The Microsoft Management Console (MMC) is an ISV-extensible common management console. It provides a common environment for snap-ins, which provide the actual management functionality.
A Standalone snap-in is a snap-in that provides functionality even if loaded alone in a console that has no other snap-ins.
An Extension snap-in is a snap-in that provides functionality only when invoked by a parent snap-in. Extension snap-ins can add nodes to the namespace, or just extend existing nodes with new menus, toolbars, property pages, wizards, or Help.
You can add items to a console that are not contained in any snap-in. First click an item on the console tree and then, under New on the Action menu, select "Folder," "Link to a Web Address," "General Control," or "Monitoring Controls." If these don't appear on the Action menu, try selecting a different location on the console tree.
An .MSC file constitutes an administrative tool. Once an administrator has assembled a tool from various snap-ins, he or she can save the tool to an .MSC file. The .MSC file can be sent to another administrator who can open it to recreate the tool.
Click "Add/Remove Snap-in..." on the Console menu to add snap-ins.
Do you want current information about MMC and about future releases? Click "Product News," on the Help menu, under Microsoft on the Web.
Do you want to know what snap-ins are available for MMC? Click "Snap-in Gallery" on the Help menu, under Microsoft on the Web.
Do you have an MMC question that might have been answered already? Click "Frequently Asked Questions" on the Help menu, under Microsoft on the Web.
Do you have a question or comment about Microsoft Management Console? Click "Send Feedback" on the Help menu, under Microsoft on the Web.
The default location on the Start menu for consoles provided with the operating system is under Programs, in "Administrative Tools."
The default location on the Start menu for consoles you create is under Programs, in "My Administrative Tools."
The administrative functionality available to a console is organized hierarchically by the snap-ins, controls, and web pages you add to the console tree. Each window in a console provides a view of this tree.
Your selection in a console window determines which commands appear on the Action menu. Right-clicking an item pops up these commands for the selected item.
To view status information provided by snap-ins in your console, select "Description Bar" on the Action menu.
Hide or display the console tree for your snap-in by clicking "Scope Pane" on the Action menu.
When the Console Root is not visible in any window, you can display the entire console tree in a new window by clicking "New Window" on the Window menu.
To simultaneously manage several computers on your network, you can add a snap-in repeatedly to a console. Just configure each addition for a different computer. To create separate administrative views for different computers, add a folder for each computer to the console tree. Then group snap-ins for a computer under one folder.
A snap-in is software that makes up the smallest unit of console extension. One snap-in represents one unit of management behavior.
