The Microsoft Management Console (MMC) is an ISV-extensible common management console. MMC provides no management behavior, but provides a common environment for Snap-Ins, which provide the actual management functionality.
A Snap-In is software that makes up the smallest unit of console extension. One Snap-In represents one unit of management behavior. Technically, Snap-Ins are OLE In-proc servers.
A Standalone Snap-In is a Snap-In that provides functionality even if loaded alone in a console that has no other Snap-Ins.
An Extension Snap-In is a Snap-In that provides functionality only when invoked by a parent Snap-In. Extension Snap-Ins can add nodes to the namespace, or just extend existing nodes with new menus, toolbars, property pages, wizards, or Help.
An .MSC file constitutes a tool. Once an administrator has assembled a tool from various Snap-Ins, he or she can save the tool to an .MSC file. The .MSC file can be opened again later, and sent to another administrator who can open it and recreate the tool.
See "Add/Remove Snap-ins..." in the Console menu to add Snap-ins.
Microsoft Management Console support questions should be directed to manageit@microsoft.com.
Check our website, http://www.microsoft.com/management, for updated MMC information.
Read our newsgroup, microsoft.public.management.mmc, for the latest MMC news.
Microsoft has over 80 Snap-Ins currently under development!
It will soon be a BackOffice logo requirement that administration be done from an MMC snapin!
