The Desktop Management Task Force (DMTF is a standards body with members from many leading computer companies, such as Compaq, Dell, Digital, HP, IBM, Intel, Microsoft, NEC, Novell, Santa Cruz Operation, Sun Microsystems, and Symantec. The DMTF produced the Desktop Management Interface (DMI) specification, which provides a standard framework for managing and gathering information from PC systems and component products.
The DMI architecture uses a Service Layer, a local program that collects information from products, manages that information in the Management Information Format (MIF) database, and passes the information to management applications as requested. The Service Layer uses the Management Interface (MI) to control communications between itself and management applications and uses the Component Interface (CI) between itself and manageable products.
SMS does not now support the DMI Service Layer directly. However, the SMS inventory agents and Inventory Processor support DMI-compliant MIF files for inventory collection. SMS supports MIF syntax as defined in the April 1994 DMI draft specification 4.5. DMTF updated and released this draft as DMI version 1.0 and released DMI version 2.0 on March 27, 1996. SMS does not support the new MIF syntax in version 2.0.
For more information about DMI, visit the DMTF Web site at www.dmtf.
org. The Microsoft SMS product CD-ROM and Microsoft BackOffice Software Developer's Kit (SDK) CD-ROM include a copy of the SMS-supported version of the DMI specification. In the SMS SDK's online Help, you can find additional information on MIF files and how to use them to update SMS inventory.
| DMTF |
| 800-556-3683 Web: www.dmtf.org |
