SNMP Version 3 () Charter

NOTE: This charter is accurate as of the 38th IETF Meeting in Memphis, Tennessee. It may now be out-of-date. (Consider this a "snapshot" of the working group from that meeting.) Up-to-date charters for all active working groups can be found elsewhere in this Web server.

Chair(s)

Russ Mundy <mundy@tis.com>

Operations and Management Area Director(s):

Scott Bradner <sob@harvard.edu>
Michael O'Dell <mo@uu.net>
Deirdre Kostick <kostick@qsun.att.com>

Area Advisor

Mike O'Dell <mo@uu.net>

Mailing List Information

General Discussion:snmpv3@tis.com
To Subscribe: snmpv3-request@tis.com
Archive: ftp://ftp.tis.com/pub/ietf/snmpv3

Description of Working Group

The SNMPv3 Working Group is chartered to prepare recommendations for the next generation of SNMP. The goal of the Working Group is to produce the necessary set of documents that will provide a single standard for the next generation of core SNMP functions.

During the past several years, there have been a number of activities aimed at incorporating security and other improvements to SNMP. Unfortunately, strongly held differences on how to incorporate these improvements into SNMP prevented the SNMPV2 Working Group from coming to closure on a single approach. As a result, two different approaches (commonly called V2u and V2*) have emerged.

The Security and Administrative Framework Evolution for SNMP Advisory Team (the Advisory Team) was formed to provide a single recommended approach for SNMP evolution. The technical starting point for this Working Group will be the recommended approach provided by the Advisory Team.

This approach provides for the convergence of concepts and technical elements of V2u and V2*. The SNMPv3 Working Group is not starting new work and will use as many concepts, technical elements and documentation as practical from the V2u and V2* activities. Previous delays in providing a single standard for the next generation of SNMP core functions dictate that the Working Group move forward as quickly as possible to document and publish Internet Drafts and RFC's. To this end, the Working Group will make use of as much existing documentation as practical. Additionally, functional changes beyond those needed to provide a single approach will be strongly discouraged.

Timely completion of a single approach for SNMPv3 is crucial for the continued success of SNMP. Recognizing the need for prompt completion, the following objectives are provided to the Working Group:

- accommodate the wide range of operational environments with differing management demands;

- facilitate the need to transition from previous, multiple protocols to SNMPv3;

- facilitate the ease of setup and maintenance activities.

Note: SNMPv3 planned specifications:

SNMPv3 Modules and Interface Definitions SNMPv3 Message Processing and Control Module Specification SNMPv3 Security Model Module Specification SNMPv3 Local Processing Mosule Specification SNMPv3 Proxy Specification

Goals and Milestones

Apr 97: Post first SNMPv3 Internet-Draft, Modules and Interface Definitions.
Apr 97: Working Group meeting at Memphis IETF to discuss SNMPv3 recommended approach, discuss Working Group Charter and the plan for completion.
Jun 97: Post revised SNMPv3 Modules and Interface Definitions Internet-Drafts.
Jul 97: Post initial SNMPv3 Message Processing and Control Module Internet-Draft.
Jul 97: Post initial SNMPv3 Security Model Module Internet-Draft.
Aug 97: Finalize SNMPV3 Modules and Interface Definitions Internet-Draft and review other I-Ds at Munich IETF.
Sep 97: Submit SNMPv3 Modules and Interface Definitions to IESG for consideration as a Proposed Standard.
Sep 97: Post revised SNMPv3 Message Processing and Control Module Internet-Draft.
Sep 97: Post revised SNMPv3 Security Model Module Internet-Draft.
Sep 97: Post revised SNMPv3 Local Processing Module Internet-Draft.
Sep 97: Post initial SNMPv3 Proxy Specification Internet-Draft.
Apr 98: All SNMPv3 specifications submitted to IESG for consideration as Proposed Standards.