Hi Lihua,
Don't feel bad; everybody's confused about how configuration management fits into the overall network management picture.
Some people believe SNMP and MIBs can provide sufficient capabilities to do IP-based configuration. The SnmpConf WG has developed a solution using SNMP.
Some people believe a special-purpose protocol and special-purpose templates are needed to meet the requirements. The RAP WG has developed a solution using COPS/PR and PIBs.
Some people believe either approach could work, but each has advantages and disadvantages.
RFC3139 describes the requirements of IP-based configuration that drove the designs used by these two working groups.
Some people believe neither approach really meets the needs of operators for doing IP-based configuration, and the requirements used are wrong. There are a number of efforts underway to better understand the requirements of configuration. An internet draft was written describing the conclusions reached during a "world tour" to determine operator requirements for configuration (now expired), and the IAB held a workshop during the summer to discuss this issue (see draft-iab-nm-workshop-00).
There are no definitive answers as to the correct approach.
dbh
---
David Harrington
dbh@enterasys.com
co-chair, IETF SNMPv3 WG
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Yuan Lihua [mailto:lhyuan@bumper.sytes.net]
> Sent: Wednesday, October 23, 2002 8:39 AM
> To: rap@ops.ietf.org
> Subject: SNMP/MIB v.s. COPS/PIB
>
>
> Hi,
>
> I am trying to understand the differences between using SNMP/MIB
> for general network management and using COPS/PIB for QoS
> provisioning. After reading through the RFCs and drafts, I am
> just getting more and more confused. My question is "Isn't QoS
> provisioning is a case of network management?" Some Cisco router
> does even have a QoS MIB, so why can't one use SNMP to manage a
> network device and therefore provide admission control?
>
> Thanks and best regards
>
> Lihua
>
> --
> The man who finds his homeland sweet is still a tender beginner;
> he to whom every soil is as his native one is already strong;
>
> but he is perfect to whom the entire world is as a foreign land.
>