MIF Setup Help Contents

	What is MIF Setup? MIF Setup is a software application that allows you to install hardware and software component MIF files into a database on a computer or network server.
	How do I use MIF Setup? What is DMI? What is MIF? Companies supporting DMI Intel's growing list of DMI-ready products Buttons MIF Setup command buttons


What is DMI?

The Desktop Management Interface (DMI) was developed in 1992 by the Desktop Management Task Force (DMTF).  The DMTF goal was to develop an industry-wide standard for managing desktop computers, servers, software products, and peripherals.  The DMI is an open-architecture standard that provides consistent management information across operating systems, environments, hardware platforms and architectures.

How is DMI used?

DMI does not replace network protocols.  It works with all existing protocols, such as SNMP, CMIP, and other proprietary systems, to provide consistent information to your system or network manager.  The DMI structure is also independent of specific processors, hardware platforms, or operating systems.

The diagram below shows the structure of the DMI Software.  The MIF files included with MIF Setup will be installed into the MIF Database directory that resides on your system's hard drive or network.  To enable the DMI structure, your system needs to have the DMI software installed and running.  The software will access DMI-ready hardware and software components and communicate that information to your management application.

What does my system require to use DMI?

Since DMI is a new industry standard, systems manufactured before 1995 will not have DMI software installed.  Soon nearly all computers will come with the DMI software installed at the time of purchase.  Run MIF Setup to see if the DMI is running on your system.

Your system requires all of the following to use DMI:

•	DMI software agent, such as Intel's LANDesk [image] Management Suite 2.0, that runs in the background on your computer or network server.

•	DMI-ready products that contain MIF files.

•	DMI-compatible management application such as LANDesk software.

What are the benefits of DMI to a user?

Powerful manageability for products attached to or installed in a computer system.  The DMI structure is a quick way to obtain information about your system's applications or components.  This information can range from the type and version of software within your system, to how to resolve minor component problems.  The information contained in the MIF files varies with each product, since product manufacturers define the manageable attributes for each component or application.

Smart installation of software.  Other software applications can view information about your DMI-ready applications by accessing the DMI software.  The DMI structure makes it easy to install new software because you don't have to know the technical information about your computer.

Easy customer support.  Each MIF file contains useful customer support information such as application or component versions, available system RAM, or troubleshooting tips.  You no longer have to search through several system files or component manuals for this information, because it's all available in one MIF directory.

What are the benefits of DMI to a system or network manager?

Reduced effort managing computers on the network.  The DMI structure creates an easy way to remotely view system configurations.  For example, you can see what software is installed on each computer on your network, or how each computer is configured.

Remote distribution of software.  You can install, configure, and update software for multiple networked users from one remote workstation using the DMI structure.

Remote system troubleshooting.  You no longer have to travel to a remote site to fix problems common to computer systems.  The DMI structure allows you to fix errors in any DMI-ready application from any workstation on the network.

Lower support costs.  DMI can lower customer support and management costs by proactively dealing with management applications to resolve the problems as they occur.

See Also

What is MIF?

Companies supporting DMI

Intel's growing list of DMI-ready products


What is MIF?

The Management Information Format (MIF) is an ASCII text file that describes the manageable attributes of a computer's hardware and software components.

Each MIF file contains the manageable attributes of one product only.  MIF files can contain product information as simple as the Component ID group, or as complex as needed for product manageability.  Manufacturers must define and provide MIF files for their products.

How are MIF files used?

When you install a manageable product into a system, the information in the product's MIF file is added to your computer or network MIF database.  Once a component is installed, the harware's  component interface  or the management application's management interface communicates this information to the DMI software.

The MIF file that comes with this product contains customer support information that includes troubleshooting information and product tips to help you perform tasks that are unique to your product (for exaqmple, StorageExpress [image] system 's "Reuse a Tape").  MIF Setup allows easy installation of MIF files, to prepare your software applications or hardware components for use with the DMI software.  If you don't run MIF Setup, your system components will not be DMI-ready.

See Also

What is DMI?

Companies supporting DMI

Intel's growing list of DMI-ready products


How are MIF files installed?
How do I use MIF Setup?

The MIF Setup program makes MIF file installation quick and easy.

To install a MIF file

1 Double-click on the MIF Setup icon.
2	Follow the instructions in the MIF Setup window.

•	If you are installing MIF Setup for the first time, click the Next button to select the drive and directory you want to store your MIF files in.

The Next button does not appear in the MIF Setup window if you already have a MIF database on your computer or network server.

•	If you are using MIF Setup for the first time, MIF Setup creates a DMI directory in the directory of your choice, and copies the MIF file into a MIF subdirectory.

Changes MIF Setup Makes to your System

•	Installs the MIF file for your new program in the MIF directory you specify.

•	Modifies your AUTOEXEC.BAT file to include a new environment variable, DMIDIR, which contains the pathname of the MIF directory you specify.

See Also

What is DMI?

What is MIF?

MIF Setup command buttons

Companies supporting DMI

Intel's growing list of DMI-ready products


Companies Currently Supporting DMI
Companies supporting DMI (October 1994)

Accton Technologies	Madge Networks Ltd
Acsys Incorporated	McAfee & Associates
Advanced Micro Devices	Microsoft Corporation
American Power Conversion	National Semiconductor
Apple Computers	NEC Technologies, Incorporated
Applied Systems Engineering	Novell
Artisoft	Oce-USA, Incorporated
AST Research, Incorporated	Olicom AS
AT&T	Palm Associates
Bay Networks	Peregine Systems, Incorporated
BMC Software	QMS, Incorporated
Cabletron Systems	Racal Interlan
Canon Information Systems	Reliability Systems
Compaq Computer Corporation	Saber Software
Data General Corporation	Spry, Incorporated
DCA	Standard Micro Systems
Dell Computers	SunSoft
Digital Equipment Corporation	Symantec Corporation
D-Link Systems, Incorporated	Systemsoft Corporation
DP-Tek	Tally Systems
Frye Computer Systems	Tektronix, Incorporated
Gateway 2000	Thomas-Conrad Corporation
Hewlett Packard	3-Com
IBM	Tricord Systems, Incorporated
Intel Corporation	Tulip Computers International
Lexmark International, Incorporated	Walker Richter & Quinn, Incorporated
ICL Personal Systems OY	Zenith Data Systems


Intel's growing list of DMI-ready products
Intel's growing list of DMI-ready products (March 1995)

Contact Intel's Sales Information Center for PC and Network products at +800-538-3373, for information about Intel's growing line of DMI-ready software products.

•	LANDesk [image] Management Suite V2.0

•	NetportExpress [image] Print Servers V2.52

•	Net SatisFAXtion [image] V3.01

•	StorageExpress [image] Backup Servers V1.5

•	EtherExpress [image] PRO/10 Adapters

•	EtherExpress [image] PRO/100 Adapters

•	TokenExpress [image] PRO Adapters

•	LANDesk [image] Conferencing Manager V1.8

•	ProShare [image] Personal Conferencing System 150

•	ProShare [image] Personal Conferencing System 200


Manageable attributes

Manageable attributes are characteristics of a component.  For example, the clock speed of a processor chip is one manageable attribute of a chip.


DMI management capabilities

Managing a desktop computer, server, or its software means a user or manager can access information from one directory on a system, the DMI directory, to collect information about all the software and hardware within a system.  This information is in a text file with a .MIF extension.  Each MIF file contains useful customer support information such as application or component versions, available system RAM, and troubleshooting tips.

For more information about DMI management capabilities and DMTF, access the Intel Internet Web Server.


Components

A component can be:

•	a hardware or software element

•	a part of a computer system

•	a portion of an application

Some examples of components are hard disks, printers, network interface cards, and software applications.


Component ID

A component ID describes the manageable product. MIF files contain several component ID groups so manufacturers can arrange component attributes into logical sets for easy identification by the DMI software.


Component interface

The component interface (CI) is the part of the DMI software that handles communication between manageable products and the DMI software.


DMI software

DMI software is a system-resident program that manages DMI activities. It can be purchased with Intel's LANDesk software or any other DMI management package. LANDesk software provides installation and operating instructions for the DMI software.


Management interface

The management interface is the part of the DMI software that handles communication between itself and management applications.


DMI-ready products

DMI-ready software and hardware contain MIF files, ASCII text files that describes the manageable attributes of a computer's hardware and software components.


DMTF

The Desktop Management Task Force is a group of eight computing industry leaders that includes Microsoft Corp., Novell Inc., Intel Corp., Hewlett-Packard Company, IBM Corp., Digital Equipment Corp., SunSoft, and Bay Networks.


MIF database

The MIF database is a collection of MIF files located on a system or network.


MIF files

The Management Information Format (MIF) is an ASCII text file that describes the manageable attributes of a computer's hardware and software components.


Copyright

Copyright © 1995, Intel Corporation. All rights reserved.


MIF Setup command buttons

MIF Setup offers the following command buttons for easy installation of MIF files into the MIF database on your computer or network server:

Button	Function
	Use this button to set the path and directory where you want your MIF files to be stored.
	Use this button to return to the previous dialog box.
	Use this button to end your MIF Setup session. You can also use the Close command on the Control menu.
	Use this button to specify the following options: File Name Type or select the filename with the extension displayed in List Files of Type box. List Files of Type Type or select the type of file you want to install (extension.mif). Drives Select the drive that contains the MIF file you want to install. Directories Select the directory that contains the MIF file you want to install. Network... Connect to a network location to assign the MIF database to a new path and drive on your network.


MIF directory

The default MIF directory is:

C:\DMI\DOS\MIFS


DMI directory (DMIDIR)

The default environment variable is:

DMIDIR=C:\DMI\DOS\MIFS


Internet Web Server

Type the following to access the Internet Web Server:

HTTP://www.Intel.com/

Search for DMTF.