The MIB describes objects (data items) which are expected to be
implemented by managed nodes -- ie, they contain interesting
information about the node. For the original (1988) version of the
MIB, the following rules were used in deciding on a minimum set of
MIB objects:
The object must be essential for either fault or configuration
analysis.
Due to lack of a secure authentication framework, any control
objects must have weak (limited) properties.
The object must have evidenced utility
The number of objects must be kept reasonably small (initially
114 objects)
The object must not be easily derivable from other objects (eg,
arithmetically)
The object must be sufficiently general in nature as to be
found on many different platforms.
Only one counter-like object was allowed per critical loop (not
fully realised in practice)