Active metapolicies invoke specially stated actions to make changes on a managed object and are triggered by events which notify the perturbation of the system state. If the management system already supports enforcement of actions by receiving an event and if all the requirements described before are implemented, no additional changes for active metapolicy support should be required.
Passive metapolicies are guidelines for the operation of the management system. With the help of them, the management system makes provisions for not getting into an impermissible state. Consequently, the management system must consider passive metapolicies before it executes an operation. This will cause an alteration of the management system in order to consider the passive metapolicies.