VPN-TC-STD-MIB: Definition of Textual Conventions for Virtual Private Network (VPN) Management
Shared SNMP data types for naming a VPN with a 7-byte Global VPN Identifier.
Schliesser, B. and T. Nadeau, "Definition of Textual Conventions for Virtual Private Network (VPN) Management", RFC 4265, DOI 10.17487/RFC4265, November 2005, <https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc4265>.
@misc{rfc4265,
series = {Request for Comments},
number = 4265,
howpublished = {RFC 4265},
publisher = {RFC Editor},
doi = {10.17487/RFC4265},
url = {https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc4265},
author = {B. Schliesser and T. Nadeau},
title = {{Definition of Textual Conventions for Virtual Private Network (VPN) Management}},
pagetotal = 6,
year = 2005,
month = nov,
} RFC text
Contents
Network Working Group B. Schliesser
Request for Comments: 4265 SAVVIS Communications
Category: Standards Track T. Nadeau
Cisco Systems, Inc.
November 2005
Definition of Textual Conventions for
Virtual Private Network (VPN) Management
Status of This Memo
This document specifies an Internet standards track protocol for the
Internet community, and requests discussion and suggestions for
improvements. Please refer to the current edition of the "Internet
Official Protocol Standards" (STD 1) for the standardization state
and status of this protocol. Distribution of this memo is unlimited.
Copyright Notice
Copyright (C) The Internet Society (2005).
Abstract
This document describes Textual Conventions used for managing Virtual
Private Networks (VPNs).
Table of Contents
1. Introduction ....................................................1
1.1. Conventions Used in This Document ..........................2
2. The Internet-Standard Management Framework ......................2
3. VPN-TC-STD-MIB ..................................................2
3.1. Description ................................................2
3.2. Definitions ................................................2
4. Security Considerations .........................................4
5. IANA Considerations for VPN-TC-STD-MIB ..........................4
6. References ......................................................4
6.1. Normative References .......................................4
6.2. Informative References .....................................5
1. Introduction
This memo defines a portion of the Management Information Base (MIB)
for use with network management protocols in the Internet community.
In particular, it defines Textual Conventions used in Virtual Private
Networks (VPNs) and IETF VPN-related MIBs.
1.1. Conventions Used in This Document
The key words "MUST", "MUST NOT", "REQUIRED", "SHALL", "SHALL NOT",
"SHOULD", "SHOULD NOT", "RECOMMENDED", "MAY", and "OPTIONAL" in this
document are to be interpreted as described in RFC-2119 [RFC2119].
2. The Internet-Standard Management Framework
For a detailed overview of the documents that describe the current
Internet-Standard Management Framework, please refer to section 7 of
RFC 3410 [RFC3410].
Managed objects are accessed via a virtual information store, termed
the Management Information Base or MIB. MIB objects are generally
accessed through the Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP).
Objects in the MIB are defined using the mechanisms defined in the
Structure of Management Information (SMI). This memo specifies a MIB
module that is compliant to the SMIv2, which is described in STD 58,
RFC 2578 [RFC2578], STD 58, RFC 2579 [RFC2579] and STD 58, RFC 2580
[RFC2580].
3. VPN-TC-STD-MIB
3.1. Description
The VPN-TC-STD-MIB defines a Textual Convention for the Global VPN
Identifier, or VPN-ID, as specified in [RFC2685]. The purpose of a
VPN-ID is to uniquely identify a VPN. It MUST be 7 octets in length,
and SHOULD be comprised of a 3 octet Organizationally Unique
Identifier (OUI) that uniquely identifies the VPN Authority, followed
by a 4 octet value assigned by the VPN Authority that uniquely
identifies the VPN within the context of the OUI.
3.2. Definitions
VPN-TC-STD-MIB DEFINITIONS ::= BEGIN
IMPORTS
MODULE-IDENTITY, mib-2
FROM SNMPv2-SMI
TEXTUAL-CONVENTION
FROM SNMPv2-TC;
vpnTcMIB MODULE-IDENTITY
LAST-UPDATED "200511150000Z" -- 15 November 2005
ORGANIZATION
"Layer 3 Virtual Private Networks (L3VPN) Working Group."
CONTACT-INFO
"Benson Schliesser
bensons@savvis.net
Thomas D. Nadeau
tnadeau@cisco.com
This TC MIB is a product of the PPVPN
http://www.ietf.org/html.charters/ppvpn-charter.html
and subsequently the L3VPN
http://www.ietf.org/html.charters/l3vpn-charter.html
working groups.
Comments and discussion should be directed to
l3vpn@ietf.org"
DESCRIPTION
"This MIB contains TCs for VPNs.
Copyright (C) The Internet Society (2005). This version
of this MIB module is part of RFC 4265; see the RFC
itself for full legal notices."
-- Revision history.
REVISION "200511150000Z" -- 15 November 2005
DESCRIPTION "Initial version, published as RFC 4265."
::= { mib-2 129 }
-- definition of textual conventions
VPNId ::= TEXTUAL-CONVENTION
STATUS current
DESCRIPTION
"The purpose of a VPN-ID is to uniquely identify a VPN.
The Global VPN Identifier format is:
3 octet VPN Authority, Organizationally Unique Identifier
followed by 4 octet VPN index identifying VPN according
to OUI"
REFERENCE
"Fox, B. and Gleeson, B., 'Virtual Private Networks
Identifier', RFC 2685, September 1999."
SYNTAX OCTET STRING (SIZE (7))
VPNIdOrZero ::= TEXTUAL-CONVENTION
STATUS current
DESCRIPTION
"This textual convention is an extension of the
VPNId textual convention that defines a non-zero-length
OCTET STRING to identify a physical entity. This extension
permits the additional value of a zero-length OCTET STRING.
The semantics of the value zero-length OCTET STRING are
object-specific and must therefore be defined
as part of the description of any object that uses this
syntax. Examples of usage of this extension are
situations where none or all VPN IDs need to be
referenced."
SYNTAX OCTET STRING (SIZE (0 | 7))
END
4. Security Considerations
This module does not define any management objects. Instead, it
defines a set of textual conventions that may be used by other MIB
modules to define management objects.
Meaningful security considerations can only be written in the MIB
modules that define management objects. Therefore, this document has
no impact on the security of the Internet.
5. IANA Considerations for VPN-TC-STD-MIB
The IANA has assigned { mib-2 129 } to the VPN-TC-STD-MIB module
specified in this document.
6. References
6.1. Normative References
[RFC2119] Bradner, S., "Key words for use in RFCs to Indicate
Requirement Levels", BCP 14, RFC 2119, March 1997.
[RFC2578] McCloghrie, K., Perkins, D., and J. Schoenwaelder,
"Structure of Management Information Version 2 (SMIv2)",
STD 58, RFC 2578, April 1999.
[RFC2579] McCloghrie, K., Perkins, D., and J. Schoenwaelder, "Textual
Conventions for SMIv2", STD 58, RFC 2579, April 1999.
[RFC2580] McCloghrie, K., Perkins, D., and J. Schoenwaelder,
"Conformance Statements for SMIv2", STD 58, RFC 2580, April
1999.
[RFC2685] Fox, B. and B. Gleeson, "Virtual Private Networks
Identifier", RFC 2685, September 1999.
6.2. Informative References
[RFC3410] Case, J., Mundy, R., Partain, D., and B. Stewart,
"Introduction and Applicability Statements for Internet-
Standard Management Framework", RFC 3410, December 2002.
Authors' Addresses
Benson Schliesser
SAVVIS Communications
1 Savvis Parkway
Saint Louis, MO 63017
USA
Phone: +1-314-628-7036
EMail: bensons@savvis.net
Thomas D. Nadeau
Cisco Systems
1414 Massachusetts Ave.
Boxborough, MA 01719
Phone: +1-978-244-3051
EMail: tnadeau@cisco.com
Full Copyright Statement
Copyright (C) The Internet Society (2005).
This document is subject to the rights, licenses and restrictions
contained in BCP 78, and except as set forth therein, the authors
retain all their rights.
This document and the information contained herein are provided on an
"AS IS" basis and THE CONTRIBUTOR, THE ORGANIZATION HE/SHE REPRESENTS
OR IS SPONSORED BY (IF ANY), THE INTERNET SOCIETY AND THE INTERNET
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INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO ANY WARRANTY THAT THE USE OF THE
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Acknowledgement
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AI ELI5
On this page
§1Purpose of the Memo
This memo defines a portion of the Management Information Base (MIB) for use with network management protocols in the Internet community. In particular, it defines Textual Conventions used in Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) and in IETF VPN-related MIBs.
A textual convention is a reusable data type definition. Defining the VPN ones in one place means other MIB modules can import them instead of repeating the definitions.
Instead of every form inventing its own box for the answer, this memo draws one shared box that everyone can copy.
§2The Management Framework
The memo points to section 7 of RFC 3410 for an overview of the Internet-Standard Management Framework. Managed objects are accessed through a virtual information store, the MIB, generally using the Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP). Objects in the MIB are defined using the Structure of Management Information (SMI).
The module in this memo is compliant with SMIv2, described in STD 58: RFC 2578, RFC 2579 and RFC 2580.
Network gear keeps its facts in a big shared rulebook. SNMP is the way to read it, and this memo adds a few new rules to the book.
§3The VPN Identifier Types
The VPN-TC-STD-MIB defines a textual convention for the Global VPN Identifier, or VPN-ID, as specified in RFC 2685. The purpose of a VPN-ID is to uniquely identify a VPN. It MUST be 7 octets in length, and SHOULD be made of a 3 octet Organizationally Unique Identifier (OUI) that identifies the VPN Authority, followed by a 4 octet value assigned by that authority to identify the VPN within the context of the OUI.
Two types result. VPNId is an OCTET STRING (SIZE (7)). VPNIdOrZero extends it to OCTET STRING (SIZE (0 | 7)), so it also permits a zero-length string. The meaning of the zero-length value is object-specific and must be defined in the description of any object that uses this syntax. The RFC gives as examples situations where none or all VPN IDs need to be referenced.
A VPN's name tag is 7 bytes: 3 for who handed it out and 4 for which network it is. A second kind of tag also allows a blank one, whose meaning each form decides.
§4The Module Definition
The module is named VPN-TC-STD-MIB and its identity is vpnTcMIB, placed at { mib-2 129 }. It imports MODULE-IDENTITY and mib-2 from SNMPv2-SMI and TEXTUAL-CONVENTION from SNMPv2-TC. It is a product of the PPVPN working group and subsequently the Layer 3 Virtual Private Networks (L3VPN) Working Group.
The only revision listed is dated 15 November 2005, described as the initial version, published as RFC 4265. Both textual conventions have STATUS current.
The memo is mostly the official wording of the two boxes, written in the special language used for these rulebooks.
§5Security and IANA
The module does not define any management objects. It defines only textual conventions that other MIB modules may use to define objects. The RFC says meaningful security considerations can only be written in the MIB modules that define management objects, so this document has no impact on the security of the Internet.
IANA assigned { mib-2 129 } to the VPN-TC-STD-MIB module.
These are just empty boxes, not real data, so they cannot be attacked by themselves. Any real risk comes from the forms that use them.