How does Smarts name interfaces? The interface name does not match the description

Products

• VMware

Issue/Introduction

Symptoms:


How does Smarts name interfaces?

Interface names from Smarts AM discovery do not appear to be correct
Display name of interface discovered by Smarts AM does not match Interface Description

Environment

VMware Smart Assurance - SMARTS

Cause

The system is functioning as designed. Interface names will often not match the Interface Description field because Smarts Availability Manager (Smarts AM) discovery uses the IfName OID to name interfaces, and not the IfDescr OID.

Resolution

Smarts AM discovery uses the IfName OID (.1.3.6.1.2.1.31.1.1.1.1) to name interfaces and not the IfDescr OID ( .1.3.6.1.2.1.2.2.1.6) because IfName is a read-only OID and therefore more reliable. The IfDesc OID is modifiable and therefore cannot be reliably consistent.

Additional Information

Example

The DisplayName for the interface could be the following:

IF-focus/1 [AT4/0] [ATT DNEC922998 DS3  link]

While the Description for the interface could be the following:

 ATM4/0