Subject: ambiguous script name length spec

From: Juergen Quittek <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 19 Jun 2000 17:18:55 +0200

While testing a Script MIB Java Mangement API, Cornelia Kappler and
myself ran into the following inconsistency of the Script MIB:

In the smScriptTable the syntax of the smScriptName is defined as
an SnmpAdminString without further restrictions of its length.
However, in the smLaunchTable the smLaunchScriptName, which
should be identical with one of the smScriptNames, the length
is restricted to SnmpAdminString (SIZE (0..32)).

Consequently, I can create a smScriptTableEntry with a name longer
than 32 and for this entry I cannot create a referring smLaunchTableEntry.

Furthermore, the unrestricted smScriptName which is an index to the
smScriptTable might lead to very long (or too long) OIDs.

Like the smScriptTable also the smLaunchTable is indexed by an owner
and a name. But there we find the smLaunchOwner being restricted to
SnmpAdminString (SIZE (0..32)) and the smLaunchName being
restricted to SnmpAdminString (SIZE (1..32)). Both are restricted
to a maximal length of 32 octets and names must have a minimal length
of 1 octet.

I think this is a reasonable choice which should be applied also to
names of entries in the smScriptTable. Anyway, it is simpler and therefore
preferable with both tables having the same restrictions for their indices.

Therefore I suggest to apply define the Syntax of smScriptName to be
SnmpAdminString (SIZE (1..32)) and to make the definition of
smLaunchScriptName consistent to this restriction.

    Juergen
-- 
Juergen Quittek     [email-masked]     Tel: +49 30 254230-19
NEC Europe Ltd., C&C Research Laboratories   Fax: +49 30 254230-99
Hardenbergplatz 2, 10623 Berlin, Germany   http://www.ccrle.nec.de

---

From: Juergen Schoenwaelder <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 20 Jun 2000 10:56:57 +0200

>>>>> Juergen Quittek writes:

Juergen> Like the smScriptTable also the smLaunchTable is indexed by
Juergen> an owner and a name. But there we find the smLaunchOwner
Juergen> being restricted to SnmpAdminString (SIZE (0..32)) and the
Juergen> smLaunchName being restricted to SnmpAdminString (SIZE
Juergen> (1..32)). Both are restricted to a maximal length of 32
Juergen> octets and names must have a minimal length of 1 octet.

Juergen> I think this is a reasonable choice which should be applied
Juergen> also to names of entries in the smScriptTable. Anyway, it is
Juergen> simpler and therefore preferable with both tables having the
Juergen> same restrictions for their indices.

Juergen> Therefore I suggest to apply define the Syntax of
Juergen> smScriptName to be SnmpAdminString (SIZE (1..32)) and to make
Juergen> the definition of smLaunchScriptName consistent to this
Juergen> restriction.

I agree. The size restriction (SIZE (1..32)) should have been used at
the smLaunchName definition since names longer than 32 octets are
pretty useless. However, note that there is a valid reason why
smLaunchScriptName has a size restriction of (SIZE (0..32)). If you
create a launch table entry without specifying the script, then you
want to use a zero-length value of smLaunchScriptName to identify a
non-existing script.

Strawman proposal: We clarify that smScriptName has a (SIZE (1..32))
and we leave the definition of smLaunchScriptName as it is (except
adding wordings that a zero-length is useful to point to a script
which is guaranteed to not exist).

/js

-- 
Juergen Schoenwaelder      Technical University Braunschweig
<[email-masked]>  Dept. Operating Systems & Computer Networks
Phone: +49 531 391 3289    Bueltenweg 74/75, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
Fax:   +49 531 391 5936    <URL:http://www.ibr.cs.tu-bs.de/~schoenw/>