WBEM

WBEM, or Web-Based Enterprise Management, is a set of management and interoperability specifications developed by the Distributed Management Task Force (DMTF) for accessing management information in enterprise environments. Built on the Common Information Model (CIM), WBEM provides a framework for uniform data modeling, access, and control of diverse hardware and software.

The WBEM architecture centers on a CIM Object Manager (CIMOM) that mediates requests between clients and management data providers. Providers implement management operations for specific devices or software, while a repository stores CIM classes and their instances. Clients interact with the CIMOM to query or manipulate managed resources, using a CIM data model that defines classes, properties, methods, and relationships.

Common client interfaces use a query language called WQL (a SQL-like language) to enumerate classes, instances, and properties, or to invoke methods. Operations typically include enumerating resources, retrieving configuration data, updating properties, and invoking management methods. Security considerations include authentication, authorization, and encryption, with remote access commonly implemented over DCOM in Windows environments or over the WS-Management (WS-Man) protocol for transport-agnostic communication.

Implementations of WBEM include Microsoft’s Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI), which integrates WBEM into Windows and provides WQL access and scripting interfaces. Cross-platform WBEM/CIM implementations exist as well, such as OpenPegasus, OpenWBEM, and SBLIM, offering CIM- and WBEM-compliant functionality on various operating systems.

WBEM remains the umbrella for CIM-based enterprise management, enabling interoperable monitoring, configuration, and automation across heterogeneous IT environments.