This section presents server requirements related to the Wired for Management (WfM) initiative and the Zero Administration initiative for Windows. The WfM initiative seeks to raise the level of management capabilities on mobile, desktop, and server platforms. The Zero Administration initiative seeks to ensure a controlled, highly manageable enterprise.
The baseline for these requirements is Windows Hardware Instrumentation Implementation Guidelines, Version 1.0 (WHIIG), which also defines the Windows NT-specific requirements of the Wired for Management Baseline Specification, Version 2.0, for hardware instrumentation.
Collectively, the items in this section represent the “Manageability Baseline” requirements.
Tips for implementing management capabilities. For manufacturers who want to implement management capabilities for server systems and components, these are the design steps to pursue:
This section defines requirements related to centralized control and configurability and BIOS support for system manageability.
Recommended
The complete mechanism for remote new system setup is defined in Network PC System Design Guidelines, Version 1.0b or later.
If implemented, there must be a way for this capability to be enabled or disabled by way of administrative control to maintain server security.
See also the requirement for the preboot execution environment in requirement #11, “System BIOS meets boot support requirements.”
Recommended
Devices provided as expansion devices should be capable of being remotely managed, ensuring that control and TCO policies can be realized. The requirements for remote management capabilities are defined in “Manageability Component Instrumentation Requirements” later in this chapter.
For example, for any implementation of a floppy drive, the floppy drive should be capable of being remotely disabled as a boot selection and should be able to be locked.
Certain devices are not required to have remote disabling capabilities, including the primary hard disk drive, the network adapter, and any standard devices that use legacy connections, such as a keyboard or pointing device that uses a PS/2 connection. However, it must be possible to use permissions, policies, or other methods to remotely manage capabilities such as hard disk access or to control certain users’ ability to change the MAC address or configuration settings for the network adapter.
If implemented, there must be a way to enable and disable this capability by way of administrative control to maintain server security.
See also the requirement for the BIOS to ensure secure preboot access to hardware components in requirement #11, “System BIOS meets boot support requirements.”
Platform management information requirements are defined for two key areas:
Required
These guidelines are defined in Windows Hardware Instrumentation Implementation Guidelines, Version 1.0.
Required
Requirements and recommendations related to implementing WMI for Windows NT 5.0 are defined in WHIIG.
Support for Windows hardware instrumentation, CIM, and Win32 extension schema objects and data must be implemented as defined in WHIIG.
Required
The management information service providers must be enabled on servers as defined in WHIIG.
Also, newly developed applications for managing WBEM-capable systems must comply with the appropriate CIM schema specifications and Windows application programming models.
Recommended
Windows NT 5.0 will be able to surface SMBIOS 2.1 static table data into WBEM. System designers can provide platform-specific static information at boot time using this mechanism.