The Common Information Model (CIM) agent is a set of standards that is developed by the Distributed Management Task Force (DMTF).
The CIM provides an open approach to the design and implementation of storage systems, applications, databases, networks, and devices.
The CIM specifications provide the language and the methodology for describing management data. For example, CIM schema 2.7 for Managing Storage Arrays specifies how to configure the management environment for data management in a common way. The CIM defines common object classes, associations, and methods. Member vendors can use those objects and extend them to specify how data can be processed and organized in a specific managed environment.