Windows Management Technologies

In addition to the Microsoft Installer engine, the Automatic Update patch installer agent, and Software Update Services 1.0 server utility, Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 ship with many other built-in or downloadable management technologies, including the following:

Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) allows management applications, such as scripts, to get or set information about a computer’s resources. Computer resources include the Windows OS services, utilities, performance counters, event logs, physical and logical hardware, and applications. (WMI is also used by SMS and MOM management agents.)

Windows Scripting Host (WSH) enables management and other scripts written in JScript or VBScript to access WMI, applications, and OS services and utilities.

Active Directory Group Policy Objects (GPO) are used to centrally maintain standard Windows PC configurations.

Automated Deployment Services (ADS) and Remote Installation Services (RIS) make it easier for administrators to automate installation and configuration of Windows and applications on “bare-metal” computers—computers that do not have an OS already installed. (Although Microsoft has not publicly stated it, Directions on Microsoft believes the two technologies will be merged in Longhorn.)