Apparatus and methods for managing the display of SMBIOS data relating to the configuration and components of a computing system

A method for creating a template file for use in interpreting and displaying SMBIOS data relating to the configuration and components of a computing system to a user via a display terminal comprising:

• providing a database of SMBIOS structures stored on a computer-readable medium containing data related to the configuration of the computing system and components of the computing system;
• providing a utility stored on a computer-readable medium, which in response to commands from a user, retrieves data from the database and displays the data on the display terminal;
• and
• creating a template file stored on a computer-readable medium separate from the utility, containing information for interpreting and displaying the data retrieved by the utility from the database, wherein the template file eliminates the requirement that the information for interpreting and displaying the data stored in the database be contained in the utility.

A system management apparatus for use with system management BIOS software for retrieving and displaying SMBIOS data relating to the configuration and components of a computing system to a user via a display terminal comprising:

• system management BIOS software stored on a computer-readable medium comprising:
• a database of SMBIOS structures containing data related to the configuration of the computing system and components of the computing system;
• and
• information for interpreting and displaying the data stored in said database;
• a utility stored on a computer-readable medium, which in response to commands from a user, retrieves data from said database and displays the data on the display terminal;
• and
• a template file stored on a computer-readable medium separate from said utility, containing said information for interpreting and displaying the data retrieved by said utility from said database, wherein said template module eliminates the requirement that said information for interpreting and displaying the data stored in said database be contained in the utility.