# Overview of WBEM support

The Distributed Management Task Force (DMTF) has launched the Web-Based Enterprise Management (WBEM) initiative that extends the common information model (CIM) to represent management objects. The common information model is an extensible data model for logically organizing management objects in a consistent, unified manner in a managed environment. WBEM technology establishes management infrastructure standards and provides a standardized way to access information from various hardware and software management systems in an enterprise environment. Using WBEM standards, developers can create tools and technologies that reduce the complexity and costs of enterprise management. WBEM provides a point of integration through which data from management sources can be accessed. It complements and extends existing management protocols and instrumentation such as Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP), Desktop Management Interface (DMI), and Common Management Information Protocol (CMIP).

The Microsoft Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) technology is the Microsoft implementation of the WBEM initiative. WMI technology is a management infrastructure that supports the syntax of CIM, the managed object format (MOF), and a common programming interface. The MOF syntax defines the structure and contents of the CIM schema in human and machine-readable form. WMI offers a powerful set of services, including query-based information retrieval and event notification. These services and the management data are accessed through a component object model (COM) programming interface. The WMI scripting interface also provides scripting support.

When running Windows installed with SNMP and WMI services, SNMP data can be accessed as WBEM data through WMI mechanisms. The WMI SNMP provider (optionally installed) performs the link between SNMP and WMI. The Microsoft SNMP provider comes with additional MIB and MOF files reflecting the standard RFC.

NMS SNMP includes demonstration programs that show how you can use WBEM to retrieve information contained in the NMS subagents. These programs are for Windows only. They can be found in \nms\ctaccess\demos\snmp\wbem.