Below are some Frequently asked Questions about OpenManage Client Instrumentation (OMCI). They are grouped by release version. Use the "Start a new thread" option at the bottom of the page to ask questions that are not listed in the FAQ.

OMCI 8.0 FAQ's

Q: When was OMCI 8.0 Released?
A: September 2010. A blog posting for the OMCI 8 release is located here: http://en.community.dell.com/dell-blogs/enterprise/b/tech-center/archive/2010/09/22/dell-releases-openmanage-client-instrumentation-omci-8-0.aspx

Q: Do I need to upgrade to OMCI 8.x to support my Dell Precision, Latitude, and OptiPlex systems?
A: Not required at this time (October 2010). There are no significant new features in OMCI 8.0 over OMCI 7.8 that require you to upgrade at this time. However, this is the perfect time to test internal processes with this new build before it is really needed.

Q: OK, so when will I need to upgrade to OMCI 8.x?
A: Any new Dell models introduced after October 2010 will not be officially supported by OMCI 7.x. So, for official support and to take advantage of any new system features exposed by OMCI, you will need to upgrade to 8.x.

Q: Why are my Workstations with OMCI 8.0 installed appearing in the ‘Servers’ Group in Dell OpenManage IT Assistant?
A: OMCI 8.0 is based off the same code based used for Dell servers and has an SNMP plug-in. If you have SNMP enabled on your Dell client system and OMCI 8.0 installed, the SNMP information will identify the system as a server to IT Assistant. Dell is looking into solutions for this.

Q: Why did OMCI 8 create a new namespace?
A: OMCI 8 is focused on enabling standards. The new namespace is based off of a newer CIM Schema than OMCI 7 and implements multiple standards-based profiles as defined by the DMTF organization.

Q: Should I be looking at root/dcim/sysman instead of root/dellomci or in addition to it?
A: Going forward, all new features and functionality will be enabled in the “root/dcim/sysman” namespace.
The “root/dellomci” namespace is deprecated. Read operations are supported, write operations are not. It will be removed in the next major release of OMCI (version 9).

Q: Does that mean we will have to modify our MOFs to look in a different spot?
A: Yes, Dell will be providing a new MOF file to enable ConfigMgr integration.

Q: Will systems that are OMCI 8 compatible and have OMCI 8 installed have the Dell values written in one spot in WMI and older Dells that are only OMCI 6 or 7 compatible have their Dell info stored still in root/dellomci or will OMCI 8 be writing into 2 spots in WMI to maintain backwards compatibility?
A: OMCI 8 is supported on systems that are several generations old as well as the currently shipping systems (October 2010). Please see the release information to determine if the systems you would like to install OMCI on are supported (links to the releases are located here: http://en.community.dell.com/dell-blogs/enterprise/b/tech-center/archive/2010/09/22/dell-releases-openmanage-client-instrumentation-omci-8-0.aspx).