CURRENT_MEETING_REPORT_

Reported by Don Wright/Lexmark and Joel Gyllenskog/Hewlett-Packard

Minutes of the Printer MIB Working Group (PRINTMIB)


Introduction

Marshall Rose stressed the importance of the group producing an
Internet-Draft as soon as possible.  Joel Gyllenskog then proceeded to
introduce the core group of people who have been working on the MIB/MIF.
This was followed by attendee introductions.


PRINTMIB Working Group Status

Joel outlined what the group was chartered to do and not do (e.g.,
fonts, jobs).  He described the group's relation to the DMTF.


Printer Model

Ron Smith reviewed the printer model that the group has been using to
conceptualize the printer.

Issues raised during the model overview presentation:


  o Is MEDIA optional?

  o Are there multiple CONSOLES?

  o GENERAL PRINTER has only one instance.

  o Does CHARACTER SET and LOCALIZATION belong in GENERAL PRINTER or
    somewhere else?

  o How do we deal with multiple logical printers (multiple GENERAL
    PRINTERS or some other means)?

  o Efficient handling of static information.

  o Number of read-write objects - what objects must be read-write,
    which are optionally read-write?

  o How do we associate media with inputs, outputs with finishers, etc.


Several questions were asked about the relationship among 1284, NPA
(1284.1) DMTF, etc.  Ron Smith explained how the pieces fit together.

Jeff Case explained that the MIB will be in SNMPv2 format but does not
use V2 data types.


Community Name

Presented by Joel.

The problem is the configuration where an external print server which
has one IP address and is connected to multiple printers.  This problem
also exists if you want to manage the external printer server using the
Host MIB as well as managing the printers.  Steve Waldbusser stated that
using the community name to do this was a workable solution.  Jeff Case
expounded on the way to use community names to differentiate the various
printers and host.


  o Method #1 - Community string method

     community    device        access

     blue         Printer 1     read-write
     four         Printer 2     read-write
     fall         Host          read-write
     sunshine     Host          read-write
     not          Printer       read-only

  o Method #2 - Demultiplexing in the MIB objects

    Add additional column in the tables to identify the various
    printers.


The relative pros and cons of each method were discussed.  One problem
is that the Host MIB is not designed to have an additional column added
to support selection of multiple hosts.  The group was generally in
favor of the community name approach but the ``margin of victory'' was
small.  Further discussion will occur on the mailing list.


INPUT

Presented by Harry Lewis.

Issues raised:


  o Should objects such as ``xxxxxunits'' be settable by the host?  No.

  o Should we further consolidate all the UNITS into a single list of
    enumerations?  The units should be aligned so that, for example,
    sheets are always #10 but leave holes where not appropriate.  Units
    should be consolidated as much as possible (one English, one
    metric).

  o Being able to write certain values was discussed.  (For example,
    should the management application be able to set the paper size?).
    Yes.

     -  Change ``CurrentCapacity'' to ``CurrentLevel''
     -  Change MediaSize to Enum(2)
     -  Remove MediaDimUnits, MediaDimAcrossFeedDir, and
        MediaDimFeedDir
     -  Rename CurDimAcrossFeedDir to MediaDimAcrossFeedDir
     -  Rename CurDimFeedDir to MediaDimFeedDir
     -  Delete MediaSize enumeration object but put the table in the
        RFC as a reference of commonly used names

  o Should units be writable or always be millimeter?

  o Should writing of values be atomic (i.e., both dimensions should be
    in the same SNMP protocol packet)?

  o Should we move DimExtended (printable areas) to mandatory and what
    units are they based on?

  o Should MediaType be a string or an enumeration?


Identified SNMP Issues

  o Is it okay to use -1 and -2 for ``other'' and ``unknown''?  There
    is a concern that if we provide too many objects with ``other'' and
    ``unknown'' values then a device could be made which complied with
    the standard but actually returned other/unknown for everything.
    Should we consider dropping some of the objects that have
    other/unknown as valid values?

  o How do we identify in the MIB that it incorporates other MIBs?  One
    way to do it is to put a comment in the MIB instructing the
    implementor to incorporate that other MIB.

  o How well does the Host MIB work for system controller?  Only report
    what you have.

  o Integer versus Integer32?  Integer is used for enumerations,
    Integer32 for values.

  o Security with regard to ``write'' collisions?  Test-and-Set data
    type (RFC 1443)

  o Okay Alert?  An alert is generated whenever a critical alert is
    inserted into the alert table.

  o No trap/alert will be generated when the critical alert is removed.
    It is assumed that the management application will poll looking for
    the removal of the critical alert.


Media Path Group

``Simplex'' and ``either edge binding duplex'' will be added to the
mediapathtype.  The objects in the Host MIB that define printer status
will be supported and the ``Status'' object will be deleted from
prtGeneral.


Marker Group - Don Wright

Do margins (or imagable area) need to be PDL specific?  Weight and
Volume unit enumerations will be changed to decimal parts.


Interpreters Group - Joel

CharSetIn and CharSetOut will be added to Interpreters.
DefaultOrientation will be moved to General Printer group.


Console Group - Andy Davidson

Display lines and characters implementation may vary among printers as
to whether a logical value or a physical value is returned.  OnColor and
OffColor of the lights will be only Color.  ``Console'' will be updated
to be able to handle multiple consoles.


General Printers - Joel

Reset and Reset Special will be merged.


Language/Character Set - Tom Hastings

Tom will identify which strings are affected by which localization
variables.


Alerts

Inform class will be changed to Training Level.  Alert Codes are needed
for System Controller, Interface and Channel.


Issues

The following issues were raised during the course of the meeting and
are being listed here in a numbered format for the purpose of being
tracked.  Some of these were resolved during the meeting.  Resolutions
that were reached are indicated, but some may have been missed.


 1. Is the media group optional?

 2. Will the MIB/MIF support multiple consoles?  No.

 3. Is General Printer a table?

 4. How does ``character set'' tie into ``channel''?

 5. Static versus dynamic - how efficient will this be?

 6. The MIB/MIF consists of 58 objects - is that too many?

 7. Should we endorse some type of interlock method for all the
    writable objects?

 8. Should we use separate community names or additional index to
    support multiple printers being managed through a printer server?
    Use community names.

 9. Should paper size be writable?  Yes, to tell a printer that cannot
    detect paper size.

10. Should units be writable?

11. Should size units be only in millimeters?  No, but we will reduce
    the number of units wherever possible.

12. How should out of range sets be handled - reject or snap to the
    nearest?

13. Are ``dimensions extended'' mandatory?

14. In what units is printable area reported?  .0001 inches or .001 mm.

15. Should media type be a string or an enumeration?

16. How do we associate media with inputs, outputs with finishers, etc?

17. Do margins (or imagable area) need to be PDL specific?

18. Does ``other'' have a meaning for objects which normally have an
    integer value?

19. Is ``unknown'' the same as ``uninitialized'' and if not how do you
    tell the difference?

20. Should default interpreter be by interpreter or overall?  Overall.

21. How do we handle the ``parallel in, serial out'' channel?

22. Is console width string width or screen width?

23. Is ``number of lines'' and ``number of characters'' of the console
    mean physically or logical?  Logical.

24. Which strings localized and controlled by ``current localization''?

25. Do we need an ``ID'' object for each table ``index''?

26. Are all consoles using the same language?  We only support one
    console.

27. Should we enable or disable a channel as a whole or provide a way
    to selectively enable and disable ``data'' and ``control'' flows on
    a channel?

28. Is the consistent use of 1,2 (for enumerations) and -1, -2 (for
    integers) to represent ``other'' and ``unknown'' consistent with
    SNMP ``tradition''?

29. How should channel relate to underlying layers and to other
    existing MIBs?

30. How well does the Host MIB work for the system controller?

31. How much of the Host MIB is mandatory for the system controller?

32. What is the difference between Integer and Integer32?  Integer is
    used for enumerations and Integer32 for values.

33. Do we need an ``everything back to okay status'' alert?  No,
    applications should scan the alert table.


Attendees

David Chen               [email protected]
Wayne Clark              [email protected]
Louis Fernandez          [email protected]
Peter Gayek              [email protected]
Jeff Johnson             [email protected]
Deirdre Kostick          [email protected]
William Kwan             [email protected]
Kevin Loo                [email protected]
Shannon Nix              [email protected]
Michael Otto             [email protected]
Daniel Richard           [email protected]
Marshall T. Rose         [email protected]
Barbara Sterling         [email protected]
Ed Stern                 [email protected]
Kaj Tesink               [email protected]