This interface uses a request/response method over the socket. The application builds and sends an NMI request over the socket. The request specifies the type of information to be received and might contain data filters. The application must issue a receive to get the NMI response over the socket. The NMI response provides either 1) data that satisfies the request (matching any input filters specified on the request), or 2) an error response. A severe formatting error in the application's NMI request results in VTAM® sending a termination record and closing the connection.

The SNA Network Management Interface provides the formatted response data directly to the application over the AF_UNIX socket. This is in contrast to the NMIs described in Real-time TCP/IP network monitoring NMI, which return a token to a response buffer that the application must use as input to one of the TMI copy buffer interfaces, to obtain the formatted response data.

The NMI request and response mappings are provided for programming to this interface.