Using MOF Manager to Customize the SMS_def.mof File

By using MOF Manager to modify the SMS_def.mof file, you can:

Collect any of the classes and properties that exist in the SMS_def.mof file but are not being collected by default.
Stop collecting any class or property that you do not need.
Enable or disable each class. If a class is deactivated, none of its properties are collected. If a class is activated, the key properties of the class are collected, as well as the properties that are enabled (SMS_Report flag is equal to TRUE).

Note If you do modify the SMS_def.mof file or create custom MIF files to add information to the client inventory, consider the performance effects. Adding certain information (for example, adding the Win32_LogEvent class and the Win32_Directory class) can slow system performance appreciably.

Whenever you change the SMS_def.mof file, you must replace the current file with the new file in the following directory on the site server:

\\<ServerName>\SMS_<SiteCode>\Inboxes\Clifiles.src\Hinv

The next hardware inventory will be collected according to your instructions. Do not place custom SMS_def.mof files on the client or the CAP. If you do so, they will be overwritten and only used temporarily. At each inventory cycle, the SMS_def.mof on the server is compared with the copy on the client, and if these copies are different, the copy on the server is replicated to the client and overwrites any custom Management Object Format (MOF) file found there.

The MOF Manager is an easy-to-use tool with an intuitive user interface. This tool is provided in the following directory on the Microsoft BackOffice 4.5 Resource Kit CD-ROM:

%BORK%\SMS\<Platform>\MOFman

To install MOF Manager on a site server

Run the Setup program.
When you first open MOF Manager, you must choose a file to modify.
For best results, modify the SMS_def.mof file on the site server by opening the copy from the following directory:

\\<ServerName>\SMS_<SiteCode>\Inboxes\Clifiles.src\Hinv

Copies of the SMS_def.mof file also exist on the client, but do not modify them. These copies get overwritten each time inventory runs.

To run MOF Manager

On the Start menu, point to Programs Resource Kit and then click Tools Management Console.
Navigate to Microsoft Resource Kits\Systems Management Server\Discovery and Inventory Tools\MOF Manager Tool.
Double-click the Mofman icon.

MOF Manager has a graphical user interface that displays all the attribute classes in the Class List pane and all the individual attributes in the Property List pane. Attributes that are currently set to TRUE (being collected by hardware inventory) appear in green. Attributes that are currently set to FALSE appear in red.

MOF Manager user interface with Win32BIOS class selected in Class List pane. The CodeSet attribute, set to False, is selected in the Property List pane.

To change the status and color of any entry in the Property List pane

Double-click the entry you want to change.

To enable reporting for an attribute class

Click the class in the Class List pane and then click Yes for the Report option.

When the attribute class is reported, only the properties where the Key value is True are reported, unless you enable the other properties manually.

To open a MOF file

Open button in MOF Manager

Click the Open button, and then navigate to the MOF file you want to open. The SMS_def.mof file resides on the site server in the following directory:

\\<ServerName>\SMS_<SiteCode>\Inboxes\Clifiles.src\Hinv

Save the new MOF file only on the site server. As mentioned earlier, MOF files placed anywhere else will be overwritten whenever hardware inventory is run.

To save the new MOF file

Save button in MOF Manager

Click the Save button.

Save the file as SMS_def.mof in the following directory, or save it elsewhere and then move it to this location when you want to use it for inventory:

\\<ServerName>\SMS_<SiteCode>\Inboxes\Clifiles.src\Hinv

To enable or disable all the classes or properties within a class

Options button in MOF Manager

Click the Options button, and then click the option you want:

To enable all classes, point to Class, and then click Report All classes.
To disable all classes, point to Class, and then click Report None.
To enable or disable the current class, click it.
To enable all the properties in the current class, point to Property, and then click Report All.
To disable all the properties in the current class, point to Property, and then click Report None.
To enable or disable the current property, click it.

To change an attribute value

Double-click the attribute.

To change a class value

Double-click the class in the Class List pane, and then double-click each attribute you want to change in the Property List pane.

To collect all the attributes

Click Option, click the class, point to Property, and then click Report All.

To quit MOF Manager

Exit button in MOF Manager

Click the Exit button.

For information about the specific attribute classes and properties in the SMS_def.mof file, see Appendix C, “Hardware Inventory Classes.” You can also find additional information about the SMS_def.mof file in the SMS 2.0 Toolkit.