(Windows Management Instrumentation) A programming interface (API) in Windows that allows system and network devices to be configured and managed. WMI is based on WBEM, which stores all definitions in a CIM database. WMI uses a subset of SQL called the "WMI Query Language" (WQL) to access managed objects through VBScripts or Microsoft Management Console (MMC) snap-ins. WMI can also be used to access the Active Directory. See WBEM and Microsoft Management Console.