MasterKey Class

The MasterKey object represents a SQL Server database master key.

Inheritance Hierarchy

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

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

Syntax

'Declaration
Public NotInheritable Class MasterKey _
    Inherits SqlSmoObject _
    Implements ISfcSupportsDesignMode, IDroppable
'Usage
Dim instance As MasterKey

public sealed class MasterKey : SqlSmoObject, 
    ISfcSupportsDesignMode, IDroppable

public ref class MasterKey sealed : public SqlSmoObject, 
    ISfcSupportsDesignMode, IDroppable

[<SealedAttribute>]
type MasterKey =  
    class 
        inherit SqlSmoObject 
        interface ISfcSupportsDesignMode 
        interface IDroppable 
    end

public final class MasterKey extends SqlSmoObject implements ISfcSupportsDesignMode, IDroppable

The MasterKey type exposes the following members.

Constructors

	Name	Description
	MasterKey()	Initializes a new instance of the MasterKey class.
	MasterKey(Database)	Initializes a new instance of the MasterKey class on the specified database.

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Properties

	Name	Description
	CreateDate	Gets the date and time when the master key was created.
	DateLastModified	Gets the date and time when the master key was last modified.
	IsEncryptedByServer	Gets the Boolean property value that specifies whether the database master key is encrypted by using the service master key or by using a password.
	IsOpen	Gets the Boolean property value that specifies whether the database master key is open.
	Parent	Gets the Database object that is the parent of the MasterKey object.
	Properties	Gets a collection of Property objects that represent the object properties. (Inherited from SqlSmoObject.)
	State	Gets the state of the referenced object. (Inherited from SmoObjectBase.)
	Urn	Gets the Uniform Resource Name (URN) address value that uniquely identifies the object. (Inherited from SqlSmoObject.)
	UserData	Gets or sets user-defined data associated with the referenced object. (Inherited from SmoObjectBase.)

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Methods

	Name	Description
	AddPasswordEncryption	Adds password encryption to the master key.
	AddServiceKeyEncryption	Adds service key encryption to the master key.
	Close	Closes the master key.
	Create(String)	Creates a master key that has the specified password.
	Create(String, String, String)	Creates a master key from the specified file and that has the specified encryption and decryption passwords.
	Discover	Discovers a list of type Object. (Inherited from SqlSmoObject.)
	Drop	Removes the master key from the database.
	DropPasswordEncryption	Removes the password encryption from the master key by using the associated password.
	DropServiceKeyEncryption	Drops service key encryption from the master key.
	EnumKeyEncryptions	Enumerates a list of the current set of key encryptions for the database master key.
	Equals	(Inherited from Object.)
	Export	Saves the database master key to the specified system path location by using the specified password.
	FormatSqlVariant	Formats an object as SqlVariant type. (Inherited from SqlSmoObject.)
	GetContextDB	Gets the context database that is associated with this object. (Inherited from SqlSmoObject.)
	GetDBName	Gets the database name that is associated with the object. (Inherited from SqlSmoObject.)
	GetHashCode	(Inherited from Object.)
	GetPropValue	Gets a property value of the SqlSmoObject object. (Inherited from SqlSmoObject.)
	GetPropValueOptional	Gets a property value of the SqlSmoObject object. (Inherited from SqlSmoObject.)
	GetPropValueOptionalAllowNull	Gets a property value of the SqlSmoObject object. (Inherited from SqlSmoObject.)
	GetServerObject	Gets the server of the SqlSmoObject object. (Inherited from SqlSmoObject.)
	GetType	(Inherited from Object.)
	Import(String, String, String)	Loads the database master key from the file that is located at the specified system path by using the specified passwords to decrypt and encrypt the master key.
	Import(String, String, String, Boolean)	Loads the database master key from the file that is located at the specified system path by using the specified passwords to decrypt and encrypt the master key, and with the option to force regeneration.
	Initialize()	Initializes the object and forces the properties be loaded. (Inherited from SqlSmoObject.)
	Initialize(Boolean)	Initializes the object and forces the properties be loaded. (Inherited from SqlSmoObject.)
	IsObjectInitialized	Verifies whether the object has been initialized. (Inherited from SqlSmoObject.)
	IsObjectInSpace	Verifies whether the object is isolated or connected to the instance of SQL Server. (Inherited from SqlSmoObject.)
	Open	Opens the database master key by using the specified password.
	Refresh	Refreshes the object and retrieves properties when the object is next accessed. (Inherited from SqlSmoObject.)
	Regenerate(String)	Regenerates the database master key by using the specified new password.
	Regenerate(String, Boolean)	Regenerates the database master key by using the specified new password, and with the option to force the regeneration, thus removing all items that cannot be successfully decrypted.
	SetParentImpl	Sets the parent of the SqlSmoObject to the newParent parameter. (Inherited from SqlSmoObject.)
	ToString	Returns a String that represents the referenced object. (Inherited from SqlSmoObject.)
	Validate	Validates the state of an object. (Inherited from SmoObjectBase.)

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Events

	Name	Description
	PropertyChanged	Represents the event that occurs when a property is changed. (Inherited from SqlSmoObject.)
	PropertyMetadataChanged	Represents the event that occurs when property metadata changes. (Inherited from SqlSmoObject.)

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Explicit Interface Implementations

	Name	Description
	IAlienObject.Discover	Discovers any dependencies. Do not reference this member directly in your code. It supports the SQL Server infrastructure. (Inherited from SqlSmoObject.)
	IAlienObject.GetDomainRoot	Returns the root of the domain. (Inherited from SqlSmoObject.)
	IAlienObject.GetParent	Gets the parent of this object. Do not reference this member directly in your code. It supports the SQL Server infrastructure. (Inherited from SqlSmoObject.)
	IAlienObject.GetPropertyType	Gets the type of the specified property. (Inherited from SqlSmoObject.)
	IAlienObject.GetPropertyValue	Gets the value of the specified property. (Inherited from SqlSmoObject.)
	IAlienObject.GetUrn	Gets the Unified Resource Name (URN) of the object. Do not reference this member directly in your code. It supports the SQL Server infrastructure. (Inherited from SqlSmoObject.)
	IAlienObject.Resolve	Gets the instance that contains the information about the object from the Unified Resource Name (URN) of the object. (Inherited from SqlSmoObject.)
	IAlienObject.SetObjectState	Sets the object state to the specified SfcObjectState value. (Inherited from SqlSmoObject.)
	IAlienObject.SetPropertyValue	Sets the property value. (Inherited from SqlSmoObject.)
	ISfcPropertyProvider.GetPropertySet	Gets the interface reference to the set of properties of this object. (Inherited from SqlSmoObject.)
	ISfcSupportsDesignMode.IsDesignMode	Gets a Boolean value that indicates whether the object supports design mode. Identified for informational purposes only. Not supported. Future compatibility is not guaranteed.

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Remarks

A database master key is used to symmetrically encrypt keys and certificates that are stored in the database. A database master key can be encrypted by using the service master key or by using a user-specified password. When a database master key is created, a password must be supplied to encrypt and decrypt it.

When a database is attached to an instance of SQL Server, the database administrator must either supply the master key password or make an unencrypted copy of the master key that is available for encryption with the service master key.

The service master key is the top layer in the encryption hierarchy that is used to encrypt lower layers in the encryption hierarchy. The service master key is generated automatically by Windows. It can be opened only by the Windows service account under which it was created, or by a user who knows both the service account name and its password.

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

To set MasterKey object properties, users must have CONTROL permission on the database or be a member of the db_owner fixed database role.

To create or drop a master key, users must have CONTROL permission on the database or be a member of the db_owner fixed database role.

To open or regenerate a master key, users must have CONTROL permission on the database or be a member of the db_owner fixed database role.

To add or drop service key encryption, users must have CONTROL permission on the database or be a member of the db_owner fixed database role.

To drop a master key, users can be a member of the public fixed server role.

Thread Safety

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

See Also

Reference

Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Smo Namespace

Other Resources

Encryption Hierarchy

CREATE MASTER KEY (Transact-SQL)