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"Manageability" is a BIG subject and the focus of several industry-wide initiatives. The Intel Wired for Management (WfM) initiative seeks to raise the level of management capabilities for mobile, desktop, and server platforms. The complementary Zero Administration for Windows* initiative from Microsoft seeks to create more manageable operating systems and applications. The collective goal of these initiatives is to help plan, deploy, proactively maintain, and centrally control a distributed computing environment, in order to reduce the overall cost of owning and managing computers in the enterprise.
The WfM Baseline describes a consistent set of management capabilities that defines the minimum functions delivered in a target platform. These include requirements for instrumentation, remote wake-up, power management, and service boot capability. Along with the WfM Baseline Specification, Intel has produced a set of development tools designed to ease deployment of these capabilities. These include the DMI 2.0 Service Provider SDK for Microsoft Win32, the Managed Objects ToolKit for rapidly developing management applications, the Mobile Component Instrumentation SDK for laptops, and the DMI 2.0 Service Provider SDK for the Novell NetWare operating system, bringing DMI instrumentation to Servers. Intel has also made available a WfM Design Guide that provides the "how-to" details, examples, and specifications for implementing the WfM capabilities.
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The benefits of WfM Baseline-compliant systems are clear. WfM enables centralized system management: inventory, diagnostics, repair, and configuration, as well as off-hours maintenance to minimize downtime. For example, imagine a user is having a problem with a built-in fax program and calls the company support hotline. After describing the problem, the user continues using the system while a support technician remotely views the user's configuration and discovers that some files are mismatched to the hardware. The technician makes the necessary changes and updates the correct files, all in the background, while the user continues working. Another common scenario is an IT administrator configures a management application to automatically update the office productivity application suite of all eligible users during the middle of the night, without any user intervention.
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The WfM Baseline is easy for OEMs and developers to adopt and deploy, and is based on industry-standard management technology. Desktop Management Interface (DMI) 2.0, for example, is a non-proprietary interface that enables vendors to easily add instrumentation to their products. In addition, DMI is independent of any specific operating system, hardware platform or management protocol. The interface is scaleable to accommodate a wide range of products, and is mappable to existing management and remoting protocols.
The Intel Wired for Management Developers Web site makes it easy for OEMs, IHVs, and ISVs to adopt and deliver management capabilities. The tools available at this site encourage the addition of value-added features on top of the WfM Baseline within its open-specification structure. The Baseline also provides a consistent target for applications developers, including enterprise-wide management solutions.
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Since its initial release in April 1997, the WfM Baseline Specification and its companion, the Network PC (NetPC) Specification, have received wide industry support from a variety of key industry players. Click below for more information on supporting companies, Mobile management information or Server management information.
Evidence of the widespread momentum for the WfM initiative was demonstrated at the third Intel WfM interoperability workshop held in January 1998. Over 20 industry leaders tested the interoperability of manageable platforms and management software, showing that Manageable PCs and Net PCs are here now, as are the tools to manage them (see the press release describing the event).
Intel and Microsoft are working closely to align their management technologies. This is evident in the work that produced the Network PC Specification, which was co-authored by Intel and Microsoft, along with other industry partners. The two are continuing to ensure that next-generation Windows operating systems are compatible with today's management technologies. This includes joint work on the PC 98 System Design Guideline released in September 1997, as well as cooperation on future specifications, such as PC99.
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Specifications have been available for both the WfM Baseline and the Net PC since early 1997. Tools and training have been delivered to the industry. Three interoperability events have been held, showing the momentum behind the WfM Baseline and the arrival of product building blocks. If you are currently designing systems or products for desktop PCs, mobile PCs, or servers, now is the time to design and deliver WfM-based products so that businesses can take advantage of this technology to reduce total cost of ownership.
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Helpful tools, implementation instructions and reference materials can be downloaded from the Wired for Management Developers Web site.
For more information on Mobile manageability, visit the Mobile PC Manageability Web site.
For more information on the Network PC (NetPC), visit the Intel Net PC Web site.
For more information on DMI and the Desktop Management Task Force, Inc. (DMTF), visit the industry DMTF Web site.
For WfM information targeted at IT professionals, visit the Intel Managed PC Web site.
For information on Microsoft's Zero Administration for Windows (ZAW) initiative, visit their Web site.
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* Legal Information © 1998 Intel Corporation
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