On occasions some devices can 'reshuffle' the ifIndex values for existing interfaces. One example are linux servers where on reboot a server with mutliple NIC cards requiring differing kernel modules, the modules can load in a random order and cause interfaces (by name) to appear on a different ifIndex.
Using other values like ifName or IfAlias along with ifIndex would help, where after a shuffle eth0 which was ifIndex 2 and now appears on 4 is actully the same interface based on the ifName and therefore existing service checks should update to monitoring ifIndex 4 for that named interface.
As it stands today an existing service check with the ifName (ifAlias) in the description can report the check as down but it's actually the status of a different interface that is not on that ifIndex.
Netreo Product Area | Netreo (IM) |
Problem Statement
Interfaces are still present after reboot, but ifindex gets reshuffled. Service check may end up getting applied to a interface which was previously up, but is not a different interface and appears down. |