Provider API Package

The Provider API packages (com.sun.wbem.provider) and (com.sun.wbem.provider20) contain the provider interfaces that the CIM Object Manager and object providers use to communicate with each other. Providers can use these interfaces to provide the CIM Object Manager dynamic data.

When an application requests dynamic data from the CIM Object Manager, the CIM Object Manager uses these interfaces to pass the request to the provider. Providers are classes that perform the following functions in response to a request from the CIM Object Manager:

• Map information from a managed device to CIM Java classes

  • Get information from a device

  • Pass the information to the CIM Object Manager in the form of CIM Java classes

• Map the information from CIM Java classes to managed device format

  • Get the required information from the CIM Java class

  • Pass the information to the device in native device format

The following table describes the interfaces in the Provider package.

Table 3–6 com.sun.wbem.provider Interfaces

Interface	Description
CIMProvider	Base interface implemented by all providers.
InstanceProvider	Interface implemented by instance providers. Instance providers serve dynamic instances of classes. This is a deprecated interface. Use the InstanceProvider interface in com.sun.wbem.provider20 instead.
MethodProvider	Interface implemented by method providers, which provide implementation for all methods of CIM classes.
PropertyProvider	Interface implemented by property providers, which are used to retrieve and update dynamic properties. Dynamic data is not stored in the CIM Object Manager Repository.

The following table describes the interfaces in the com.sun.wbem.provider20 package.

Table 3–7 com.sun.wbem.provider20 Interfaces

Interface	Description
AssociatorProvider	Interface implemented by providers of dynamic associations.
Authorizable	Maker interface implemented by providers that handle authorization checking instead of relying on the CIM Object Manager to check user authorizations.
InstanceProvider	Interface implemented by instance providers. Instance providers serve dynamic instances of classes.