1.  Existing and future SNMP MIBs represent a tremendous source of network management value, both as data models and – when realized via SNMP agents -- as instrumented management capabilities.  XML-based management applications need XML-based access to SNMP MIBs as data models and as enablers of the management instrumentation supported by SNMP agents.  Multiple independent approaches to representing MIBs in XML have been devised – each with appreciable value and success.  However, a standard methodology is necessary to ensure interoperability and accuracy – and the IETF is the right group to undertake this effort. Development of an IETF Standard Methodology for Converting SNMP MIBs to XML Documents via XSD Bob Natale (rnatale@mitre.org) - IETF 70 – Vancouver – December 3, 2007

2. 3-December-2007 Natale - IETF 70 - Vancouver - Ops Area Open Meeting 2 Agenda Problem/Opportunity Description Expected Beneficiaries & Benefits Background (Prague, Chicago, Vancouver) Illustration of Technical Approach Planned Deliverables Datatypes Requirements and Mappings Problem/Opportunity Recap Next Steps Q&A

3. 3-December-2007 Natale - IETF 70 - Vancouver - Ops Area Open Meeting 3 Problem /Opportunity Description Emerging generation of XML-based management solutions face some major near-term limitations:  Lack of standardized “resource models”, esp. for node and network management.  Little desire among those solution providers to incorporate SNMP directly into their products.  Strong desire among network operators (and service consumers) for a unified management solution, emanating from the service management perspective. The existing (and future) body of SNMP MIBs is an unequalled set of proven data models for node, network, and application management. Managed object instrumentation supported by those SNMP MIBs can be made more readily accessible to XML-based management solutions at relatively little cost and with substantial benefit to all stakeholders. A fair amount of related work in mapping SNMP MIBs to XML has already been done by IETF contributors, and several related efforts are already underway in the IETF O&M Area.

4. 3-December-2007 Natale - IETF 70 - Vancouver - Ops Area Open Meeting 4 Expected Beneficiaries & Benefits Network Operators:  More unified management solutions from the service layer  Fewer distinct management tools to purchase, integrate, operate, and maintain  Fewer distinct data sources to correlate and validate  Result = More timely, complete, accurate network information enables improved service delivery at reduced cost Network Users:  Improved service performance at (possibly) lower cost due to benefits realized by Network Operators. XML-based Management Solution Providers:  More appealing products to offer  No need to reinvent the wheel with respect to SNMP MIB data models or instrumentation SNMP Managed Equipment Providers:  Broader market for existing products w/o code changes SNMP Management Solution Providers:  Supply MIB to XML conversion/validation tools  Supply XML/SNMP proxy solution  Eventually supply XML-based instrumentation in existing SNMP- managed equipment

5. 3-December-2007 Natale - IETF 70 - Vancouver - Ops Area Open Meeting 5 Background: From MIB2RMDL to XSDMI IETF-68/Prague - MIB2RMDL (Natale):  Addressed the full conversion problem: MIB to XML via XSD XML to “Resource Model” (e.g., SML, RMD, etc.) Gateway to SNMP-based instrumentation IETF-69/Chicago – XSDMI (Harrington/Li):  Focused on MIB to XML via XSD  Leveraged pre-existing IETF work  MIB2RMDL effort aligned with XSDMI IETF-70/Vancouver (combined team):  draft-li-natale-smi-datatypes-in-xsd-00.txt  XML-oriented “consumer” groups asking for alignment in the March 2008 time frame

6. 3-December-2007 Natale - IETF 70 - Vancouver - Ops Area Open Meeting 6 Illustration of the Problem Space for MIB2RMDL Manager Managed Entity Mgmt Protocol Messages Info Model Data Model Simplified Generic View SNMP Manager SNMP Agent SNMP SMI MIB Simplified SNMP View Mgmt Service Mgmt Endpoint SOA/WS Mgmt Protocol ??? Simplified SOA/WS View Decisions about supported artifacts needed here. Standardized Conversion Methodology Proposed IETF O&M work

7. 3-December-2007 Natale - IETF 70 - Vancouver - Ops Area Open Meeting 7 Illustration of the Problem Space for XSDMI SNMP Manager SNMP Agent SNMP SMI MIB Simplified SNMP View Mgmt Service Mgmt Endpoint SOA/WS Mgmt Protocol ??? Simplified SOA/WS View Artifacts supported here will drive the non-IETF conversion. IETF Standard Conversion Methodology Proposed IETF O&M work XSD XML Non-IETF Conversion Methodology SNMP Manager SNMP Agent SNMP SMI MIB Simplified SNMP View Mgmt Service Mgmt Endpoint XML-based Mgmt Protocol XSD XML Simplified XML Mgmt View IETF Standard Conversion Methodology Proposed IETF O&M work Simple XML solution This is the target XSDMI solution.

8. 3-December-2007 Natale - IETF 70 - Vancouver - Ops Area Open Meeting 8 MIB to XML via XSD Deliverables Documents:  SNMP SMI Datatypes in XSD RFC 2578 and RFC 1155  SNMP Textual Conventions in XSD RFC 2579 and select (TBD) other IETF TCs Optional: Follow-on additional document(s) to cover select (TBD) non-core TCs  SNMP MIB Structure in XSD Working from libsmi as a starting point Tools (Optional) :  Downloadable/online MIB to XML conversion utilities Similar to XML2RFC  Reference implementations MIB to XML XML to SNMP Gateway

9. 3-December-2007 Natale - IETF 70 - Vancouver - Ops Area Open Meeting 9 Requirements for SMI to XSD Mapping Objectives: Fidelity and Parsimony R1. All SMI datatypes MUST have a corresponding XSD datatype. R2. In case of conflicting requirements between SMIv1 and SMIv2, SMIv2 MUST take precedence. R3. The XSD datatype specified for a given SMI datatype MUST be able to represent all valid values for that SMI datatype. R4. The XSD datatype specified for a given SMI datatype MUST represent any special encoding rules associated with that SMI datatype. R5. The XSD datatype specified for a given SMI datatype MUST include any restrictions on values associated with the SMI datatype. R6. The XSD datatype specified for a given SMI datatype MUST be the most direct XSD datatype, with the most parsimonious restrictions, which matches the foregoing requirements. R7. The XML output produced as a result of meeting the foregoing requirements SHOULD be the most direct from the perspective of readability by humans. Sec. 3 (re-ordered) of draft-li-natale-smi-datatypes-in-xsd-00.txt

10. 3-December-2007 Natale - IETF 70 - Vancouver - Ops Area Open Meeting 10 Proposed SMI Datatypes to XSD Mapping Numerical SMI Datatypes Mapping of "additional" SMIv1 datatypes from RFC 1155. From Sec. 4 of draft-li-natale-smi-datatypes-in-xsd-00.txt (ditto next slide)

11. 3-December-2007 Natale - IETF 70 - Vancouver - Ops Area Open Meeting 11 Proposed SMI Datatypes to XSD Mapping Non-Numerical SMI Datatypes <xs:pattern value= "((0|1[0-9]{0,2}|2([0-4][0-9]?|5[0-5]?|[6-9])?|[3-9][0-9]?)\.){3} (0|1[0-9]{0,2}|2([0-4][0-9]?|5[0-5]?|[6-9])?|[3-9][0-9]?)"/> <xs:pattern value= "[0-2](\.[1-3]?[0-9])(\.(0|([1-9]\d*))){0,126}"/> Recommendations for simpler patterns for “IpAddress” and “ObjectIdentifier” which are consistent with the mapping requirements will be enthusiastically welcomed. Note that the SMIv2 “BITS” construct remains to be mapped.

12. 3-December-2007 Natale - IETF 70 - Vancouver - Ops Area Open Meeting 12 Recap: Illustration of the Target Environment SNMP Manager component not required Multiple instances of all components possible Blue indicates XML-based mgmt components Green indicates SNMP mgmt components Red indicates intermediary mgmt components Solid lines indicate the native mgmt protocol paths Dashed lines indicate proxied mgmt protocol paths Quirky lines indicate once-only conversion paths SNMP Manager SNMP Agent XML-based Manager Mgmt Endpoint RMDL - SNMP Proxy MIB 2 RMDL Res Model MIB - When XML/XSD is the Resource Model used by the XML-based Manager, the RMDL to SNMP Proxy is direct. - When a different Resource Model is used by the XML-based Manager, an additional conversion step (specified outside the IETF) is required (in each direction).

13. 3-December-2007 Natale - IETF 70 - Vancouver - Ops Area Open Meeting 13 Recap: Problem/Opportunity Description “Repetition is the key to learning” – Jeff Case The XML-based management solutions provider community lacks a critical mass of standardized data models in appropriate formats to deliver acceptable solutions to the (waiting) operator and user communities. The existing body of IETF SNMP MIBs can fill a major portion of that gap very quickly if they are converted to appropriate XML-based “resource model” artifacts. The IETF should take the lead in standardizing the methodology for converting SNMP MIBs to XML-based resource model artifacts. The IETF might also consider making reference implementation tools freely available (in a manner similar to xml2rfc).

14. 3-December-2007 Natale - IETF 70 - Vancouver - Ops Area Open Meeting 14 Next Steps Achieve consensus on SMI datatypes to XSD mapping draft:  draft-li-natale-smi-datatypes-in-xsd-00.txt  -01 update to be posted following Vancouver Identify core set of TCs and publish Core TC to XSD mapping draft:  draft-romascanu-netconf-datatypes-02.txt is a primary source Define IETF-standard MIB to XML structure and publish mapping draft:  libsmi/smidump XML output tool is a primary source: draft-li-mib-convert-00.txt Output from XML option of http://www.ibr.cs.tu- bs.de/projects/libsmi/smidump.htmlhttp://www.ibr.cs.tu- bs.de/projects/libsmi/smidump.html Refine and publish all drafts as Proposed Standard RFCs

15. 3-December-2007 Natale - IETF 70 - Vancouver - Ops Area Open Meeting 15 Thanks for your time, attention, and feedback! Questions, Comments? E-mail Discussion: mib2rmdl@ietf.org ops-area@ietf.org mib2rmdl@ietf.org ops-area@ietf.org Credits to: David Harrington Yan Li Dan Romascanu Andy Bierman Juergen Schoenwaelder Mark Ellison Randy Preshun Don Ebright Mark Weitzel Steve Jerman And to many others who have contributed (knowingly or not :) to this effort thus far (any omissions are purely unintentional).