Can any one explain WMI to an old SNMP chap?

In response to my question about .NET SNMP support (Looking for an .NET SNMP Extension agent) @Lex Li indicated that Microsoft are basically lavishing their instrumentati开发者_开发知识库on love on WMI rather than SNMP.

With this in mind can anyone recommend any good learning resources for WMI and .NET? Bonus kudos for any sites that explain the WMI equivelent of SNMP traps and WMI/SNMP interoperability (if there is any!)

Windows Instrumentation Management is Microsoft implementation of Web Based Enterprise Management (WBEM), which is a DMTF initiative.

On the conceptual point of view WBEM modelize a "system" (computer, router, switch, server), into a bunch of classes. Each managed point host an object database CIMOM (Common Information Management Object Management) on the top of which is built the agent notion. Network management, becomes the usage of remote objects on the network (a bit like CMIP or TMN discribe it).

The big difference with SNMP is that object vision mean, properties, events, and also methods.

WBEM exists on SUN, HP-UX and as an open source project called openPegasus.

The big difference between WMI and WBEM is on the transport/security point of view. Microsoft uses DCOM instead of XML over HTTP.

If you are using XP, you can start "wbemtest.exe" file wich allow you to visit the classes present on your CIMOM. But to first access to WMI, I think that the "WMIC.EXE" command line is the best way.

Here a side explanation of WMI.

I hope it helps.

JP