Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) is a component of the Microsoft® Windows® operating system and is the Microsoft implementation of Web-Based Enterprise Management (WBEM), which is an industry initiative to develop a standard technology for accessing management information in an enterprise environment. WMI offers a variety of programming interfaces such as C++, open database connectivity (ODBC), Microsoft® Visual Basic®, or HTML that developers can use to customize management applications. System administrators can use WMI by using scripts to automate administration tasks. WMI can integrate with Windows components, such as Active Directory® directory service to allow for a unified management experience.