Creating a WMI Moniker: Including the Security Parameter - 02 May 2008

To include a Security parameter in your WMI moniker, you need to include a security settings component, as in the following line of code:

 Set WMIService = GetObject_  
  ("winmgmts:{impersonationLevel=_  
  impersonate,(Security)}!\" & _ 
strSrv & "rootcimv2")

The following line of code shows what a typical moniker looks like:

 Set WMIService = GetObject_  
  ("winmgmts:\" & strSrv & _  
  "rootcimv2")

A moniker has three basic parts, beginning with the mandatory prefix, winmgmts. The moniker then includes a security settings component, which is the section enclosed in the curly brackets in the first example above. The security settings component is typically optional, but it’s required when you’re undertaking privileged activities involving security, debugging, and computer shutdowns. Note the exclamation point (!) prefix in the first code example; it should precede the computer name and namespace when you’re specifying a security setting. The third moniker component is the WMI object path, which refers to the computer name and the WMI namespace. In the example above, strSrv is a variable that contains the computer name, and "rootcimv2" is the namespace.

For more information about WMI moniker strings and the security setting component, see the Microsoft article "Constructing Moniker Strings" at http://windowssdk.msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms742063.aspx and the Microsoft TechNet article "WMI Security Settings" at http://www.microsoft.com/technet/scriptcenter/guide/sas_wmi_vzbp.mspx. You can also check out the Windows IT Pro article "WMI Monikers" at http://windowsitpro.com/article/articleid/20401/wmi-monikers.html.