ServiceMasterKey Class

The ServiceMasterKey object represents a Microsoft SQL Server service master key.

Namespace: Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Smo
Assembly: Microsoft.SqlServer.Smo (in microsoft.sqlserver.smo.dll)

Syntax

'Declaration
Public NotInheritable Class ServiceMasterKey
    Inherits SqlSmoObject
public sealed class ServiceMasterKey : SqlSmoObject
public ref class ServiceMasterKey sealed : public SqlSmoObject
public final class ServiceMasterKey extends SqlSmoObject
public final class ServiceMasterKey extends SqlSmoObject

Remarks

A service master key is the lop layer in the encryption hierarchy and is used to encrypt all the lower layers of the encryption hierarchy, such as database master keys, certificates, asymmetric and symmetric keys. The service master key is generated by Windows and secured by the Windows data protection API. It can only be opened by the Windows service account under which it was created, or by a user who knows both the service account name and its password.

This namespace, class, or member is supported only in version 2.0 of the Microsoft .NET Framework.

To get the ServiceMasterKey object properties, users can be a member of the public fixed server role.

To set the ServiceMasterKey object properties, users must have CONTROL SERVER permission on the server or be a member of the sysadmin fixed server role.

To backup or restore the service master key, users must have CONTROL SERVER permission on the server or be a member of the sysadmin fixed server role.

Inheritance Hierarchy

System.Object
   Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Smo.SmoObjectBase
     Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Smo.SqlSmoObject
      Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Smo.ServiceMasterKey

Thread Safety

Any public static (Shared in Microsoft Visual Basic) members of this type are thread safe. Any instance members are not guaranteed to be thread safe.

Platforms

Development Platforms

For a list of the supported platforms, see Hardware and Software Requirements for Installing SQL Server 2005.

Target Platforms

For a list of the supported platforms, see Hardware and Software Requirements for Installing SQL Server 2005.

See Also

Reference

ServiceMasterKey Members
Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Smo Namespace

Other Resources

Using Encryption
Encryption Hierarchy
ALTER SERVICE MASTER KEY (Transact-SQL)