Look out for SML

SML may be the most useful standard you've never heard of. The Service Modeling Language standard, an XML-based schema to define information about hardware, software, applications and services, aims to improve information-sharing among third-party IT management products. Backed by many large vendors including Cisco, IBM, Dell, EMC, Microsoft and Sun, SML will make it easier to share information between disparate IT tools and will provide a foundation for automating common tasks like configuration management, asset monitoring and application positioning. The only thing left to do is to get the standard approved, and it's only a matter of time now.

Read more about SML:
- read the article at Network Computing