[rbridge] Rbridge Management

[Eric Gray]

Donald,

	Assuming that we can accept that RFC 3410 is the appropriate 
reference for SNMP generally (it seems to be an informational RFC
that talks about the relative advantages of different versions of
SNMP), this assertion is technically correct.  One can use SNMP in
the way it is described in RFC 4789 to manage RBridges.

	However, there are probably at least 3 management models that
may apply to RBridges, where there are issues/concerns with whether 
SNMP/L2 would be sufficient (e.g. - from a security perspective,
from a management platform support perspective, etc.).  The 3 models
I can quickly imagine - where SNMP/L2 may be either inadequate or 
not particularly useful - are:

1) litteral plug-and-play - no management is anticipated and what 
   small amount of management that may apply would most likely be
   done via web-access (IP address required, probably configured
   via DHCP) or direct connection to a computer;
2) some management anticipated (minimal VLAN configuration, or a
   deployment involving/expecting use of non-default behavior in
   one or more aspects (out-of-band, or console, management may
   be sufficient, SNMP/L2 may provide inadequate or incompatible
   security);
3) extensive management is the rule (plug and play is a non-goal,
   avoidance of address configuration is explicitly a non-goal,
   use of device interactive security access - requiring dialog
   via IP - is unavoidable, etc.).

	Considering (at least) these cases, while the paragraph you
propose may be technically correct, it may also be insufficient to 
address management of RBridges generally.

--
Eric Gray
Principal Engineer
Ericsson  

> -----Original Message-----
> From: rbridge-bounces at postel.org 
> [mailto:rbridge-bounces at postel.org] On Behalf Of Eastlake III 
> Donald-LDE008
> Sent: Tuesday, November 13, 2007 5:11 PM
> To: Developing a hybrid router/bridge.
> Subject: [rbridge] Rbridge Management
> 
> Judging from the experience of previous documents in the 
> IESG, I believe
> it would be wise for the base protocol document to say something about
> management.
> 
> So I think that something like the following should be added, 
> perhaps as
> a paragraph just before the 2.1 Section heading.
> 
> "Rbridges can be managed with SNMP [RFC3410]. The Rbridge MIB will be
> specified in a separate document. SNMP can be transported directly by
> Layer 2 (see [RFC4789]) so its use within the bounds of an Rbridge
> campus does not require that Rbridges be configured with Layer 3
> addresses such as IP addresses."
> 
> Any comments?
> 
> Donald
> 
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