PWG Mail Archive: PWG> RE: Posted draft Printer Port Monitor

PWG> RE: Posted draft Printer Port Monitor MIB (10 Dec 2004)

From: McDonald, Ira (imcdonald@sharplabs.com)
Date: Wed Dec 15 2004 - 12:47:39 EST

  • Next message: McDonald, Ira: "PWG> Posted draft Printer Port Monitor MIB (2 January 2005)"

    Hi Ron,

    OK - we'll wait for some further feedback from Mike and
    Ivan (and Harry?). It seems we're converging (below).

    Unfortunately, it's unlikely that there will be a stable
    draft WITH introductory text in time for the Portland
    meeting in early January.

    Most people are now or will soon be on vacation for the
    rest of this calendar year. Nancy and I will be moving
    south to Ann Arbor for the winter early next week.

    Cheers,
    - Ira

    Ira McDonald (Musician / Software Architect)
    Blue Roof Music / High North Inc
    PO Box 221 Grand Marais, MI 49839
    phone: +1-906-494-2434
    email: imcdonald@sharplabs.com

    -----Original Message-----
    From: Bergman, Ron [mailto:Ron.Bergman@rpsa.ricoh.com]
    Sent: Tuesday, December 14, 2004 8:11 PM
    To: McDonald, Ira; pwg@pwg.org; Mike Fenelon; Ivan Pavicevic; Harry
    Lewis
    Subject: RE: Posted draft Printer Port Monitor MIB (10 Dec 2004)

    Hi Ira,

    More replies inline denoted by <ron-2>. I rest my case until
    we hear from others.

    -----Original Message-----
    From: McDonald, Ira [mailto:imcdonald@sharplabs.com]
    Sent: Monday, December 13, 2004 5:01 PM
    To: Bergman, Ron; McDonald, Ira; pwg@pwg.org; Mike Fenelon; Ivan
    Pavicevic; Harry Lewis
    Subject: RE: Posted draft Printer Port Monitor MIB (10 Dec 2004)

    Hi Ron,

    Replies to your replies inline (smile).

    Cheers,
    - Ira

    Ira McDonald (Musician / Software Architect)
    Blue Roof Music / High North Inc
    PO Box 221 Grand Marais, MI 49839
    phone: +1-906-494-2434
    email: imcdonald@sharplabs.com

    -----Original Message-----
    From: Bergman, Ron [mailto:Ron.Bergman@rpsa.ricoh.com]
    Sent: Monday, December 13, 2004 6:27 PM
    To: McDonald, Ira; pwg@pwg.org; Mike Fenelon; Ivan Pavicevic; Harry
    Lewis
    Subject: RE: Posted draft Printer Port Monitor MIB (10 Dec 2004)

    Hi Ira,

    My responses to your replies are also inline.

            Ron

    -----Original Message-----
    From: McDonald, Ira [mailto:imcdonald@sharplabs.com]
    Sent: Monday, December 13, 2004 2:30 PM
    To: Bergman, Ron; McDonald, Ira; pwg@pwg.org; Mike Fenelon; Ivan
    Pavicevic; Harry Lewis
    Subject: RE: Posted draft Printer Port Monitor MIB (10 Dec 2004)

    Hi Ron,

    Replies inline below.

    Ira McDonald (Musician / Software Architect)
    Blue Roof Music / High North Inc
    PO Box 221 Grand Marais, MI 49839
    phone: +1-906-494-2434
    email: imcdonald@sharplabs.com

    -----Original Message-----
    From: Bergman, Ron [mailto:Ron.Bergman@rpsa.ricoh.com]
    Sent: Monday, December 13, 2004 4:28 PM
    To: McDonald, Ira; pwg@pwg.org; Mike Fenelon; Ivan Pavicevic; Harry
    Lewis
    Subject: RE: Posted draft Printer Port Monitor MIB (10 Dec 2004)

    Ira,

    Its much better! Some minor comments:

    1. ppmGeneralNaturalLanguage SIZE(0..63):
       The actual max is currently 3. If a null string, this value
       must be at least 4. I suggest 6 or 8.

    <ira> This is NOT equivalent to 'prtLocalizationLanguage'
        Per IPP and Semantic Model, all new PWG std interfaces MUST
          support a full RFC 3066 'language tag' as follows:

       "The syntax of this tag in ABNF [RFC 2234] is:
        Language-Tag = Primary-subtag *( "-" Subtag )
        Primary-subtag = 1*8ALPHA
        Subtag = 1*8(ALPHA / DIGIT)"

        For example, "en-US"
    </ira>

    <ron> Ok, I now count 18 max and 8 expected (with a terminating
          null). Why do we need to specify 63?
    </ron>

    <ira>
    You mis-read that ABNF - language tags in IETF and W3C standards
    are of _unlimited_ length - the new RFC 3066 revision (in last
    call) adds MANY script/dialect/variant subtags. Now many European
    languages/dialects need quite long tags. IPP and PWG Semantic
    Model in fact require a 127 char max (I shortened it here).
    The latest ABNF (already in PWG Semantic Model patterns) is:

       = lang *("-" extlang) ["-" script] ["-" region] *("-" variant)
       =/ *("-" extension) *("-" private_use)
       =/ private_use ; private use tag
       =/ grandfathered ; grandfathered registrations

    Current examples in that draft include:
      'zh-Hans-CN' (Simplified Chinese for the PRC)
      'sr-Latn-891' (Serbian written in Latin script (instead of
      Cyrillic) for Serbia and Montenegro)
    </ira>

    <ron-2> Accepted! </ron-2>

    2. ppmGeneralNumberOfPorts: Can't the DEFVAL be omitted without
       an explanation?

    <ira>
    I really dislike the theory that explanations should be deleted
    </ira>

    <ron> It just seems to be out of place here. Why is there not a
          similar explanation in ppmPortIndex?
    </ron>

    <ira>
    Because index objects have never permitted a DEFVAL.
    Counter32 and Gauge32 are unique, in that they are constructed
    types that don't allow a DEFVAL (for arcane reasons...).
    </ira>

    <ron-2> My objection here is just how it is presented. Rather
            than a commented out DEFVAL, a note in the description
            clause would be more appropriate, such as: "A valid
            value must be present, since a DEFVAL is not permitted
            in Counter32 objects."
    </ron-2>

    3. ppmPortProtocolType: If the value is other(1), then it is
       specified as a protocol other than a defined type. The note
       should be removed.

    <ira>
    There is no defined value for 'unknown' in 'PrtChannelTypeTC'.
    There is an actual requirement in well-written MIBs to include
    DEFVALs for all possible objects (part of SMIv2 standards).
    </ira>

    <ron> Under what conditions will the printer not know the
          protocol type? If I don't know the type why would it be
          reported here? (This is a NIT, but weirdness like this
          bothers me.)
    </ron>

    <ira>
    The reason DEFVALs are required in well-formed SMIv2 MIBs is
    to guarantee that there is a well-known initial value that
    every SNMP Agent will set in the object - we're stuck with
    'other' (implicitly, even if we erroneously leave out the
    DEFVAL clause here)
    </ira>

    <ron-2> My problem here is defining "other" to be "unknown".
            If we must have a DEFVAL, other(1) is as good as any.
    </ron-2>

    4. ppmPortProtocoPortNumber: chIpp(42) should be removed since
       the target protocols are only LPR and RAW TCP.

    <ira> No - this is a PWG standard MIB that can use ANY of the
        defined channel types, not just LPR or RAW. The IPP example
        is appropriate (Harry Lewis suggested it!).
    </ira>

    <ron> There should be a detailed explanation in the discussion
          on this subject. However, since the target application
          for this MIB only looks for LPR and RAW TCP, this may
          cause some confusion here. I know we would like this to
          be general, but other changes would still have to be made
          for a truly general MIB. (e.g. ppmPortLprQueueName)
    </ron>

    <ira>
    The MICROSOFT target is LPR/RAW. But a PWG Standard MIB is
    NEVER only for one vendor's purpose. If the MIB is truly
    only for Microsoft's use (and NOT to be used by management
    tools and other vendors' driver installations), then Microsoft
    should hack their own private MIB - that is not the business
    of the PWG.
    </ira>

    <ron-2> Actually it is for all printer vendors and Microsoft.
            I am not proposing not making it work for other
            applications. Since it will definitely be used by
            Microsoft and maybe by some other applications, I
            would like to not imply that Microsoft will be using
            the MIB to recognize IPP. The TBD introductory section
            must contain the facts you discuss above and can also
            indicate that IPP and other protocols are certainly
            acceptable in this object when used by other than the
            Microsoft port monitor. It should also state that
            protocols not recognized or supported by the MS Port
            Monitor or any other application using this MIB must
            be ignored.
            Again, I do not believe this is a major issue and I
            am only trying to prevent any misunderstanding later.
            If everyone agrees with you that removing this example
            maske this a private MS MIB, then I withdraw the comment.
    </ron-2>

    5. ppmPortQueueName: The LPR queue name cannot be unknown. The
       MS document originally defined the default as "LPR".

    <ira>
    The point is that it's unspecified, if empty. The default queue
    name in RFC 1179 is certainly not "LPR".
    </ira>

    <ron> If the queue name is not known, of what benefit is there
          to return any information? An LPR channel must have a
          queue name.
    </ron>

    <ira>
    There is not any possible single non-empty default value that
    will apply and operate across all vendors' implementations
    of LPR - that's the problem of the customer and the specific
    vendor.
    </ira>

    <ron-2) Again a minor point. I suspected that Microsoft
            encountered a large number of implementations that
            use "LPR". I did not mean to imply this will work
            with every printer in the universe.
    </ron-2>

    6. ppmPortLprByteCountEnabled: Add: "Ignored if
       'ppmPortProtocolType' is not 'chLPDServer(8)."

    <ira>
    OK!
    </ira>

    Some of the notes should be moved into the future introductory
    text and others should just be merged into the DESCRIPTION
    clause. The 'notes:' should only be used only for information
    that is not obvious to a well-informed reader and should be
    used sparingly.

    <ira>
    No - delete the word 'Note:', but these explanations belong in
    the MIB - customers and users who have compiled this MIB ONLY
    see the DESCRIPTION and REFERENCE clauses in their management
    tools - the outside text is lost forever - and not available,
    since PWG standards are never published in plaintext.
    </ira>

    <ron> This subject should be deferred until later. In general
          I agree, but there may be one or two cases where the
          text should be revised with more explanation in the
          introductory text and less in the MIB.
    </ron>

    <ira>
    Because the PWG has firmly (in their Process v1 and Process v2)
    decided that they will NOT publish any standard in plaintext,
    for practical purposes (real customers and network managers)
    there is NO introductory text. None of the standard network
    management vendors distribute richtext source with MIBs.
    </ira>

    <ron-2> So SNMP implementers cannot read anything but plaintext?
            There is much implementation information that is
            normally outside of the actual MIB that is not needed
            in using the MIB. We certainly do not want everything
            presented to the management application.
    </ron-2>

            Ron

    -----Original Message-----
    From: McDonald, Ira [mailto:imcdonald@sharplabs.com]
    Sent: Friday, December 10, 2004 12:29 PM
    To: 'pwg@pwg.org'; 'Mike Fenelon'; Ivan Pavicevic; Bergman, Ron;
    McDonald, Ira; Harry Lewis
    Subject: Posted draft Printer Port Monitor MIB (10 Dec 2004)

    Hi folks, Friday (10 December 2004)

    Based on comments from Mike, Ivan, Ron, and Harry, I have just posted a
    second draft of the PWG Printer Port Monitor MIB at:

        ftp://ftp.pwg.org/pub/pwg/BOFs/port/tb-portmib10-20041210.mib

    (Enclosing IEEE/ISTO PWG boilerplate will written after email comments
    and our review on January 12 at the PWG face-to-face in Camas, WA.)

    Comments?

    Cheers,
    - Ira

    ----------------------------------------
    [change log included in MIB]

        REVISION "0412100000Z" -- 10 December 2004 (v0.20)
        DESCRIPTION "Second draft of PWG Printer Port Monitor MIB.
                        - added Ivan to editors (oversight in v0.10),
                          per request of Mike and Ivan;
                        - added IMPORT of 'PrtChannelTypeTC' from
                          IANA-PRINTER-MIB (first published in RFC 3805)
                          and changed SYNTAX of 'ppmPortProtocolType',
                          per request of Ron Bergman;
                        - renamed 'PpmTextStringTC' textual convention to
                          'PpmLocalizedStringTC' (for clarity);
                        - added 'ppmGeneralNumberOfPorts' to General group,
                          to align with Mike and Ivan's original draft;
                        - revised 'ppmPortProtocolType' to specify the IANA
                          Printer MIB as the authoritative source of values,
                          per request of Ron Bergman;
                        - revised 'ppmPortProtocolPortNumber' to specify
                          that, if zero, then the default port for the
                          current value of 'ppmPortProtocolType' is used,
                          per request of Harry Lewis;
                        - revised 'ppmPortIEEE1284DeviceId' to clarify more
                          format details and restricted characters,
                          per request of Mike and Ivan;
                        - moved 'ppmGeneralCommunityName' and renamed to
                          'ppmPortSnmpCommunityName' (for clarity),
                          to align with Mike and Ivan's original draft;
                        - renamed 'ppmPortStatusQueryEnabled' to
                          'ppmPortSnmpStatusQueryEnabled' (for clarity),
                          to align with Mike and Ivan's original draft;
                        - deleted 'ppmPortDescription' (redundant),
                          per request of Mike and Ivan;
                        - deleted 'ppmPortPrtChannelIndex' and
                          'ppmPortInterfaceIndex' (not necessary),
                          per request of Mike and Ivan."

        REVISION "0411180000Z" -- 18 November 2004 (v0.10)
        DESCRIPTION "First draft of PWG Printer Port Monitor MIB.
                        - content from Mike and Ivan's original draft and
                          a few proposed extensions."
    ----------------------------------------



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