4 Reading the MIB Variable Descriptions

This chapter helps you understand how to read MIB variable descriptions. It covers the following:

Variable Name Description
MIB Definition

Note that the STATUS element of SNMP MIB definition, Version 2, is not included in these MIB variable descriptions. Since Oracle has implemented all MIB variables as CURRENT, this value does not vary.

Variable Name Description

Syntax

Maps to the SYNTAX element of SNMP MIB definition, Version 2.

Max-Access

Maps to the MAX-ACCESS element of SNMP MIB definition, Version 2.

Status

Maps to the STATUS element of SNMP MIB definition, Version 2.

Explanation

Describes the function, use and precise derivation of the variable. (For example, a variable might be derived from a particular configuration file parameter or performance table field.) When appropriate, incorporates the DESCRIPTION part of the MIB definition, Version 2.

Typical Range

Describes the typical, rather than theoretical, range of the variable. For example, while integer values for many MIB variables can theoretically range up to 4294967295, a typical range in an actual installation will vary to a lesser extent. On the other hand, some variable values for a large database can actually exceed this “theoretical” limit (a “wraparound”). Specifying that a variable value typically ranges from 0 to 1,000 or 1,000 to 3 billion will help the third-party developer to develop the most useful graphical display for the variable.

Significance

Describes the significance of the variable when monitoring a typical installation. Alternative ratings are Very Important, Important, Less Important, or Not Normally Used. Clearly, the DBA will want to monitor some variables more closely than others. However, which variables fall into this category can vary from installation to installation, depending on the application, the size of the database, and on the DBA's objectives. Nevertheless, assessing a variable's significance relative to the other variables in the MIB can help third-party developers focus their efforts on those variables of most interest to the most DBAs.

Related Variables

Lists other variables in this MIB, or other MIBs implemented by Oracle, that relate in some way to this variable. For example, the value of this variable might derive from that of another MIB variable. Or perhaps the value of this variable varies inversely to that of another variable. Knowing this information, third-party developers can develop useful graphic displays of related MIB variables.

MIB Definition

Example 4-1 shows a typical MIB definition used by Enterprise Manager.

Example 4-1 MIB Definition

ORACLE-ENTERPRISE-MANAGER-4-MIB DEFINITIONS ::= BEGIN
IMPORTS
        TRAP-TYPE
                FROM RFC-1215
        DisplayString
                FROM RFC1213-MIB
        OBJECT-TYPE
                FROM RFC-1212
        enterprises
                FROM RFC1155-SMI;

oracle OBJECT IDENTIFIER ::= { enterprises  111 }
oraEM4 OBJECT IDENTIFIER ::= { oracle  15 }
oraEM4Objects OBJECT IDENTIFIER ::= { oraEM4  1 }
oraEM4AlertTable OBJECT-TYPE
    SYNTAX  SEQUENCE OF OraEM4AlertEntry
    ACCESS  not-accessible
    STATUS  mandatory
    DESCRIPTION
   "Information on alerts generated by Oracle Enterprise Manager. This table is not queryable; it exists only to document the variables included in the oraEM4Alert trap.  Each trap contains a single instance of each variable in the table."
    ::= { oraEM4Objects  1 }

oraEM4AlertEntry OBJECT-TYPE
    SYNTAX  OraEM4AlertEntry
    ACCESS  not-accessible
    STATUS  mandatory
    DESCRIPTION
     "Information about a particular Oracle Enterprise Manager alert."
    INDEX   { oraEM4AlertIndex }
    ::= { oraEM4AlertTable  1 }

OraEM4AlertEntry ::=
    SEQUENCE {
        oraEM4AlertIndex
            INTEGER,
        oraEM4AlertTargetName
           DisplayString,

        oraEM4AlertTargetType
           DisplayString,

        oraEM4AlertHostName
           DisplayString,

        oraEM4AlertMetricName
           DisplayString,

        oraEM4AlertKeyName
           DisplayString,

        oraEM4AlertKeyValue
           DisplayString,

        oraEM4AlertTimeStamp
           DisplayString,

        oraEM4AlertSeverity
           DisplayString,

        oraEM4AlertMessage
           DisplayString,

        oraEM4AlertRuleName
           DisplayString

        oraEM4AlertRuleOwner
           DisplayString
    }
oraEM4AlertIndex OBJECT-TYPE
    SYNTAX  INTEGER
    ACCESS  read-only
    STATUS  mandatory
    DESCRIPTION
     "Index of a particular alert, unique only at the moment an alert is generated."
    ::= { oraEM4AlertEntry  1 }

oraEM4AlertTargetName OBJECT-TYPE
    SYNTAX  DisplayString
    ACCESS  read-only
    STATUS  mandatory
    DESCRIPTION
     "The name of the target to which this alert applies."
    ::= { oraEM4AlertEntry  2 }

oraEM4AlertTargetType OBJECT-TYPE
    SYNTAX  DisplayString
    ACCESS  read-only
    STATUS  mandatory
    DESCRIPTION
     "The type of the target to which this alert applies."
    ::= { oraEM4AlertEntry  3 }

oraEM4AlertHostName OBJECT-TYPE
    SYNTAX  DisplayString
    ACCESS  read-only
    STATUS  mandatory
    DESCRIPTION
     "The name of the host on which this alert originated."
    ::= { oraEM4AlertEntry  4 }

oraEM4AlertMetricName OBJECT-TYPE
    SYNTAX  DisplayString
    ACCESS  read-only
    STATUS  mandatory
    DESCRIPTION
     "The name of the metric which generated this alert."
    ::= { oraEM4AlertEntry  5 }

oraEM4AlertKeyName OBJECT-TYPE
    SYNTAX  DisplayString
    ACCESS  read-only
    STATUS  mandatory
    DESCRIPTION
     "The name of the key-column, if present, for the metric which generated this alert."
    ::= { oraEM4AlertEntry  6 }

oraEM4AlertKeyValue OBJECT-TYPE
    SYNTAX  DisplayString
    ACCESS  read-only
    STATUS  mandatory
    DESCRIPTION
     "The value of the key-column, if present, for the metric which generated this alert."
    ::= { oraEM4AlertEntry  7 }

oraEM4AlertTimeStamp OBJECT-TYPE
    SYNTAX  DisplayString
    ACCESS  read-only
    STATUS  mandatory
    DESCRIPTION
     "The time at which this alert was generated."
    ::= { oraEM4AlertEntry  8 }

oraEM4AlertSeverity OBJECT-TYPE
    SYNTAX  DisplayString
    ACCESS  read-only
    STATUS  mandatory
    DESCRIPTION
     "The severity of the alert e.g. Critical."
    ::= { oraEM4AlertEntry  9 }

oraEM4AlertMessage OBJECT-TYPE
    SYNTAX  DisplayString
    ACCESS  read-only
    STATUS  mandatory
    DESCRIPTION
     "The message associated with the alert."
    ::= { oraEM4AlertEntry  10 }

oraEM4AlertRuleName OBJECT-TYPE
    SYNTAX  DisplayString
    ACCESS  read-only
    STATUS  mandatory
    DESCRIPTION
     "The name of the notification rule that caused this notification."
    ::= { oraEM4AlertEntry  11 }

oraEM4AlertRuleOwner OBJECT-TYPE
    SYNTAX  DisplayString
    ACCESS  read-only
    STATUS  mandatory
    DESCRIPTION
     "The owner of the notification rule that caused this notification."
    ::= { oraEM4AlertEntry  12 }

oraEM4Traps OBJECT IDENTIFIER ::= { oraEM4  2 }

oraEM4Alert TRAP-TYPE
    ENTERPRISE  oraEM4Traps
    VARIABLES   { oraEM4AlertTargetName, oraEM4AlertTargetType, 
                  oraEM4AlertHostName, oraEM4AlertMetricName,
                  oraEM4AlertKeyName, oraEM4AlertKeyValue, oraEM4AlertTimeStamp,
                  oraEM4AlertSeverity, oraEM4AlertMessage,
                  oraEM4AlertRuleName, oraEM4AlertRuleOwner }
    DESCRIPTION
     "The variables included in the oraEM4Alert trap."
    ::= 1
END