Patent ID: 8176102

Claim:
A machine-implemented method, comprising: exporting a Common Information Module (CIM) File System (CIMFS) as a volume for use with file access protocols; using the CIMFS to control access to a CIM Object Manager (CIMOM); maintaining a CIM class hierarchy for providers and objects of the CIMOM using a hidden directory structure on the volume; processing, by the CMFS, file system operations CIMFS using the hidden directory structure; and setting at least one special attribute for at least one selected from a group consisting of a CIMOM class and a CIMOM object, wherein the special attribute is not defined in a CIM schema corresponding to the at least one selected from the group consisting of the CIMOM class and the CIMOM object, wherein when the special attribute is present, a value associated with a corresponding one selected from the group consisting of the CIMOM class and the CIMOM object is cached on the hidden directory structure, and wherein when a request is received for the value, which is cached in the hidden directory, is served from the hidden directory structure to a requestor that sent the request.