The ip sla reset command is not mandatory for an implementation plan to configure IP SLAs for monitoring IP connections and traffic. This command causes the IP SLA engine to either restart or shutdown. As a result, all IP SLAs operations are stopped, IP SLA configuration information is erased, and IP SLAs are restarted. The IP SLAs configuration information will need to be reloaded to the engine.

The ip sla command allows you to configure IP SLAs operations. When you execute this command in the global configuration mode, it enables the IP SLA configuration mode. In the IP SLA configuration mode, you can configure different IP SLA operations. You can configure up to 2000 operations for a given IP SLA ID number.

The icmp-echo command allows you to monitor IP connections and traffic on routers by creating an IP SLA ICMP Echo operation. This operation monitors end-toend response times between routers.

The ip sla schedule command allows you to schedule the IP SLA operation that has been configured. With this command, you can specify when the operation starts, how long the operation runs, and the how long the operation gathers information. For example, if you execute the ip sla schedule 40 start-time now life forever command, the IP SLA operation with the identification number 40 immediately starts running. This is because the now keyword is specified for the start-time parameter. Using the forever keyword with the life parameter indicates that the operation keeps collecting information indefinitely. Note that you cannot re-configure the IP SLA operation after you have executed the ip sla schedule command.

The information gathered by an IP SLA operation is typically stored in RTTMON-MIB. A Management Information Base (MIB) is a database hosting information required for the management of routers or network devices. The RTTMON-MIB is a Cisco-defined MIB intended for Cisco IOS IP SLAs. RTTMON MIB acts as an interface between the Network Management System (NMS) applications and the Cisco IOS IP SLAs operations.