Summary

Generic interface management basically boils down to monitoring the amount and type of traffic on and error rate of a given interface. Almost all relevant information is available via SNMP from the ifTable or ifXTable. Link status also can be proactively monitored via link traps or syslog messages.

In the next few chapters, we cover different interface types such as Ethernet, Frame Relay, and others in specific detail. Each technology has its own unique characteristics, which require different measurement techniques. Some media tolerate more errors than others. Some media tolerate higher utilization rates than others. The principles covered in this chapter apply to all media types. In the subsequent chapters, you will learn how to fine-tune these principles to manage the media types deployed in your network.