Users Guide

Using the WS-MAN Interface 197
Using the WS-MAN Interface
The iDRAC6 firmware provides network accessible management using the
Web Services for Management (WS-MAN) protocol. WS-MAN is a transport
mechanism for information exchange. WS-MAN provides a universal
language for devices to share data so they can be managed more easily.
WS-MAN is an essential part of a remote system management solution, but it
is not the only part.
WS-MAN uses HTTPS to keep management traffic secure. The client must
log in using local or Microsoft
®
Active Directory
®
user privileges to
authenticate the session. HTTPS uses the Secure Socket Layer (SSL) on
IP port 443 to secure communications.
The data available through WS-MAN is a subset of data provided by the
iDRAC6 instrumentation interface mapped to the following Distributed
Management Task Force (DMTF) profiles and Dell extension profiles.
The use of WS-MAN to convey DMTF CIM-based management information
is the most common use of WS-MAN. CIM defines the types of management
information that may be manipulated in a managed system. It provides the
objects that the client and service talk about over the wire. WS-MAN does
specify some standard actions that may be performed on the management
objects. For example, using WS-MAN, a client system can find a collection of
management objects, get the contents of a management object, and can set
its contents to new values. WS-MAN provides the verbs of the management
conversation; CIM classes and properties are the nouns, the objects that are
acted on by the verbs.
To ensure interoperability between clients and services, DMTF and Dell
further specify a standard minimum vocabulary of CIM classes, properties,
and behaviors that all parties must understand. These DMTF and
Dell-specific Profiles define a set of conventions that must be implemented
by all standard-compliant services. Therefore, all clients can depend on these
conventions to function correctly.