One of the principal components of an SNMP manager is a MIB Compiler, which allows new MIB objects to be added to the management system. When a MIB is compiled into an SNMP manager, the manager is made aware of new objects that are supported by agents on the network. The concept is similar to adding a new schema to a database. The agent is not affected by the MIB compilation (because the agent is already aware of its own objects). The act of compiling the MIB allows the manager to know about the special objects supported by the agent and to access these objects as part of the standard object set.
Typically, when a MIB is compiled into the system, the manager creates new folders or directories that correspond to the objects. These folders or directories can typically be viewed with a MIB Browser, which is a traditional SNMP management tool incorporated into virtually all network management systems. These new objects can often be alarmed or possibly modified to affect the performance of the remote agent.
MIB objects are documented in ASN.1 syntax. The user obtains ASN.1 definitions for a new piece of network equipment or new SNMP agent, transfers this file to the network management system, and runs the management system MIB Compiler to incorporate these definitions into the system. Virtually all agents support the RFC-1213 MIB definitions, and most agents support other definitions as well.
Supported MIBS are available on the installation media or by contacting My Oracle Support (MOS).