Such programs are used to maintain complex networks and applications and are critical parts of an IT strategy for businesses with LANs and WANs. But the existing management software market is plagued by a number of incompatible data standards and protocols.
Now, a cadre of vendors are hoping to unify existing management standards by making Web browsers the de facto front end to network and systems management programs. The Web-based Enterprise Management standards group has submitted two new technologies--HyperMedia Management Schema and HyperMedia Management Protocol--to the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) in the hopes of creating rules for presenting management data to browsers.
With the new protocols, the group intends to integrate existing standards such as the simple network management protocol, desktop management interface, and Hypertext Transfer Protocol. Compaq Computer, BMC Software, Netscape Communications, Hewlett Packard, Dell Computer, and Tivoli Systems are also throwing their weight behind the standard--and, all combined, that makes for a lot of weight.
White papers describing the proposed Web-based Enterprise Management standards are available on the Web.
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