Management Information Base

A management information base (MIB) is a data file containing the managed-object descriptions and object values. Each host that is to be managed by SNMP must have a MIB that describes the manageable objects on that host.

Basically, a MIB will define the following for every object contained within that MIB:

• the association between (1) the host hardware or software component (object) and (2) an object name and an object identifier.
• A definition of the data type used to define the object.
• A textual description of the object.
• An index method used for objects that are a complex data type.
• The read or write access that is allowed on the object.

RFC 1213 defines an industry-standard SNMP MIB referred to as MIB-II. Industry vendors, such as Microsoft, can define additional MIBs that allow unique hardware or software services developed by the vendor to be monitored and managed by SNMP management consoles.

Note

Additional MIBs that are supported by Windows NT Server are described in Appendix C, "MIB Object Types for Windows NT."