Patent ID: 7188121

Claim:
A provider module for an information system, wherein the provider module is operable to provide an interface to each of a plurality of management modules, the provider module comprising: a register manager operable to maintain a register of interfaced management modules; and a router operable to use the register to provide routing of a management request to a management module; wherein, in response to receiving the management request, the router is configured to use at least one of management module, class and instance information from the management request to access the register to determine a routing for the management request to a management module appropriate to process the management request; wherein, in response to receiving a register module request from a management module, the register manager is configured to add the management module to the register and to return a handle for the management module to the management module; wherein, in response to receiving a register class request from a management module, which register class request includes the handle for the management module, the register manager is configured to add a class definition for the management module to the register and to return a handle for the class to the management module; and wherein, response to receiving a register instance request from a management module, which register class request includes the handle for the management module and a handle for a class, the register manager is configured to add an instance definition for the management module to the register and to return a handle for the instance of the management module.