that would set the value to exactly the same value as the current status). Setting this object to the value invalid(2) has the effect of invalidating the entry upon which the agent will close the connection and turn it to status closedByManager(5). It is an implementation specific matter if an entry that is not valid(1) is removed from the table right away, after some period of time or not at all.
TIK saStatusChangeTime	1.3.6.1.4.1.2.4.12.7.1.5	TimeTicks	read-only	The timestamp of the last status change of the SubAgent.
INT saProtocol	1.3.6.1.4.1.2.4.12.7.1.6	INTEGER	read-only	The SubAgent protocol being used.
INT saProtocolVersion	1.3.6.1.4.1.2.4.12.7.1.7	INTEGER	read-only	The version of the SubAgent Protocol used.
INT saProtocolRelease	1.3.6.1.4.1.2.4.12.7.1.8	INTEGER	read-only	The release of the SubAgent Protocol used.
INT saTransport	1.3.6.1.4.1.2.4.12.7.1.9	INTEGER	read-only	The transport protocol used by the SubAgent.
OCT saTransportAddress	1.3.6.1.4.1.2.4.12.7.1.10	OCTET STRING	read-only	The address of the subagent (transport specific address information).
INT saTimeout	1.3.6.1.4.1.2.4.12.7.1.11	INTEGER	read-write	The default timeout (seconds) for a SubAgent response. This value will be used if there is no timeout value specified for a particular subtree.
INT saMaxVarBinds	1.3.6.1.4.1.2.4.12.7.1.12	INTEGER	read-only	Max varBinds this subagent accepts per request.
C32 saPacketsIn	1.3.6.1.4.1.2.4.12.7.1.13	Counter32	read-only	A count of packets send to this subagent.
C32 saPacketsOut	1.3.6.1.4.1.2.4.12.7.1.14	Counter32	read-only	A count of packets send to this subagent.
saTreeTable	1.3.6.1.4.1.2.4.12.8		not-accessible	The SubAgent tree table.
saTreeEntry	1.3.6.1.4.1.2.4.12.8.1		not-accessible	An entry in the SubAgent tree table.
OID saTsubtree	1.3.6.1.4.1.2.4.12.8.1.1	OBJECT IDENTIFIER	not-accessible	The MIB subtree being exported by the SubAgent.
INT saTpriority	1.3.6.1.4.1.2.4.12.8.1.2	INTEGER	not-accessible	The SubAgents Priority when exporting the MIB subtree. The lower the value the better the priority.
INT saTindex	1.3.6.1.4.1.2.4.12.8.1.3	INTEGER	read-only	The SubAgent's identity (index into the saTable).
INT saTstatus	1.3.6.1.4.1.2.4.12.8.1.4	INTEGER	read-write	The status of subtree exported by the SubAgent. Setting this object to the value invalid(2) has the effect of invalidating the entry. It is an implementation specific matter if an entry that is not valid(1) is removed from the table.
INT saTtimeout	1.3.6.1.4.1.2.4.12.8.1.5	INTEGER	read-write	The timeout (in seconds) for objects in this subtree. A value of zero (0) means that the overall timeout value (as specified in the saTableEntry for the SubAgent) will be used.
saMIBConformance	1.3.6.1.4.1.2.4.12.9
saMIBCompliances	1.3.6.1.4.1.2.4.12.9.1
saMIBCompliance	1.3.6.1.4.1.2.4.12.9.1.1			The compliance statement for SNMPv2 entities which implement the saMIB (subAgent MIB).
saMIBGroups	1.3.6.1.4.1.2.4.12.9.2
saTableGroup	1.3.6.1.4.1.2.4.12.9.2.1			The saTableGroup defines the objects that are used to list/control all SNMP subagents
saTreeGroup	1.3.6.1.4.1.2.4.12.9.2.2			The saTreeGroup defines the objects that are used to list/control all registered SubTrees.

RFC description

SNMP subagent protocol support (DPI/SMUX) management for distributed agents.

Start monitoring IBM AIX server/host running a multiplexed SNMP agent (subagent registration/status) with a free 30-day trial of IPNetwork Monitor. Import MIBs, browse SNMP OIDs, create custom SNMP monitors, configure alerts, and monitor any SNMP-enabled network device from a single console.

Download SUBAGENT-MIB