Alarm Configuration
3-2 Basic Alarm Configuration
Using the Advanced Alarms feature, you can define custom alarms for almost any
MIB-II or RMON object, as long as it is present in the device firmware and its
value is defined as an integer (including counters, timeticks, and gauges). All
aspects of these alarms are user-selectable: thresholds can be established on either
the absolute or delta value for a variable; events can be configured to create a log,
generate a trap, or both; and for Cabletron devices that support the new Actions
MIB, events can also be configured to perform any defined SNMP SET or series of
SETs on device objects. The Advanced Alarms feature also allows you to configure
any events you wish to use in conjunction with the Packet Capture functionality.
(For more information on using the Packet Capture feature, see the RMON User’s
Guide included with your software.)
The Basic Alarms feature allows you to assign alarms to any interface type; using
the Advanced Alarms feature, you need only be sure to select variables
appropriate to the interface — Ethernet for Ethernet, Token Ring for Token Ring,
etc. — when defining your alarms.
Basic Alarm Configuration
Using the Basic Alarm Configuration application, you can define both rising and
falling alarm thresholds for three selected MIB-II objects: ifInOctets, ifInNUcast,
and ifInErrors. Because these pre-selected objects are not RMON-specific, you can
configure alarms for all interfaces installed in your MMAC-Plus chassis —
including those, like FDDI, for which no specific RMON statistics currently exist.
In addition to configuring separate rising and falling thresholds, you can also
configure your device’s response to an alarm condition: when a threshold is
crossed, the RMON device can create a log of alarm events, send a trap notifying
your management workstation that an alarm condition has occurred, or both; you
can even configure an alarm to enable or disable bridging on the offending port in
response to a rising or falling alarm condition.
TIP
If you are familiar with the RMON MIB and/or with the original Alarm and Event
functionality provided by SPECTRUM Element Manager (now known as the Advanced
Alarm functionality), you will note that the Basic Alarm Configuration window combines
the three parts of creating a working alarm — configuring the alarm itself, configuring an
event that will announce the occurrence of an alarm (including assigning any actions),
and linking the two — into a single step, and handles the details transparently. For more
information about the individual steps involved in creating an alarm, see Advanced
Alarm Configuration, page 3-11.