Share via

2.3.2 CIM Reference Types

  • Article

A CIM reference type is a string that contains the CIM object path to another CIM object, as specified in [DMTF-DSP0004] section 5.3.2. The CIM reference type is essentially a pointer type that allows CIM objects to reference one another.

Because references are encoded as strings, a provision is included in the encoding to ensure that they can be distinguished semantically.

Any reference type:

  • MUST be encoded as an Encoded-String, as specified in ABNF, and MUST conform to the CIM object reference syntax, as specified in [DMTF-DSP0004] section 5.3.2.

  • MUST contain a CIM qualifier whose name is CIMTYPE, whose type is string, and whose value is "ref:<cimClass>" where "<cimClass>" MUST be the name of the CIM class that is being referenced. If the reference is untyped, "<cimClass>" MUST be set to the string value of "ref:object".

The CIMTYPE CIM qualifier MUST be specified.