Introduction 11
• DELL_CMInventory
• DELL_CMOS
• DELL_CMProductInfo
The CIM_ManagedSystemElement class is the base class for the system
element hierarchy from which all other CIM classes are derived. As a result,
CIM_ManagedSystemElement has no parent. Examples of managed system
elements include software components such as files, devices such as hard
drives and controllers, and physical subcomponents of devices such as chip
sets and cards. For the CIM_ManagedSystemElement properties, see
Caption, CreationClassName, Description, Name, and Status in Table 1-1
The Dell-defined classes are not defined in the official schema by the DMTF,
the industry group that defines the standards for CIM, and hence do not have
parent classes. CIM_Dependency does not have a parent class because it is a
relationship or association between two managed system elements.
Parent Classes
Most classes in the dccim32 provider document both a Class Name and a
Parent Class property. The parent class is the class from which any given class
inherits its core properties. For example, the CIM_Controller class has the
CIM_LogicalDevice class as its parent, and has various types of controllers
(CIM_ParallelController, CIM_SerialController) as its children.
Classes That Describe Relationships
Classes that derive from CIM_Dependency have CIM_Dependency as their
parent class, but they are documented in terms of antecedent and dependent
elements in a relationship rather than in terms of common properties.
Consider the following relationship between two
CIM_ManagedSystemElements:
The CIM_PackageCurrentSensor monitors an entire physical package, such
as all the components contained in a given system chassis. The
CIM_PhysicalPackage is dependent on the CIM_PackageCurrentSensor for
this monitoring function.
Antecedent CIM_PackageCurrentSensor
Dependent CIM_PhysicalPackage