Script MIB Extensibility Protocol Version 1.1
RFC 3179

• Status
• IESG evaluation record
• IESG writeups
• Email expansions
• History

• Versions
• 04

Network Working Group                                   J. Schoenwaelder
Request for Comments: 3179                               TU Braunschweig
Obsoletes: 2593                                               J. Quittek
Category: Experimental                                   NEC Europe Ltd.
                                                            October 2001

             Script MIB Extensibility Protocol Version 1.1

Status of this Memo

   This memo defines an Experimental Protocol for the Internet
   community.  It does not specify an Internet standard of any kind.
   Discussion and suggestions for improvement are requested.
   Distribution of this memo is unlimited.

Copyright Notice

   Copyright (C) The Internet Society (2001).  All Rights Reserved.

Abstract

   The Script MIB extensibility protocol (SMX) defined in this memo
   separates language specific runtime systems from language independent
   Script MIB implementations.  The IETF Script MIB defines an interface
   for the delegation of management functions based on the Internet
   management framework.  A management script is a set of instructions
   that are executed by a language specific runtime system.

Table of Contents

   1 Introduction .................................................    2
   2 Process Model and Communication Model ........................    3
   3 Security Profiles ............................................    4
   4 Start of Runtime Systems and Connection Establishment ........    4
   5 SMX Messages .................................................    5
   5.1 Common Definitions .........................................    5
   5.2 Commands ...................................................    7
   5.3 Replies ....................................................    7
   6 Elements of Procedure ........................................    9
   6.1 SMX Message Processing on the Runtime Systems ..............    9
   6.1.1 Processing the `hello' Command ...........................   10
   6.1.2 Processing the `start' Command ...........................   10
   6.1.3 Processing the `suspend' Command .........................   11
   6.1.4 Processing the `resume' Command ..........................   12
   6.1.5 Processing the `abort' Command ...........................   12
   6.1.6 Processing the `status' Command ..........................   12
   6.1.7 Generation of Asynchronous Notifications .................   13

Schoenwaelder & Quittek       Experimental                      [Page 1]
RFC 3179                    SMX Protocol 1.1                October 2001

   6.2 SMX Message Processing on the SNMP Agent ...................   13
   6.2.1 Creating a Runtime System ................................   14
   6.2.2 Generating the `hello' Command ...........................   14
   6.2.3 Generating the `start' Command ...........................   15
   6.2.4 Generating the `suspend' Command .........................   16
   6.2.5 Generating the `resume' Command ..........................   16
   6.2.6 Generating the `abort' Command ...........................   17
   6.2.7 Generating the `status' Command ..........................   18
   6.2.8 Processing Asynchronous Notifications ....................   19
   7 Example SMX Message Flow .....................................   20
   8 Transport Mappings ...........................................   20
   8.1 SMX over Bi-directional Pipes ..............................   21
   8.2 SMX over TCP ...............................................   21
   9 Security Considerations ......................................   21
   10 Changes from RFC 2593 .......................................   22
   11 Acknowledgments .............................................   23
   12 References ..................................................   23
   13 Authors' Addresses ..........................................   24
   14 Full Copyright Statement ....................................   25

1.  Introduction

   The Script MIB [1] defines a standard interface for the delegation of
   management functions based on the Internet management framework.  In
   particular, it provides the following capabilities:

   1. Transfer of management scripts to a distributed manager.

   2. Initiating, suspending, resuming and terminating management
      scripts.

   3. Transfer of arguments for management scripts.

   4. Monitoring and control of running management scripts.

   5. Transfer of results produced by management scripts.

   A management script is a set of instructions executed by a language
   specific runtime system.  The Script MIB does not prescribe a
   specific language.  Instead, it allows to control scripts written in
   different languages that are executing concurrently.

   The Script MIB Extensibility protocol (SMX) defined in this memo can
   be used to separate language specific runtime systems from the
   runtime system independent Script MIB implementations.  The