The Common Information Model (CIM) provides a model for describing and accessing data across an enterprise. CIM is a standard developed by a consortium of independent hardware and software vendors, including IBM®, called the Distributed Management Task Force (DMTF). CIM data is defined by standardized CIM classes. Class definitions define properties for each class. For example, some properties of the CIM_EthernetPort (Ethernet interface) class are interface type, enabled state, and speed. Platforms can extend the standardized CIM classes by defining their own platform-specific classes and their properties.
CIM data instrumentation is supplied by CIM components called providers. The providers gather data on a system in support of the CIM classes. Clients can retrieve the data through the Common Information Model Object Manager. On z/OS®, this function is provided by the z/OS CIM server.
Communications Server supplies CIM providers for the CIM classes shown in Table 1. Only IPv4 data is currently supported. To support data from eight TCP/IP stacks on an MVS™ image, the TCP/IP stack name has been added to the IBMzOS_EthernetPort and IBMzOS_IPProtocolEndpoint classes as a platform-specific property.
For more information about CIM, the z/OS CIM server, the properties support for the Communications Server CIM classes, and other z/OS CIM provider support, see z/OS Common Information Model User's Guide.
| CIM base class name | z/OS class name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| CIM_EthernetPort | IBMzOS_EthernetPort | IPv4 Ethernet interfaces defined to the TCP/IP stack |
| CIM_IPProtocolEndpoint | IBMzOS_IPProtocolEndpoint | IPv4 IP addresses defined to the TCP/IP stack |
| CIM_PortImplementsEndpoint | IBMzOS_NetworkPortImplementsIPEndpoint | IPv4 Ethernet interfaces and their associated IP addresses |
| CIM_SystemDevice | IBMzOS_CSNetworkPort | MVS system and its associated IPv4 Ethernet interfaces |
This CIM provider function is in the /usr/lpp/tcpip/lib directory. There is no configuration necessary to activate this CIM provider support. The z/OS CIM server must be configured and activated for the data supported by the Communications Server CIM providers to be available to clients. The z/OS Communications Server CIM classes are shipped with the z/OS CIM server. The files that define these classes and any platform specific properties are also installed in the /usr/lpp/tcpip/mof directory.
There are security configuration considerations that govern the ability of providers to gather CIM data. For more information about security configuration, see CIM provider access control.