Discover methods of repository objects by using CIM and WMI
A method is an action that you can perform on an object. Repository objects that you query by using Common Information Model (CIM) or Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) have methods that reconfigure the manageable components that the objects represent. For example, the Win32_Service class instances represent background services. The class has a Change method that reconfigures many of a service’s settings, including the sign-in password, name, and start mode.
When you query instances of a class, you can use the Get-Member cmdlet to discover the methods available for that type of object. The following examples depict how to use Get-Member to review the properties and methods for instances of Win32_Service:
Get-WmiObject -Class Win32_Service | Get-Member -MemberType Method
Get-CimInstance -ClassName Win32_Service | Get-Member -MemberType Method
You can also use Get-CimClass to review the methods available for a specific class:
Get-CimClass -Class Win32_Service | Select-Object -ExpandProperty CimClassMethods
The methods available to managing object instances vary, depending on the type of object. The output of the commands doesn't explain how to use the methods, so unless you already know how to use them, you will need to find the relevant documentation by relying on other sources of information, such as results of an internet search.