Troubleshooting WMI credentials

If Auvik is unable to authenticate to a Windows device using WMI, you can use the Discovery Troubleshooting workflow to identify which requirement is preventing successful communication.

To access troubleshooting:

1. Open the device from the Device Dashboard.
2. Hover over Discovery in the entity navigation menu.
3. Click Troubleshooting.

Auvik verifies four requirements before a device can be successfully authenticated using WMI.

Step 1: Verify the Device Is Managed

Auvik can only gather data from devices that are managed.

If the device is currently unmanaged:

1. Click Re-enable Management.
2. Change the management status from Unmanaged to Managed.
3. Click Save.

Note: If SNMP is not showing as healthy, verify that SNMP is configured correctly and that the collector can communicate with the device.

Step 2: Verify the WMI Service Is Enabled in Auvik

The WMI service must be enabled before Auvik can collect information from Windows devices using WMI.

To enable the WMI service:

1. Click Enable the WMI Service.
2. Set Enabled to Yes, use this service to gather data.
3. Click Save.

If the WMI service is enabled globally but the device is excluded from the service:

1.  Add this device to the WMI service group.
2. In Devices to use this service, add the device name or device type.
3. Remove any exclusions that apply to the device or device type.
4. Click Save.

Step 3: Verify WMI Is Accessible on the Device

For Auvik to communicate with a Windows device using WMI, the device must be configured to allow remote WMI access.

Verify the following:

• Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) is running.
• The Remote Procedure Call (RPC) service is running.
• The Windows Firewall allows WMI traffic.
• DCOM is enabled.
• Network connectivity exists between the collector and the device.
• Any security software is not blocking WMI communication.

If you're unsure how to configure WMI access, see:

• How to enable WinRM with domain controller Group Policy for WMI monitoring
• How to enable WMI monitoring on a single Windows device

After confirming WMI is enabled on the device, verify the correct ports are configured in Auvik.

To configure custom ports:

1. Click Add a New Custom Port.
2. Change Use Default Ports to No – Custom Ports.
3. Enter the required port number.
4. Click + to add additional ports if required.
5. Click Save.

Note: WMI commonly relies on RPC Endpoint Mapper (TCP 135) and dynamically assigned RPC ports. Firewalls between the collector and monitored device must allow this traffic.

Step 4: Verify WMI Credentials

Auvik requires valid Windows credentials to authenticate and gather information through WMI.

To add or update credentials:

1. Click Add WMI Credentials.
2. Complete the credential form.
3. Enter:
   • Username
   • Domain (if applicable)
   • Password
4. Click Save WMI Credentials.
   
   

   Important: If a domain is required, enter it in the Domain field. Do not enter credentials in the format DOMAIN\username in the Username field.

Credential Requirements

In most environments, the account used for WMI monitoring must:

• Be a member of the local Administrators group or have equivalent delegated permissions.
• Have permission to access WMI remotely.
• Be allowed through User Account Control (UAC) remote restrictions.
• Not be locked out, expired, or disabled.

If authentication continues to fail, verify the credentials directly on the Windows device.

Note: Microsoft documents additional requirements for remote WMI access and User Account Control (UAC). Refer to Microsoft's documentation on WMI security and remote administration for more information.

Authentication Successful

Once all four requirements have been met, the device is successfully authenticated for WMI monitoring.

Auvik will begin collecting available Windows-specific information, which may include:

• Operating system details
• Hardware inventory
• Installed software information
• Windows service status
• Performance metrics
• Additional device attributes

Depending on the polling interval, newly collected information may take several minutes to appear in the dashboard.