SML is the draft variant of a new service modeling language that Microsoft and nine other companies will implement in order to enhance management workflow when it comes to the assembly of heterogeneous systems. The specification has at its basis Microsoft's past work on the System Definition Model that was also aimed to deliver simplified solutions that would bring infrastructure benefits via its vendor's Dynamic Systems Initiative. With the SML specification, the Redmond Company was joined by IBM, BEA Systems Inc., BMC Software Inc., Cisco Systems Inc., Dell Inc., EMC Corp., Hewlett-Packard Co., Intel Corp. and Sun Microsystems Inc.

Microsoft representatives have stated that they expect nothing less than the generalization of SML, and that the 10 initial companies that have offered their support for the modeling language expect additional members in an effort to standardize the specification. As of now, the ten companies will be introducing the draft specification to the IT community via their websites in search of comprehensive feedback that would lead to the finalization of the SML. The service modeling language is scheduled for submission by the end of 2006 and will deliver a standard format for managing hardware, software and IT services.

The Redmond Company has announced that it has included SML elements in the Visual Studio 2005 tools and that the service modeling language will be introduced in its System Center management tools and in its Windows Server operating system due next year.