Subject: Re: AgentX Research

From: Bob Natale <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 11 Oct 1999 09:52:39 -0400

At 10/4/99:11:47 AM, you wrote:

Hi Alexandre,

>My name is Alexandre. I am studying to get a Master degree in Computer
>Science at UFSC (Brazil).

I am pleased to make your acquaintance.

>I am very interested about the agentX protocol. I think, this can be
>the subject of my research.

Excellent...SNMP agent extensibility protocols are certainly a
ripe field for research.  IETF efforts such as AgentX tend to be
driven more by de facto practice than sound analytical theory
based on controlled experimental research -- although there are
exceptions and even the historical record of AgentX development
will show a few attempts at comparative analysis.

>I also think I could write a sub-agent code for a application
>and help the AgentX Working Group with comments.

That would be tremendously helpful...in fact, we are right now
at the stage where we are looking for implementation reports
(whether complete or in progress reports).

>These are just ideas. Do you know who should I talk to about
>these ideas? I don't know what I could do to contribute the
>agentX project exactly.

First, go to the IETF home page (www.ietf.org) and access
the Working Groups link and then the AgentX page (under the
Operations and Management link):

    - Download the current documents that will be listed
      there, review, and begin implementation based on them.

    - [If you have not already done so], follow the instructions
      there for joining the AgentX e-mail list (to whom I am
      cc'ing this exchange on your behalf).  That will enable
      you to participate more fully in our online discussions.

Second, plan to attend the forthcoming IETF meetings in DC, if
at all possible (full details are available on the IETF home
page cited above).  While not formally scheduled yet, it is
extremely likely that the AgentX WG will meet on Thursday
(11/11) or (less likely) Friday of that week.

Third, raise further questions, make suggestions, and file
implementation progress reports on the AgentX e-mail list.
A sizable number of highly experienced SNMP agent implementers
read the list and one or more of them will almost always reply
to a technical posting.

>Any suggestion will be very helpful. 

I hope the above is a good start for you...also, review back
issues (online) of The Simple Times -- I don't have the URL
handy...but I think it's possibly www.simple-times.org ...an
Altavista search sould find it pretty quickly if that's not
correct.  At least one full issue (several years ago) was
devoted to SNMP extensible agent technology, with a focus
on AgentX, and later issues have had occosaional articles
on the topic.

>Thanks in advance.

You're welcome...good luck in your studies.

Cordially,

BobN
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