Overview
ISO/IEC 10165-2:1992 - "Information technology - Open Systems Interconnection - Structure of management information: Definition of management information" defines the core building blocks used to describe managed information in OSI systems management. The standard specifies managed object classes, attribute and parameter types, name bindings, packages, action types and notification types, and sets out the compliance requirements other CCITT/ISO standards must meet when reusing these definitions. It is intended to support the development of OSI managed object class specifications and to provide generic definitions for OSI systems management functions.
Key topics and technical requirements
- Managed object classes: Formal definitions for common records and objects (examples in the standard include Alarm record, Event log record, Log record, Object creation/deletion records, Security alarm report, State change, System and Top objects).
- Name bindings and identifiers: Rules for naming managed objects and identifiers used across OSI management information.
- Packages: Standardized packages such as attribute identifier lists, availability status, scheduling (daily/weekly), correlated notifications and external scheduler constructs.
- Generic attribute types: Core types defined include Counter, Gauge, Threshold (with counter-threshold and gauge-threshold variants) and related semantics.
- Specific attribute & action types: Named types used for naming (e.g., Discriminator Id, Log Id, System Id), event/state attributes and relationship/state descriptors.
- Notification types: Predefined notifications for management events, such as attribute-value change, communications/environmental/equipment alarms, integrity/operational/physical violations, processing errors, quality-of-service alarms, relationship changes, state changes and time-domain violations.
- Conformance & compliance: Requirements and rules specifying how other standards and specifications must align when they incorporate these managed information definitions.
- Supporting material: Annexes and lists (e.g., counter examples) to facilitate implementation and consistent interpretation.
Applications and who uses it
ISO/IEC 10165-2 is used by:
- Network and systems management architects designing OSI-based management information models.
- Standards developers and working groups that produce OSI managed object class specifications or reuse CCITT/ISO management definitions.
- Vendors of network management systems, telecommunications equipment and software implementing standardized managed objects and notifications.
- Conformance test laboratories and auditors validating that implementations follow OSI management information definitions.
Practical benefits include consistent managed object semantics, improved interoperability across OSI-compliant management systems, reusable attribute/notification definitions, and clearer conformance criteria.
Related standards
- CCITT Rev. X.722 (paired with ISO/IEC 10165-4) - referenced for management information structure and usage.
- Other OSI management standards and ISO/IEC documents that define or reuse managed object classes and management protocols.
Keywords: ISO/IEC 10165-2:1992, OSI management, managed object classes, attribute types, notification types, X.722, structure of management information, conformance.
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