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Network Working Group S. Bostock Request for Comments: 1420 Novell, Inc. Obsoletes: 1298 March 1993

                           SNMP over IPX

Status of this Memo

 This RFC specifies an IAB standards track protocol for the Internet
 community, and requests discussion and suggestions for improvements.
 Please refer to the current edition of the "IAB Official Protocol
 Standards" for the standardization state and status of this protocol.
 Distribution of this memo is unlimited.

Abstract

 This document defines a convention for encapsulating Simple Network
 Management Protocol (SNMP) [1] packets over the transport mechanism
 provided via the Internetwork Packet Exchange (IPX) protocol [2].

1. Introduction

 The Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) as defined in [1] is
 now used as an integral part of the network management framework for
 TCP/IP-based internets.  Together with its companion standards, which
 define the Structure of Management Information (SMI) [3,4], and the
 Management Information Base (MIB) [5], the SNMP has received
 widespread deployment in many operational networks running the
 Internet suite of protocols.

 The success of SNMP in the TCP/IP environment has led to its
 deployment in non TCP/IP-based internets. This specification
 describes the mapping of SNMP onto the Internetwork Packet Exchange
 (IPX) protocol [2] used in Novell NetWare environments.

 As noted in [6], the preferred mapping for SNMP is onto UDP [7].  As
 such, this specification is intended for use in environments where
 UDP transport is not available.  No aspect of this specification
 should be construed as a suggestion that, in a heterogeneous
 transport environment, a managed agent should support more than one
 mapping. Conversely, management stations are strongly encouraged to
 support mappings of SNMP onto all popular transports.

2. Mapping SNMP onto IPX

 Mapping SNMP onto IPX is straight-forward since IPX provides a
 datagram service very similar to that provided by IP/UDP.

Bostock [Page 1] RFC 1420 SNMP over IPX March 1993

 Although modifications have been made elsewhere in the NetWare
 protocol suite, IPX is identical to the Xerox Internet Datagram
 Protocol (IDP) [8].  The socket address space authority is
 administered by Novell.

 SNMP packets will always set the Packet Type field in the IPX header
 to 4 (i.e., Packet Exchange Packet).

2.1 Socket Assignments

 SNMP protocol entities will receive GetRequest-PDU, GetNextRequest-
 PDU, and SetRequest-PDU messages on socket 36879 (Destination Socket
 field set to hexadecimal 900F), and Trap-PDU messages on socket 36880
 (Destination Socket field set to hexadecimal 9010).

 GetResponse-PDU messages will be addressed to the IPX address and
 socket from which the corresponding GetRequest-PDU, GetNextRequest-
 PDU, or SetRequest-PDU originated.

2.2 Traps

 When SNMP traps are sent over IPX, the agent-addr field in the Trap-
 PDU contains the IP-address "0.0.0.0".  An SNMP manager may ascertain
 the source of the trap based on information provided by the transport
 service

2.3 Maximum Message Size

 Although SNMP does not require conformant implementations to accept
 messages whose length exceeds 484 bytes, it is recommended that
 implementations support a maximum SNMP message size of 546 bytes (the
 maximum size allowed under IPX).  Furthermore, this limit is the
 maximum packet length guaranteed to traverse IPX routers which do not
 provide fragmentation.  Implementors may choose to use longer packet
 lengths if the maximum is known, which depends on the intermediate
 routers and/or intermediate datalink layer protocols.

3. Document Procurement

 This section provides contact points for procurement of selected
 documents.

 A complete description of IPX may be secured at the following
 address:

Bostock [Page 2] RFC 1420 SNMP over IPX March 1993

      Novell, Inc.
      122 East 1700 South
      P. O. Box 5900
      Provo, Utah 84601 USA
      800 526 5463

      Novell Part # 883-000780-001

 The specification for IDP (part of XNS) may be ordered from:

      Xerox System Institute
      475 Oakmead Parkway
      Sunnyvale, CA 94086
      Attn.: Fonda Pallone
      (415) 813-7164

4. Acknowledgments

 This specification was derived from RFC 1298, based on discussions in
 the IETF's "SNMP over a Multiprotocol Internet" Working Group.

5. References

 [1] Case, J., Fedor, M., Schoffstall, M., and J. Davin, "Simple
     Network Management Protocol", STD 15, RFC 1157, SNMP Research,
     Performance Systems International, Performance Systems
     International, MIT Laboratory for Computer Science, May 1990.

 [2] Novell, Inc., "NetWare System Technical Interface Overview", part
     number 883-000780-001, June 1989.

 [3] Rose M., and K. McCloghrie, "Structure and Identification of
     Management Information for TCP/IP-based internets", STD 16, RFC
     1155, Performance Systems International, Hughes LAN Systems, May
     1990.

 [4] Rose, M., and K. McCloghrie, Editors, "Concise MIB Definitions",
     STD 16, RFC 1212, Performance Systems International, Hughes LAN
     Systems, March 1991.

 [5] Rose M., and K. McCloghrie, Editors, "Management Information Base
     for Network Management of TCP/IP-based Internets", STD 17, RFC
     1213, Hughes LAN Systems, Inc., Performance Systems
     International, March 1991.

 [6] Kastenholz, F., "SNMP Communications Services", RFC 1270,
     Clearpoint Research Corporation, October 1991.

Bostock [Page 3] RFC 1420 SNMP over IPX March 1993

 [7] Postel J., "User Datagram Protocol", STD 6, RFC 768,
     USC/Information Sciences Institute, August 1980.

 [8] Xerox System Integration Standard, "Internet Transport
     Protocols", XSIS 028112, Xerox Corporation, December 1981.

6. Security Considerations

 Security issues are not discussed in this memo.

7. Author's Address

 Steve Bostock
 Novell, Inc.
 2180 Fortune Drive
 San Jose, CA 95131

 Phone: 408 473 8203
 Fax:   408 435 1706
 Email: steveb@novell.com

Bostock [Page 4]