Description: This table contains one row per virtual data source, as configured by NMS application(s). It is used to control the overall configuration of each virtual data source.

The agent will maintain a proprietary virtual interface, on behalf of each active vdsControlEntry. All packets which are monitored on the 'parent' interface (identified by the vdsControlParent object) will be classified and processed according to the configuration for each relevant vdsControlEntry and associated vds*SelEntries.

Each of the selection algorithms produces a boolean result (i.e., 'selected' or 'not selected'), and these results are combined (i.e., logical AND/OR expression) to produce a single boolean result for the packet.

If a packet is selected, then it will be somehow presented for monitoring on the associated virtual interface maintained by the agent. Since a virtual interface only exists in the RMON agent, it is expected that the same agent will be supporting an implementation of one or more RMON MIBs, which will allow RMON control table dataSource objects to reference the ifEntry created on behalf of a vdsControlEntry. The implementation details of this 'linkage', or any use of this ifEntry other than remote monitoring, is outside the scope of this document.

Additional entries in the vdsVlanSelTable, vdsAddrSelTable, vdsProtoSelTable, vdsQosSelTable, vdsChanSelTable, and/or vdsUrlSelTable will be required, depending on the configuration of this entry.

At least one selection mechanism must be configured per vdsControlEntry. The initial state of all packet selection algorithms is 'not selected', therefore a virtual data source will have no effect unless a vds*SelEntry is properly configured (in addition to this entry).

NMS applications must configure the appropriate vds*SelEntries before activated this control entry, and those vds*SelEntries may not be modified while this entry is active.

It is an implementation-specific manner as to the complexity and capacity of the entries allowed in this table. Actual configurations will be constrained by agent functionality and platform resources.