EOS Row Operations (and other documents)

[Lauren Heintz <lheintz@cisco.com>]

Hi,

Our next milestone is to deliver initial drafts of the
EOS documents by April 20th.  Since I will be working on
the Row Operations document, I would like to initiate
a dicussion at this time of the proposed content of that
document -- and what the heck -- all the documents!

So please don't be shy, we need fast and furious efforts
if we are to meet the milestone with some degree of
quality and stability.

Here are some ititial impressions on the proposed row
operations document content (just to get things rolling):

   - Document title: SNMP Row Operations Extensions

   - Boilerplate and general background, as usual, need to
     be provided.

   - A new RowStatusLite TC (actual name yet to be determined)
     This TC will represent an evolvement from the current
     RowStatus TC.  RSLite will not include a createAndWait status,
     and will require implmentations to support other extended features
     such as the SetRow PDU.  I personally wonder if the row timeout
     requirement for NotInService states is still required, because I
     believe that overly complicates configuration chores (I think NIS
     should be a valid, persistent conceptual config state).

   - Specification of a new SetRow (name TBD) PDU as generally conceived
     by Jeff Case at the WG.  This PDU may make use of OID
     compression/suppression techniques.  This PDU, in conjunction
     with the RSLite TC will allow simple, one-step row creation,
     deletion or replacement (modification).  Personally, I think
     I see benefit into generalizing this PDU so that it can also
     be used to SET all scalars objects within a same group (much like
     columns in the same table), as that can turn a few independant
     scalars into a kind of an interface that can be used to simplify
     common configuration chores (I will be happy to express more
     details on this later if I still agree with myself after working
     it out more).  This document needs to explain how SetRow PDU
affects
     tables using either RowStatus or RowStatusLite (and even rows that
     include neither). If (?) this PDU has any implications on the
tradition
     test/set phases or elements of procedure, then we need to be clear
on
     that too.  Use of this PDU may also have implementation
considerations
     (i.e. minimum PDU size restrictions depending on MIB table design).

   - This document probably doesn't specify OID compression algorithms
     that may be used within exported PDUs (that's a different
document),
     but may specify how OID suppression is accomplished within the
     SetRow PDU and may also specify if OID compression is utilized (and
     what data is compressed).

   - If a getCols PDU is to be supported, this is the document where it
     belongs?  Or does getCols belong in the bulk transfer document or
     other?

   - Does the capabilities document specify how "RowOps" features get
     advertised, or does it just specify a generic capability mechanism
     without specific reference to other EOS features, and then
     this document spells out exactly how these features make use of
     that mechanism?

   - Additions, Deletions?

Thanks, Lauren