ABSTRACT
THE SMI The SMI specifies the allowable data types in the MIB, and it spells out the ways data can be
represented. Also, it defines a hierarchical naming structure that ensures unique, unambiguous names for managed objects, which are the components of a MIB. Compared with the objects that general purpose programmers use to build applications, SNMP-managed objects are very simple and stripped down. MIB objects typically have six or so attributes. For instance, an object usually has a name, such as iflnErrorsortcpAttemptFails; an object identifier in dotted decimal form, such as 1.3.6.1.2.1.2.2.1.14; a syntax field, which selects one of several possible data types such as Integer, IPAddress, or Counter; an access field, which selects among "notaccessible;' "read-only;' "read-write;' and "write-only"; a status field consisting of either "mandatory;'"optional;'"deprecated;' or "obsolete"; and a text description of the object.
