Web Services Management Specification Released, Enabling Scalable and Interoperable Management Solutions

Strategic Insights -

The computing industry has witnessed significant advancements in recent years, particularly in the realm of IT management. To address the rising complexity and cost of managing IT systems, a group of leading companies including AMD, Dell, Intel Corporation, Microsoft Corp., and Sun Microsystems Inc. have come together to release a new Web services specification called Web Services Management (WS-Management). This specification aims to provide a common, standard way for systems to access and exchange management information, empowering IT managers to remotely monitor and control devices on their networks.

Key Takeaways:

  • WS-Management is a Web services specification that addresses the cost and complexity of IT management by providing a common way for systems to access and exchange management information.
  • This specification supports a full spectrum of usage scenarios, from managing silicon components and handheld devices to PCs, servers, and large-scale datacenters.
  • WS-Management provides a valuable foundation for the next generation of management applications, enabling IT managers to remotely access devices on their networks, regardless of their status (powered down or otherwise unavailable).
  • The participating companies, including AMD, Dell, Intel, Microsoft, and Sun Microsystems, have committed to supporting WS-Management in their respective products and services.
  • The WS-Management specification has been presented to the Distributed Management Task Force (DMTF) membership for further development and adoption.
  • WS-Management is designed to take advantage of the rich security, reliability, and transactional features of the Web services architecture, ensuring secure and reliable management of IT systems.

Statistics:

  • The participating companies have recognized the importance of WS-Management in addressing the rising complexity and cost of IT management.
  • WS-Management is designed to support a wide range of usage scenarios, from small handheld devices to large-scale datacenters.
  • The WS-Management specification provides a common way for systems to access and exchange management information, preventing the need for custom or proprietary management solutions.
  • WS-Management extends the compatibility of systems from multiple vendors, enabling seamless management of heterogeneous environments.
  • The WS-Management specification has been published at the following locations, and the participating companies plan to support it in their future products and services.

Sources:

  • David Mendlen, director of Web services at Microsoft: "Web services are the preferred architecture for building the next generation of application protocols."
  • Colin Evans, director of the System Software Lab at Intel: "Providing the industry and our customers with a solid, open-standards-based management model demonstrates Intel's commitment to Web services and to system management."
  • AMD: "AMD is committed to meeting the needs of enterprise customers that want to reduce the cost of managing their data center assets."
  • CA: "The Web services model is a natural fit for the management of the on-demand enterprise, since customers need to be able to link managed resources and management technologies on an any-to-any basis."
  • Dell: "Dell is committed to driving standards in all areas that help simplify systems management for customers."
  • Intel: "WS-Management is a natural component of the Intel(R) Cross-Platform Manageability Program."
  • Microsoft: "Today IT professionals spend valuable time and resources reactively managing their infrastructures and manually connecting tools."
  • Sun Microsystems: "Our customers are asking us to drive industry standards to improve datacenter efficiency and interoperability."