The Book

I have structured this book into four parts :

1. The first part describes the purpose of device and service management and compares different architectures.

2. The second part, starting with Chapter 4, describes in detail the WBEM/CIM architecture and the standard models developed by the DMTF.

3. The third part, starting with Chapter 7, describes the interfaces with which your WBEM/CIM code will have to work.

4. The fourth part, starting with Chapter 9, delves deeper and gives examples of defining your own models and writing your own code. It also gives examples of some of the tools which are available to help you.

In more detail, this book answers the following questions:

• Chapter 2: What are device and service management? What problems do they set out to solve?

• Chapter 3: What is WBEM/CIM? What is the distinction between WBEM and CIM? Why do we need a new standard when we have SNMP and TMN? How does XML fit into all of this?

• Chapter 4: What are the components of the WBEM architecture? How do they fit together at the highest level?

• Chapter 5: What is a model and how is it defined in CIM? What standard models are available?

• Chapter 6: What standard models does the DMTF provide? What is the process for introducing new models?

• Chapter 7: How does a WBEM client talk to its WBEM server?

• Chapter 8: How does a WBEM server deliver events and alarms to an external program?

• Chapter 9: How does one set about building a model for a device or service?

• Chapter 10: What pitfalls has the author fallen into while modelling?

• Chapters 11 to 13: How are the information and processes unique to a particular problem encoded and merged with the standard WBEM/CIM components? How are the providers and clients coded and linked into the WBEM server?

• Chapter 14: When starting from an existing SNMP (or proprietary) management system, is it possible to transition gently to the WBEM/CIM approach?

• Chapter 15: What tools exist to help with the design and implementation?

• Chapter 16: Is it better to buy or build the software necessary for a WBEM system? What options are there for obtaining this software?

At the end of most chapters, I have included a section called Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) to answer some of the specific questions that might arise from reading the chapter. Most of these questions have been asked during presentations I have given or recur in the mailing lists associated with WBEM/CIM implementations . I have also used the FAQs as a repository for isolated facts related to the topic of the chapter which do not fit easily into the main text.

The Glossary, Appendix G, contains definitions of some of the terms which I have used which may not be familiar to all readers.