Abstract: Some embodiments provide a protocol for a first device to obtain information about one or more data entities from a second device. In some embodiments, the first device is a client device, while the second device is a server device. In some embodiments, the protocol specifies a request that includes an entity identifying parameter set and a description of the desired information for each entity that the second device identifies based on the entity identifying parameter set. In some embodiments, the protocol specifies a response from the second device includes a set of entities that were identified based on the entity identifying parameter set, and for each entity in the set of entities, a list of responses that includes a set of data values or data objects for each information component set that the first device requested for the identified entities.