Microsoft Management Console (MMC) is a common management console. That is, it provides a consistent framework that can be used for all network administration programs. This framework integrates into a single console the tools, information, and views of the network required to perform an administrative task. The administrator can then use a console to manage the network, or provide a console to others to perform an administrative task.
MMC does not by itself actually administer any part of your network. It displays consoles that host programs called snap-ins. You use these snap-ins to administer parts of your network. For example, in Internet Information Server 4.0, Internet Service Manager is implemented as a snap-in. When you start Internet Service Manager, an MMC console starts and loads the Internet Service Manager snap-in.
In future releases of all Microsoft BackOffice products, including Windows NT itself, the current administrative tools will be converted to MMC snap-ins. MMC specifications are also available to other companies, and many software vendors will ship products managed by snap-ins.
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