   DMI (Desktop Management Interface)
                                                                    v2.01
      
      
      Overview
      ========
      
      This document includes:
      
      -  How to get DMI working with your NodeRunner Pro(TM) adapter
      
      -  What DMI is
      
      -  How DMI works
      
      -  What DMI needs
      
      Note: You need a DMI Service Layer installed on your computer.
            Artisoft has provided a combined DOS and Windows Service Layer
            on its BBS.  The file name is DMISL.EXE.
      
      
      How to get DMI working with your NodeRunner Pro adapter
      ============================================================
      
      Assuming you have the DMI Service Layer on your computer, here's
      what you do:
      
      1. Download PRODMI.EXE from the Artisoft BBS.
      
      PRODMI.EXE is a self-extracting file that contains DMI support
      files for your adapter as well as instructions on how to install
      these files.
      
      
      What DMI is
      ===========
      
      The Desktop Management Interface (DMI) is an emerging computer
      industry standard for managing computer components, such as your
      NodeRunner Pro adapter.
      
      Any desktop component -- your hard disk, operating system, software
      application, adapter -- designed to be DMI-compliant can
      dynamically communicate with management applications via the DMI.
      
      |```````````````|        {`````}        |```````````````````|
      | DMI-compliant | <====> { DMI } <====> |   DMI-compliant   |
      |   Component   |        {     }        | Mgmt. Application |
      |               |         `````         |                   |
      ```````````````                         ```````````````````
      
      In effect, the DMI is the middleman between DMI-compliant
      components and DMI-compliant management applications.
      
      
      How DMI works
      ============
      
      At a fundamental level, DMI performs two functions: it stores
      information about components, and it provides the ability to query
      and change that information.
      
      Information about how a desktop component can be managed is stored
      in a Management Information Format (MIF) file. Each DMI-compliant
      component has its own MIF file that includes information like
      location of the component, vendor name, and installation date. When
      you install DMI support for a DMI-compliant component, an entry is
      made into the MIF Database by the Service Layer.
      
      The DMI Service Layer is software installed on desktop computers
      that use DMI. The Service Layer can be part of the computer's
      operating system, or it can be an add-on. For DOS, the Service
      Layer is an add-on loaded by a command in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file,
      just like network adapter drivers or disk-caching software.
      
      DMI-compliant management applications use the Service Layer to
      interact with a desktop component by querying for information
      ("What's the name of the component manufacturer?"), requesting a
      change ("Change your I/O address to 310."), or accepting a message
      ("I'm out of paper.").
      
      
      What DMI needs
      ==============
      
      To use DMI, you need three things:
      
      -  DMI Service Layer
      
      -  DMI-compliant components and support software
      
      -  DMI-compliant management application.
      
      
      DMI Service Layer
      -----------------
      
      The DMI Service Layer can be part of your operating system or an
      add-on. Currently, service layers that work with DOS, OS/2* and
      Windows* 3.1 have been developed by the Desktop Management Task
      Force (DMTF).
      
      Artisoft has provided a combined DOS and Windows Service Layer on its
      BBS. The file name is DMISL.EXE.
      
      
      DMI-compliant components
      ------------------------
      
      Your NodeRunner Pro adapter is a DMI-compliant component. Once
      you install your adapter, you still need to install the DMI support
      files, EPRODMI.MIF and EPRODMI.OVL. See the start of this document
      for more details.
      
      
      DMI-compliant management applications
      -------------------------------------
      
      Management applications are available from a variety of sources.
      For example,  Intel's LANDesk(TM) Manager 2.0 is a DMI-compliant
      management application. For more information about LANDesk Manager,
      get Intel's FaxBack #0128.
      
      *  Third-party trademarks are the property of their respective
         owners.
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