Re: IF types durring review of EPON-04

[Keith McCloghrie <kzm@cisco.com>]

These days, a "Reference, Internet-Draft, or Specification" is required
in order to register an ifType value (see the application form at:
http://www.iana.org/cgi-bin//iftypes.pl), but that wasn't always true.
Would it help if IANA were to publish the references that they do have ??

Keith.
 
> (copying IANA and Keith McCloghrie)
> 
> If I understand well the issue that you are raising is the lack of
> documentation of many of the values defined at IANAifType. Indeed, many
> entries have some comments but no references, in some other cases the
> name of the enumerated value is the only available information. 
> 
> My assumption is that for a new MIB module designer and for reviewers
> the majority of the entries can be eliminated from start and with a
> small research effort the rest can be clarified. Sure we can improve
> documentation, and we can recommend to IANA that in the future each new
> assigned ifType value documents in more detail the technology and
> provides a reference. Note that in some cases providing a reference is
> not that easy, at initial registration the reference is an
> Internet-Draft, but then when it becomes an RFC who will be in charge
> with updating the reference? It would be interesting to hear other
> opinions to what extend is this a problem and to what extend this can be
> solved. Probably IANA has some historical records from previous
> registrations that could be used to improve the IANAifType TC
> documentation, but this is a small project that somebody needs to take
> charge about, and resources are scarce in our community. 
> 
> Dan
> 
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: owner-mreview@ops.ietf.org 
> > [mailto:owner-mreview@ops.ietf.org] On Behalf Of David T. Perkins
> > Sent: Friday, May 12, 2006 8:25 PM
> > To: mreview@ops.ietf.org
> > Subject: IF types durring review of EPON-04
> > 
> > HI,
> > 
> > I'm doing a second review of EPON-04 I-D, which is 
> > http://www.ietf.org/internet-drafts/draft-ietf-hubmib-efm-epon
> > -mib-04.txt
> > 
> > It is very complex and the previous review raised many questions.
> > The good news is that it is MUCH better, and it is finally to 
> > the level that someone can make sense of it. However, given 
> > that it is an interface MIB module, there are many additional 
> > considerations that must be followed. I don't remember all of 
> > them, and would need to refresh myself with these 
> > considerations to do a complete job. Is there anyone that can 
> > do a scan after I finish the first pass?
> > 
> > One question that I have so far is what interface type to use 
> > for the virtual links. The document uses the same value as 
> > the physical (which is gigabitEthernet(117)), but it seems to 
> > me that the propVirtual(53) is more appropriate.
> >  
> > In trying to determine the value for ifType, I looked at 
> > http://www.iana.org/assignments/ianaiftype-mib
> > In it I see that there are 234 types defined.
> > This seems like an extremely large number. Also, there is not 
> > a reference for each assigned value.
> > Thus, I could not figure out from looking at these values 
> > what values the should be used in the EPON MIB module. This 
> > seems like a generic problem that anyone implementing object 
> > ifType would encounter. And a delemma for anyone creating a 
> > new interface MIB module. 
> > 
> > Are there any suggestions that would help me now with the 
> > EPON MIB module, and for making it easier for future 
> > interface MIB module developers?
> > 
> > Regards,
> > /david t. perkins
> >