Abstract: A technique for retrieving data residing on a data server platform using object-oriented programming techniques in a Desktop Management Interface ("DMI") environment is disclosed. In one embodiment, a data inquiry Router object brings together the many functions and data sources required to service client requests into a cohesive structure. Based on the concept that all data requests can be visualized as the instantiation of a class derived from a hyper-generic base class, a symbiotic structure is be generated that encapsulates the basic client-server interface functionality along with the otherwise unrelated information gathering techniques required to satisfy the request. The base class and all classes derived from it are accessed through an open-addressed hash table based request Router object that bores down to the appropriate piece of data acquisition code and performs query validation and return the requested data structure in the form desired.