Desktop Management Interface
Encyclopedia
The Desktop Management Interface (DMI) generates a standard framework
for managing and tracking components in a desktop, notebook or server computer
, by abstracting these components from the software that manages them. The development of DMI marked the first move by the Distributed Management Task Force
(DMTF) into desktop-management standards. Before the introduction of DMI, no standardized source of information could provide details about components in a personal computer
.
Due to the rapid development of DMTF technologies, such as Common Information Model
(CIM), the DMTF defined an "End of Life" process for DMI, which ended on March 31, 2005.
From 1999, Microsoft
required OEM
s and BIOS vendors to support the DMI interface/data-set in order to have Microsoft certification.
DMI is commonly confused with SMBIOS, which was actually called DMIBIOS in its first revisions.
) or activating MIF routines. Static data in a MIF would contain items such as model ID, serial number, memory- and port-addresses. A MIF routine could read memory and report its contents.
and other management protocols. For example, when an SNMP query arrives, DMI can fill out the SNMP MIB
with data from its MIF. A single workstation or server can serve as a proxy agent that would contain the SNMP module and service an entire LAN
segment of DMI-capable machines.
contains a DMI decoder, and based on matches on DMI information, systems administrators can enable or disable certain workarounds for problems with specific systems.
Software framework
In computer programming, a software framework is an abstraction in which software providing generic functionality can be selectively changed by user code, thus providing application specific software...
for managing and tracking components in a desktop, notebook or server computer
Computer
A computer is a programmable machine designed to sequentially and automatically carry out a sequence of arithmetic or logical operations. The particular sequence of operations can be changed readily, allowing the computer to solve more than one kind of problem...
, by abstracting these components from the software that manages them. The development of DMI marked the first move by the Distributed Management Task Force
Distributed Management Task Force
Distributed Management Task Force is an industry organization that develops, maintains and promotes standards for systems management in enterprise IT environments. These standards allow for building systems management infrastructure components in a platform-independent and technology-neutral way...
(DMTF) into desktop-management standards. Before the introduction of DMI, no standardized source of information could provide details about components in a personal computer
Personal computer
A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
.
Due to the rapid development of DMTF technologies, such as Common Information Model
Common Information Model (computing)
The Common Information Model is an open standard that defines how managed elements in an IT environment are represented as a common set of objects and relationships between them...
(CIM), the DMTF defined an "End of Life" process for DMI, which ended on March 31, 2005.
From 1999, Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
required OEM
Original Equipment Manufacturer
An original equipment manufacturer, or OEM, manufactures products or components that are purchased by a company and retailed under that purchasing company's brand name. OEM refers to the company that originally manufactured the product. When referring to automotive parts, OEM designates a...
s and BIOS vendors to support the DMI interface/data-set in order to have Microsoft certification.
DMI and SMBIOS
DMI exposes system data (including the System Management BIOS (SMBIOS) data) to management software, but the two specifications function independently.DMI is commonly confused with SMBIOS, which was actually called DMIBIOS in its first revisions.
Optional additional services: MIF data and MIF routines
When software queries a memory-resident agent that resides in the background, it responds by sending data in MIFs (Management Information FormatManagement Information Format
Management Information Format is a format used to describe a hardware or software component. MIF files are used by DMI to report system configuration information. Although MIF is a system-independent format, it is used primarily by Windows systems. To install a new device in a Windows 95 system,...
) or activating MIF routines. Static data in a MIF would contain items such as model ID, serial number, memory- and port-addresses. A MIF routine could read memory and report its contents.
DMI and SNMP
DMI can co-exist with SNMPSimple Network Management Protocol
Simple Network Management Protocol is an "Internet-standard protocol for managing devices on IP networks. Devices that typically support SNMP include routers, switches, servers, workstations, printers, modem racks, and more." It is used mostly in network management systems to monitor...
and other management protocols. For example, when an SNMP query arrives, DMI can fill out the SNMP MIB
Management information base
A management information base is a virtual database used for managing the entities in a communications network. Most often associated with the Simple Network Management Protocol , the term is also used more generically in contexts such as in OSI/ISO Network management model...
with data from its MIF. A single workstation or server can serve as a proxy agent that would contain the SNMP module and service an entire LAN
Local area network
A local area network is a computer network that interconnects computers in a limited area such as a home, school, computer laboratory, or office building...
segment of DMI-capable machines.
DMI under Linux
The Linux kernelLinux kernel
The Linux kernel is an operating system kernel used by the Linux family of Unix-like operating systems. It is one of the most prominent examples of free and open source software....
contains a DMI decoder, and based on matches on DMI information, systems administrators can enable or disable certain workarounds for problems with specific systems.
See also
- Web-Based Enterprise ManagementWeb-Based Enterprise ManagementWeb-Based Enterprise Management is a set of systems management technologies developed to unify the management of distributed computing environments. WBEM is based on Internet standards and Distributed Management Task Force open standards: Common Information Model infrastructure and schema,...
(WBEM) - Desktop management
- WS-ManagementWS-ManagementWeb Services-Management is a DMTF open standard defining a SOAP-based protocol for the management of servers, devices, applications and various Web services. The DMTF has published the standards document DSP0226 with version v1.1.0 of 2010-03-03....
External links
- The DMI home page links to repositories of DMI-related information including specifications, support-tools, and the Product Registry of DMI-certified products.
- dmidecode, a tool which decodes DMI tables under Linux, BSD, and Solaris — the site also has links to other system-information-related tools