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SubclassesReferenced ByPropertiesMethods

CIM_PhysicalElement

Superclasses

Subclasses

CIM_PhysicalComponent, CIM_PhysicalMedia, IBMTSESS_V8Pack,CIM_PhysicalPackage, CIM_Card, IBMTSESS_StorageProcessorCard, IBMTSESS_PhysicalPackage, CIM_PhysicalFrame, CIM_Chassis, IBMTSESS_Chassis

Referenced By

CIM_Container, CIM_PhysicalElementLocation, CIM_ProductPhysicalComponent, CIM_Realizes, CIM_SystemPackaging

Description

Subclasses of CIM_PhysicalElement define any component of a System that has a distinct physical identity. Instances of this class can be defined in terms of labels that can be physically attached to the object. All Processes, Files, and LogicalDevices are considered not to be Physical Elements. For example, it is not possible to attach a label to a modem. It is only possible to attach a label to the card that implements the modem. The same card could also implement a LAN adapter. These are tangible Managed SystemElements (usually actual hardware items) that have a physical manifestation of some sort. A ManagedSystem Element is not necessarily a discrete component. For example, it is possible for a single Card (which is a type of PhysicalElement) to host more than one LogicalDevice. The card would be represented by a single PhysicalElement associated with multiple Devices.

Properties

IdTypeRangeDescription
Keys
TagstringMax = 256An arbitrary string that uniquely identifies the Physical Element and serves as the Element's key. The Tag property can contain information such as asset tag or serial number data. The key for PhysicalElement is placed very high in the object hierarchy in order to independently identify the hardware/entity, regardless of physical placement in or on Cabinets, Adapters, etc. For example, a hotswappable or removeable component may be taken from its containing (scoping) Package and be temporarily unused. The object still continues to exist - and may even be inserted into a different scoping container. Therefore, the key for Physical Element is an arbitrary string and is defined independently of any placement or location-oriented hierarchy.  
CreationClassNamestringMax = 256CreationClassName indicates the name of the class or the subclass used in the creation of an instance. When used with the other key properties of this class, this property allows all instances of this class and its subclasses to be uniquely identified.  
Writeable
OtherIdentifyingInfostring-OtherIdentifyingInfo captures additional data, beyond that of Tag information, that could be used to identify a Physical Element. One example is bar code data associated with an Element that also has an asset tag. Note that if only bar code data is available and is unique/able to be used as an Element key, this property would be NULL and the bar code data used as the class key, in the Tag property.  
UserTrackingstring-User-assigned and writeable asset tracking identifier for the PhysicalElement.  
Read only
ElementNamestring-A user-friendly name for the object. This property allows each instance to define a user-friendly name IN ADDITION TO its key properties/identity data, and description information. \nNote that ManagedSystemElement's Name property is also defined as a user-friendly name. But, it is often subclassed to be a Key. It is not reasonable that the same property can convey both identity and a user friendly name, without inconsistencies. Where Name exists and is not a Key (such as for instances of LogicalDevice), the same information MAY be present in both the Name and ElementName properties.  
ManufacturerstringMax = 256The name of the organization responsible for producing the PhysicalElement. This may be the entity from whom the Element is purchased, but this is not necessarily true. The latter information is contained in the Vendor property of CIM_Product.  
ModelstringMax = 256The name by which the PhysicalElement is generally known.  
SKUstringMax = 64The stock keeping unit number for this PhysicalElement.  
SerialNumberstringMax = 256A manufacturer-allocated number used to identify the Physical Element.  
VersionstringMax = 64A string indicating the version of the PhysicalElement.  
PartNumberstringMax = 256The part number assigned by the organization responsible for producing or manufacturing the PhysicalElement.  
PoweredOnboolean-Boolean indicating that the PhysicalElement is powered on (TRUE), or is currently off (FALSE).  
ManufactureDatedatetime-Date that this PhysicalElement was manufactured.  
VendorEquipmentTypestring-A vendor-specific hardware type for the PhysicalElement. It describes the specific equipment type for the element, as defined by the vendor/manufacturer.  
CanBeFRUedboolean-Boolean indicating whether this PhysicalElement can be FRUed (TRUE) or not (FALSE).  
InstallDatedatetime-A datetime value indicating when the object was installed. A lack of a value does not indicate that the object is not installed.  
NamestringMax = 1024The Name property defines the label by which the object is known. When subclassed, the Name property can be overridden to be a Key property.  
OperationalStatusuint16[ ]Unknown
Other
OK
Degraded
Stressed
Predictive Failure
Error
Non-Recoverable Error
Starting
Stopping
Stopped
In Service
No Contact
Lost Communication
Aborted
Dormant
Supporting Entity in Error
Completed
Power Mode
DMTF Reserved
Vendor Reserved
Indicates the current status(es) of the element. Various health and operational statuses are defined. Many of the enumeration's values are self- explanatory. However, a few are not and are described in more detail. \n\"Stressed\" indicates that the element is functioning, but needs attention. Examples of \"Stressed\" states are overload, overheated, etc. \n\"Predictive Failure\" indicates that an element is functioning nominally but predicting a failure in the near future. \n\"In Service\" describes an element being configured, maintained, cleaned, or otherwise administered. \n\"No Contact\" indicates that the monitoring system has knowledge of this element, but has never been able to establish communications with it. \n\"Lost Communication\" indicates that the ManagedSystem Element is known to exist and has been contacted successfully in the past, but is currently unreachable. \n\"Stopped\" and \"Aborted\" are similar, although the former implies a clean and orderly stop, while the latter implies an abrupt stop where the element's state and configuration may need to be updated. \n\"Dormant\" indicates that the element is inactive or quiesced. \n\"Supporting Entity in Error\" describes that this element may be \"OK\" but that another element, on which it is dependent, is in error. An example is a network service or endpoint that cannot function due to lower layer networking problems. \n\"Completed\" indicates the element has completed its operation. This value should be combined with either OK, Error, or Degraded so that a client can till if the complete operation passed (Completed with OK), and failure (Completed with Error). Completed with Degraded would imply the operation finished, but did not complete OK or report an error. \n\"Power Mode\" indicates the element has additional power model information contained in the Associated PowerManagementService association. \nOperationalStatus replaces the Status property on ManagedSystemElement to provide a consistent approach to enumerations, to address implementation needs for an array property, and to provide a migration path from today's environment to the future. This change was not made earlier since it required the DEPRECATED qualifier. Due to the widespread use of the existing Status property in management applications, it is strongly RECOMMENDED that providers/instrumentation provide BOTH the Status and OperationalStatus properties. Further, the first value of OperationalStatus SHOULD contain the primary status for the element. When instrumented, Status (since it is single-valued) SHOULD also provide the primary status of the element.  
StatusDescriptionsstring[ ]-Strings describing the various OperationalStatus array values. For example, if \"Stopping\" is the value assigned to OperationalStatus, then this property may contain an explanation as to why an object is being stopped. Note that entries in this array are correlated with those at the same array index in OperationalStatus.  
StatusstringOK
Error
Degraded
Unknown
Pred Fail
Starting
Stopping
Service
Stressed
NonRecover
No Contact
Lost Comm
Stopped
A string indicating the current status of the object. Various operational and non-operational statuses are defined. This property is deprecated in lieu of OperationalStatus, which includes the same semantics in its enumeration. This change is made for 3 reasons: 1) Status is more correctly defined as an array. This overcomes the limitation of describing status via a single value, when it is really a multi-valued property (for example, an element may be OK AND Stopped. 2) A MaxLen of 10 is too restrictive and leads to unclear enumerated values. And, 3) The change to a uint16 data type was discussed when CIM V2.0 was defined. However, existing V1.0 implementations used the string property and did not want to modify their code. Therefore, Status was grandfathered into the Schema. Use of the Deprecated qualifier allows the maintenance of the existing property, but also permits an improved definition using OperationalStatus.  
CaptionstringMax = 64The Caption property is a short textual description (one- line string) of the object.  
Descriptionstring-The Description property provides a textual description of the object.