WMI stands for Windows Management Instrumentation. It’s provides a consistent way to manage Windows boxes across the OS versions. WMI is Microsoft’s implementation of Web Based Enterprise Management (WBEM).

Web Based Enterprise Management is an Industry initiative to provide management of systems, networks, users and applications across multiple vendor environments. WBEM simplifies system management, providing better access to both software and hardware data that is readable by WBEM compliant applications.

The Windows Management Instrumentation Downloads page contains among other things, a Tools and Tutorial section that looks useful. I’ve only barely scratched the surface on this stuff, but my goal is to be able to manipulate WMI objects using WSH scripts.