Re: (ASCEND) callStatusIfIndex doesnt work on TNT

[Mike Jackson <mhjack@tscnet.com>]

On Thu, 2 Sep 1999, Mark Heath wrote:

> 
> Hi,
> 	I've written a monitoring system that logs the number of bytes per
> user logged into the Max.  This worked fine on the 4000s.  But it appears
> that the callStatusIfIndex (1.3.6.1.4.1.529.11.2.11), is returning 0.

	I think that you mean 1.3.6.1.4.1.529.11.2.1.11; but yes, this
always returns 0 even if the connection is in use.  The reason is that the
TNT doesn't keep interface counters for dial-in (switched) connections
(including dial-in connections that have connection profiles in the TNT!).

	I've beat Ascend up on this several times, and they indicated that
AOS 8 will correct this problem.  [Of course I won't be able to run that
since the EOL'ed my ethernet card!]

> 
> According to the SNMP suppliment a value of 0 is returned if the entry is
> invalid.  Walking the callStatusCallReferenceNum shows that there are
> valid calls in that table.

	callStatusIfIndex returns 0 because there is no associated IfIndex
for these calls (since the counters are not implemented for switched
calls).

> 
> We are running 7.2.0 Is this a bug? 

	I would say that it's a farce rather than a bug.  It's not
something that's broken, it's appearantly just not implemented in the TNT
software.

	I have several dedicated ISDN connections that I would like to
have traffic graphs for, but since no counters are maintained for switched
calls this information is not available.

	Counters are available for nailed T1 connections and also for
Frame Relay connections, but not for switched connections.

> 
> Or does anyone know how you can get the number of bytes transfered by a
> customer at any instance (or over a period of time)

	The information is available using the TNT's command line
interface by opening the hdlc card or modem and then using the ifstat
command.  This means that the TNT is actually recording this information
(at actually logs it via radius at the end of the call also) they just
didn't bother to implement the counters in SNMP.

	I suppose someone really desperate for these values could write an
expect script to telnet to the TNT and then query using ifstat, but these
values SHOULD be available via SNMP.

	If enough people complain maybe they will correct some of these
oversights.  Ascend seems to take the position that if you are not using
their NavAccess program, then you shouldn't know or care about SNMP.
Their annoying attitude is that SNMP is for their program, not for you to
be accessing with other (unsupported) tools.

	I'd open a trouble ticket if I were you.  I did...

	Hopefully AOS V8 will correct these SNMP problems, I'm not happy
with Ascend's SNMP implementation (or lack thereof) one bit.

	Perhaps Jason has comments about this also?
	
					Mike Jackson
					TSCNet


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