Expressing SNMP SMI Datatypes in XML Schema Definition Language
RFC 5935

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Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF)                        M. Ellison
Request for Comments: 5935                   Ellison Software Consulting
Category: Standards Track                                      B. Natale
ISSN: 2070-1721                                                    MITRE
                                                             August 2010

    Expressing SNMP SMI Datatypes in XML Schema Definition Language

Abstract

   This memo defines the IETF standard expression of Structure of
   Management Information (SMI) base datatypes in XML Schema Definition
   (XSD) language.  The primary objective of this memo is to enable the
   production of XML documents that are as faithful to the SMI as
   possible, using XSD as the validation mechanism.

Status of This Memo

   This is an Internet Standards Track document.

   This document is a product of the Internet Engineering Task Force
   (IETF).  It represents the consensus of the IETF community.  It has
   received public review and has been approved for publication by the
   Internet Engineering Steering Group (IESG).  Further information on
   Internet Standards is available in Section 2 of RFC 5741.

   Information about the current status of this document, any errata,
   and how to provide feedback on it may be obtained at
   http://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc5935.

Copyright Notice

   Copyright (c) 2010 IETF Trust and the persons identified as the
   document authors.  All rights reserved.

   This document is subject to BCP 78 and the IETF Trust's Legal
   Provisions Relating to IETF Documents
   (http://trustee.ietf.org/license-info) in effect on the date of
   publication of this document.  Please review these documents
   carefully, as they describe your rights and restrictions with respect
   to this document.  Code Components extracted from this document must
   include Simplified BSD License text as described in Section 4.e of
   the Trust Legal Provisions and are provided without warranty as
   described in the Simplified BSD License.

Ellison & Natale             Standards Track                    [Page 1]
RFC 5935          Expressing SNMP SMI Datatypes in XSD       August 2010

Table of Contents

   1. Introduction ....................................................2
   2. Conventions .....................................................4
   3. Requirements ....................................................4
   4. XSD for SMI Base Datatypes ......................................5
   5. Rationale .......................................................8
      5.1. Numeric Datatypes ..........................................8
      5.2. OctetString ................................................9
      5.3. Opaque ....................................................10
      5.4. IpAddress .................................................10
      5.5. ObjectIdentifier ..........................................10
   6. Security Considerations ........................................11
   7. IANA Considerations ............................................11
      7.1. SMI Base Datatypes Namespace Registration .................12
      7.2. SMI Base Datatypes Schema Registration ....................12
   8. Acknowledgements ...............................................12
   9. References .....................................................13
      9.1. Normative References ......................................13
      9.2. Informative References ....................................13

1.  Introduction

   Numerous use cases exist for expressing the management information
   described by SMI Management Information Base (MIB) modules in XML
   [XML].  Potential use cases reside both outside and within the
   traditional IETF network management community.  For example,
   developers of some XML-based management applications may want to
   incorporate the rich set of data models provided by MIB modules.
   Developers of other XML-based management applications may want to
   access MIB module instrumentation via gateways to SNMP agents.  Such
   applications benefit from the IETF standard mapping of SMI datatypes
   to XML datatypes via XSD [XMLSchema], [XSDDatatypes].

   MIB modules use SMIv2 [RFC2578] to describe data models.  For legacy
   MIB modules, SMIv1 [RFC1155] was used.  MIB data conveyed in variable
   bindings ("varbinds") within protocol data units (PDUs) of SNMP
   messages use the primitive, base datatypes defined by the SMI.

   The SMI allows for the creation of derivative datatypes, "textual
   conventions" ("TCs") [RFC2579].  A TC has a unique name, has a syntax
   that either refines or is a base SMI datatype, and has relatively
   precise application-level semantics.  TCs facilitate correct
   application-level handling of MIB data, improve readability of MIB
   modules by humans, and support appropriate renderings of MIB data.

Ellison & Natale             Standards Track                    [Page 2]