Dell OpenManage™ Server Administrator CIM Reference Guide
The following list defines or identifies technical terms, abbreviations, and acronyms used in user documents.
A systems management application that allows you to manage and configure SCSI and Fibre Channel RAID controllers through a common user interface.
An individual code assigned to a computer, usually by a system administrator, for security or tracking purposes.
An attribute, or property, contains a specific piece of information about a manageable component. For example, a component can have attributes for settings, capabilities, and status.
Acronym for Common Information Model, which is a model for describing management information from the DMTF. CIM is implementation independent, allowing different management applications to collect the required data from a variety of sources. CIM includes schemas for systems, networks, applications, and devices. It provides mapping techniques for interchange of CIM data with MIB data from SNMP agents.
Acronym for common information model object manager.
Acronym for comprehensive input/output.
For the purposes of the Dell CIM provider, a class is a set of managed system elements that can be monitored and managed using a systems management console capable of receiving CIM information. Managed system elements can have various levels of complexity, from rack systems containing multiple servers and storage systems, to individual fans, power supplies, processors, and chips. Physical objects that contain systems can be associated with the CIM_PhysicalPackage class. Managed objects of intermediate complexity can be represented by such classes as CIM_SoftwareElement or CIM_PowerSupplyRedundancy. Simple managed system elements can be represented by classes such as CIM_Processor.
Manageable components are operating systems, computer systems, expansion cards, or peripherals that are compatible with a systems management standard such as CIM and SNMP. Each component is made up of groups and attributes that are defined as relevant to that component.
A chip that controls the transfer of data between the microprocessor and memory or between the microprocessor and a peripheral device such as a disk drive or the keyboard.
Abbreviation for Distributed Management Task Force, a consortium of companies representing hardware and software providers.
Variable used to represent microprocessors such as Intel® i386™, i486™, and so forth.
Acronym for independent hardware vendor. IHVs often develop their own SNMP MIBs for components that they manufacture.
A comprehensive systems management application that integrates event management, configuration management, and asset management for systems distributed throughout an enterprise.
Acronym for management information base. A MIB is used to send detailed status/commands from or to an SNMP managed device.
Acronym for managed object format, which is an ASCII file that contains the formal definition of a CIM schema.
Acronym for network interface controller.
A property is a capability or characteristic of a CIM class. The temperature probe class, for example, has a property that describes its thresholds for normal, lower critical, and upper critical ranges of operation. Defining where normal operation ends and where critical temperatures begin determines when warnings should be sent to the systems manager for corrective action.
Every property has a Description and a Data Type. The Description provides a brief explanation of what a particular managed object does. The Data Type specifies the form that the values of a property must take. For example, some values are bit fields and others are integers or strings.
A provider is an extension of a CIM schema that communicates with managed objects. The provider accesses data and generates event notifications from a variety of sources. The Dell CIM provider extends the standard CIM schema to make it easier to manage systems.
A MOF is a management object file that models objects in a systems management environment. The MOF models the relationships between different managed objects. For example, the CIM_RedundancyGroup is a parent class for components that are so critical to the proper functioning of a system that the system is designed to have additional critical components. When a critical component fails, redundancy allows the system to continue operation because there are other components that can compensate for the loss. The DELL_PowerSupply and DELL_FanRedundancy classes are derived from the CIM redundancy group. The relationship is one of child to parent.
Acronym for redundant array of independent disks.
The file that records the features that an administrator wants to incorporate into an unattended installation is called a "response file" or an "answer file."
An operation used to write or "set" data to MIB variables maintained by the SNMP agent.
Abbreviation for Simple Network Management Protocol. SNMP is an industry-standard interface that allows a network manager to remotely monitor and manage workstations.
An unattended installation requires far less operator involvement than an interactive installation. Also called a "silent installation," unattended installation programs record the administrator's preferences about which features of an application program to install. The file that records these installation feature preferences is called a "response file" or an "answer file." System administrators typically create packages that include the response file and any other files needed to install the program, distribute the package to multiple systems, and activate the unattended installation.