Configuring ifName and ifDescr

mattstanzel · ‎10-30-2007

I've searched through the IOS documentation, but I cannot find any synatax on how to 'actually' set the ifName and ifDescr variables. I've found information on how to set the ifIndex persistent, which apparently is required to set the ifName and ifDescr variables, but no information on exactly what syntax to use to configure ifName and ifDescr.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Matt

Collin Clark · ‎10-30-2007

Matt-

I believe the ifName is set by the router and the ifDescr is set by you (under the interface by using description). There are some gotchas though. Here's a link that will hopefully help.

http://cisco.com/en/US/products/sw/iosswrel/ps1839/products_feature_guide09186a0080087b0d.html

HTH and please rate.

David Stanford · ‎10-30-2007

These are both read-only objects that are not configurable:

ifDescr: "A textual string containing information about the

interface. This string should include the name of the

manufacturer, the product name and the version of the

interface hardware/software."

ifName: The textual name of the interface. The value of this

object should be the name of the interface as assigned by

the local device and should be suitable for use in commands

entered at the device's `console'. This might be a text

name, such as `le0' or a simple port number, such as `1',

depending on the interface naming syntax of the device. If

several entries in the ifTable together represent a single

interface as named by the device, then each will have the

same value of ifName. Note that for an agent which responds

to SNMP queries concerning an interface on some other

(proxied) device, then the value of ifName for such an

interface is the proxied device's local name for it.

If there is no local name, or this object is otherwise not

applicable, then this object contains a zero-length string."