WinRM (Windows Remote Management) is Microsoft's implementation of

WS-Management WS-Management (Web Services-Management) is a DMTF open standard defining a SOAP-based protocol for the management of servers, devices, applications and various Web services. WS-Management provides a common way for systems to access and exchange ma ...

in Windows which allows systems to access or exchange management information across a common network. Utilizing scripting objects or the built-in command-line tool, WinRM can be used with any remote computers that may have baseboard management controllers (BMCs) to acquire data. Windows-based computers including WinRM certain data supplied by Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) can also be obtained.

Components

* WinRM Scripting API ** Provides an

Application programming interface An application programming interface (API) is a way for two or more computer programs to communicate with each other. It is a type of software interface, offering a service to other pieces of software. A document or standard that describes how t ...

enabling scripts to remotely acquire data from computers that perform WS-Management operations. * winrm.cmd ** Built-in systems management command line tool allowing a machine operator to configure WinRM. Implementation consists of a Visual Basic Scripting (VBS) Edition file (Winrm.vbs) which is written using the aforementioned WinRM scripting API. * winrs.exe ** Another command line tool allowing the remote execution of most Cmd.exe commands. This tool utilizes the WS-Management protocol. * Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI) driver ** Provides hardware management and facilitates control of remote server hardware through BMCs. IPMI is most useful when the operating system is not running or deployed as it allows for continued remote operations of the bare metal hardware/software. * WMI plug-in ** Allows WMI data to be made available to WinRM clients. * WMI service ** Leverages the ''WMI plug-in'' to provide requested data or control and can also be used to acquire data from most WMI classes. Examples include the Win32_Process, in addition to any IPMI-supplied data. * WS-Management protocol ** Web Services Management is a

DMTF Distributed Management Task Force (DMTF) is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit industry standards organization that creates open manageability standards spanning diverse emerging and traditional IT infrastructures including cloud, virtualization, network, s ...

open standard An open standard is a standard that is openly accessible and usable by anyone. It is also a prerequisite to use open license, non-discrimination and extensibility. Typically, anybody can participate in the development. There is no single definition ...

defining a

SOAP Soap is a salt of a fatty acid used in a variety of cleansing and lubricating products. In a domestic setting, soaps are surfactants usually used for washing, bathing, and other types of housekeeping. In industrial settings, soaps are use ...

-based

protocol Protocol may refer to: Sociology and politics * Protocol (politics), a formal agreement between nation states * Protocol (diplomacy), the etiquette of diplomacy and affairs of state * Etiquette, a code of personal behavior Science and technology ...

for the management of servers, devices, applications and various Web services. WS-Management provides a common way for systems to access and exchange management information across the

IT infrastructure Information technology infrastructure is defined broadly as a set of information technology (IT) components that are the foundation of an IT service; typically physical components (computer and networking hardware and facilities), but also variou ...

. * Ports ** By default WinRM HTTPS used 5986 port, and HTTP uses 5985 port. By default, port 5985 is in listening mode, but port 5986 has to be enabled.

Common uses

Ansible An ansible is a category of fictional devices or technology capable of near-instantaneous or faster-than-light communication. It can send and receive messages to and from a corresponding device over any distance or obstacle whatsoever with no d ...

communicates with Windows servers over WinRM using the

Python Python may refer to: Snakes * Pythonidae, a family of nonvenomous snakes found in Africa, Asia, and Australia ** ''Python'' (genus), a genus of Pythonidae found in Africa and Asia * Python (mythology), a mythical serpent Computing * Python (pro ...

''pywinrm'' package and can remotely run

PowerShell PowerShell is a task automation and configuration management program from Microsoft, consisting of a command-line shell (computing), shell and the associated scripting language. Initially a Windows component only, known as Windows PowerShell, it ...

scripts and commands. Thycotic's Secret Server also leverages WinRM to enable PowerShell remoting.

SolarWinds SolarWinds Corporation is an American company that develops software for businesses to help manage their networks, systems, and information technology infrastructure. It is headquartered in Austin, Texas, with sales and product development offi ...

Server and Application Monitoring software (SAM) utilizes a WinRM server on monitored servers for its PowerShell integration.

CloudBolt CloudBolt is a hybrid cloud management platform developed by CloudBolt Software for deploying and managing virtual machines (VMs), applications, and other IT resources, both in public clouds (e.g., AWS, MS Azure, GCP) and in private data cent ...

leverages WinRM as part of Blueprints, Server Actions, and CB Plugins to execute remote scripts on Windows servers using the pytho
pywinrm
module.

Security

WinRM uses Kerberos for initial authentication by default. This ensures that actual credentials are never sent in client-server communications, instead relying on features such as hashing and tickets to connect. Although WinRM listeners can be configured to encrypt all communications using

HTTPS Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS) is an extension of the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP). It is used for secure communication over a computer network, and is widely used on the Internet. In HTTPS, the communication protocol is enc ...

, with the use of Kerberos, even if unencrypted HTTP is used, all communication is still encrypted using a symmetric 256-bit key after the authentication phase completes. Using HTTPS with WinRM allows for additional security by ensuring server identity via

SSL/TLS Transport Layer Security (TLS) is a cryptographic protocol designed to provide communications security over a computer network. The protocol is widely used in applications such as email, instant messaging, and voice over IP, but its use in securi ...

certificates thereby preventing an attacker from impersonating it.

References

External links

Windows Remote Management - Windows applications , Microsoft Docs
{{Windows commands Microsoft Windows Network management Windows administration Windows components