Agent Extensibility (AgentX) Protocol Version 1
RFC 2741

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Network Working Group                                          M. Daniele
Request for Comments: 2741                    Compaq Computer Corporation
Obsoletes: 2257                                                 B. Wijnen
Category: Standards Track          T.J. Watson Research Center, IBM Corp.
                                                          M. Ellison, Ed.
                                        Ellison Software Consulting, Inc.
                                                        D. Francisco. Ed.
                                                      Cisco Systems, Inc.
                                                             January 2000

                 Agent Extensibility (AgentX) Protocol
                               Version 1

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 (2000).  All Rights Reserved.

Abstract

   This memo defines a standardized framework for extensible SNMP
   agents.  It defines processing entities called master agents and
   subagents, a protocol (AgentX) used to communicate between them, and
   the elements of procedure by which the extensible agent processes
   SNMP protocol messages. This memo obsoletes RFC 2257.

Table of Contents

   1. Introduction.....................................................4
   2. The SNMP Management Framework....................................4
     2.1. A Note on Terminology........................................5
   3. Extending the MIB................................................5
     3.1. Motivation for AgentX........................................6
   4. AgentX Framework.................................................6
     4.1. AgentX Roles.................................................7
     4.2. Applicability................................................8
     4.3. Design Features of AgentX....................................9
     4.4. Non-Goals...................................................10

Daniele, et al.             Standards Track                     [Page 1]
RFC 2741                         AgentX                     January 2000

   5. AgentX Encodings................................................11
     5.1. Object Identifier...........................................11
     5.2. SearchRange.................................................13
     5.3. Octet String................................................14
     5.4. Value Representation........................................15
   6. Protocol Definitions............................................17
     6.1. AgentX PDU Header...........................................17
       6.1.1. Context.................................................20
     6.2. AgentX PDUs.................................................20
       6.2.1. The agentx-Open-PDU.....................................20
       6.2.2. The agentx-Close-PDU....................................22
       6.2.3. The agentx-Register-PDU.................................23
       6.2.4. The agentx-Unregister-PDU...............................27
       6.2.5. The agentx-Get-PDU......................................29
       6.2.6. The agentx-GetNext-PDU..................................30
       6.2.7. The agentx-GetBulk-PDU..................................32
       6.2.8. The agentx-TestSet-PDU..................................34
       6.2.9. The agentx-CommitSet, -UndoSet, -CleanupSet PDUs........35
       6.2.10. The agentx-Notify-PDU..................................36
       6.2.11. The agentx-Ping-PDU....................................37
       6.2.12. The agentx-IndexAllocate-PDU...........................37
       6.2.13. The agentx-IndexDeallocate-PDU.........................38
       6.2.14. The agentx-AddAgentCaps-PDU............................39
       6.2.15. The agentx-RemoveAgentCaps-PDU.........................41
       6.2.16. The agentx-Response-PDU................................43
   7. Elements of Procedure...........................................45
     7.1. Processing AgentX Administrative Messages...................45
       7.1.1. Processing the agentx-Open-PDU..........................46
       7.1.2. Processing the agentx-IndexAllocate-PDU.................47
       7.1.3. Processing the agentx-IndexDeallocate-PDU...............49
       7.1.4. Processing the agentx-Register-PDU......................50
         7.1.4.1. Handling Duplicate and Overlapping Subtrees.........50
         7.1.4.2. Registering Stuff...................................51
           7.1.4.2.1. Registration Priority...........................51
           7.1.4.2.2. Index Allocation................................51