MRTG

The Multi Router Traffic Grapher, or just simply MRTG, is free software for monitoring and measuring the traffic load on network links. It allows the user to see traffic load on a network over time in graphical form. It was originally developed by Tobias Oetiker and Dave Rand to monitor router traffic, but has developed into a tool that can create graphs and statistics for almost anything.

Distribution
RT! is written in "erl and can run on #indows, $inu%, &ni%, ac O' and (et#are. RT! is free software licensed under the terms of the !(& !eneral "ublic $icense.

Working
SNMP
RT! uses the 'imple (etwork anagement "rotocol )'( "* to send re+uests with two object identifiers )OIDs* to a device. The device, which must be '( ",enabled, will have a management information base ) I-* to look up the OIDs specified. .fter collecting the information it will send back the raw data encapsulated in an '( " protocol. RT! records this data in a log on the client along with previously recorded data for the device. The software then creates an /T $ document from the logs, containing a list of graphs detailing traffic for the selected device.

Script output
.lternatively, RT! can be configured to run a script or command, and parse its output for counter values. The RT! website contains a large library of e%ternal scripts to enable monitoring of '0$ database statistics, firewall rules, 1"& fan R" s, or virtually any integer,value data.

Features

easures two values )I for Input, O for Output* per target. !ets its data via an '( " agent, or through the output of a command line. Typically collects data every five minutes )it can be configured to collect data less fre+uently*. 1reates an /T $ page per target that features four graphs )!I2 or "(! images*. Results are plotted vs time into day, week, month and year graphs, with the I plotted as a full green area, and the O as a blue line. .utomatically scales the 3 a%is of the graphs to show the most detail. .dds calculated a%, .verage and 1urrent values for both I and O to the target4s /T $ page. 1an also send warning emails if targets have values above a certain threshold.

.ppendi%

OB !"T ID!NTIFI!R
In computing, an ob#ect i$entifier or OID is an identifier used to name an object )compare &R(*. 'tructurally, an OID consists of a node in a hierarchically,assigned namespace, formally defined using the IT&,T4s .'(.5 standard. 'uccessive numbers of the nodes, starting at the root of the tree, identify each node in the tree. Designers set up new nodes by registering them under the node4s registration authority. The root of the tree contains the following three arcs6

76 IT&,T 56 I'O 86 joint,iso,itu,t

Usage

In computer security, OIDs serve to name almost every object type in 9.:7; certificates, such as components of Distinguished (ames, 1"'s, etc. #ithin 9.:77 directory schemas and protocols, to uni+uely name each attribute type and object class, and other elements of schema. #ithin $D." schemas, each object class and each attribute type has a uni+ue OID In computer networking, an OID, in the conte%t of the 'imple (etwork anagement "rotocol )'( "*, consists of the object identifier for an object in a anagement Information -ase ) I-*. /$<, DI1O and other health care related information interchange standards use OIDs for globally uni+ue identifiers for both individual information objects as well as References to code systems and data element dictionaries. DI1O uses the term &ID )&ni+ue IDentifier* in place of OID. The I.(. OID registry contains a list of registered entities that use OIDs to reference internal structures )e.g. directory attributes*. =ach entity is assigned an initial referential value )e.g. 5.>.?.5.@.5.::5A for TD' Telecom Inc.* and thereafter the internal numbering plan is up to the entity to define )e.g. 5.>.?.5.@.5.::5A.5.:.@< might refer to the B11IDB attribute of the $D." directory associated with customers*. This allows for precise referencing of data attributes in a company or other entity.

!%a&ples
The most common OIDs seen Bin the wildB usually belong to the private enterprise numbers allocated by I.(. under the 5.>.?.5.@.5 )iso.org.dod.internet.private.enterprise* arc. .nother increasingly used formCas of?D of OID is in the area of health care and public health informatics in the &nited 'tates. /ealth $evel 'even )/$<*, a standards,developing organiEation in the area of electronic health care data e%change, is an assigning authority at the 8.5?.A@7.5.55>AA> )joint,iso,itu,t.country.us.organiEation.hl<* node. /$<

maintains its own OID registry, and as of Fanuary 5, 877A it contained almost >,777 nodes, most of them under the /$< root. The 1enters for Disease 1ontrol and "revention has also adopted OIDs to manage the many comple% values sets or BvocabulariesB used in public health. The various OIDs are available in the "ublic /ealth Information (etwork )"/I(* Gocabulary .ccess and Distribution 'ystem )G.D'*.