Web-Based Enterprise Management (WBEM)

Definition - What does Web-Based Enterprise Management (WBEM) mean?

Web-based enterprise management (WBEM) is a set of system management industry standards developed to bring uniformity to distributed computing environments.

WBEM is based on Internet standards such as Common Information Model infrastructure (CIM), CIM-XML and Web services management. It is important to note that WBEM is not necessarily Web-based because it is not tied to a specific user interface. WBEM technology allows remote management of applications through an integrated set of standard management tools.

WBEM has been implemented in various operating systems including Apple remote management tool, Mac OS X, SUSE Linux Enterprise Server, Microsoft Windows, Solaris WBEM Services, HP-UX operating system, Red Hat Enterprise Linux and Ubuntu.


Techopedia explains Web-Based Enterprise Management (WBEM)

WBEM was developed by the Distributed Management Task Force (DTMF) in coalition with BMC Software, Cisco, Intel, Microsoft, Compaq, IBM and other companies. WBEM technology allows for the exchange of Common Information Model (CIM) data across a wide range of technologies and platforms through the Web.

WBEM consists of three main components

  • CIM, which provides an infrastructure and a common format for defining management data
  • CIM-XML, which is used for data encoding
  • CIM operations specification, which allows for the mapping of CIM operations using HTTP

Some of the key features of the WBEM standard include:

  • Facilitates the segregation of application management from the client
  • Offers a standard interface for remote application management across a wide variety of applications
  • Allows for remote management of applications through a set of standard tools
  • Enables easy management of many instances of an application as a single unit
  • Allows for the publication of important information about an application to several different applications

WBEM has been implemented in most operating systems, including Mac OSX, Novell's SUS E Linux Enterprose Server, Mircrosoft's Windows Management Instrumentationt technology and Hewlett Packard's HP-UX operating system. Red Hat Linux is also shipped with Open Pegasus, a WBEM implementation.

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