How to Save and Protect Your Microsoft Management Console

MMC is a component of Windows 2000 and its successors that provides system administrators and advanced users an interface for configuring and monitoring the system. Please see Creating IAM Users, Adding MFA and Policies on AWS, MFA on Root Account: Create a User on AWS and Register MFA, and What is Phishing Resistant Multi-Factor Authentication?

You use Microsoft Management Console (MMC) to create, save and open administrative tools, called consoles, which manage the hardware, software, and network components of your Microsoft Windows operating system. MMC runs on all client operating systems that are currently supported.

Assume you have created an MMC Snap-Ins that will be used for daily tasks. Once you have the MMC configured the way you want, the MMC can be saved and used again later. To access the MMC, type MMC in the search window and double click or hit Enter.

How to Save and stop modification to MMC

Or alternatively, launch the run wizard and type MMC as shown below and hit Ok.

Both of these ways will launch the MMC as shown below.

Next, add the Snap-ins you will be needing to administer your server by following these steps below.
– Click on File
– Click on Add and Remove Snap-Ins

And select the snap-ins and click on add and ok.

After adding all needed snap-ins, you will have a similar console as shown below.

Furthermore, I do not want any further modification of this file by the non-administrators who will be using it on a daily basis. However, To do this, follow the steps below.
– Click on File,
– Select Options

Screenshot of a file menu in a console application, featuring options like New, Open, Save, and Options, with a highlighted 'Options' entry.

Moreover, This will open the options dialog box
– Under Console mode
Note: The icon and the name can also be changed here. Nonetheless, Select any of the modes and click on okay.

Options menu for a system console displaying different user modes: limited access single window, full access, limited access multiple window, and author mode, with checkboxes for saving changes and customizing views.

Consequently, The snap-in can be saved in different modes. Similarly, Before saving the MMC console, select file menu and then select options.

Author mode: Allow any changes to be made by all users.
User mode: Full access: Nevertheless, Prevent changes to MMC console, add/remove snap-ins, etc. But all snap-in features can be accessed.
User mode: Limited access, multiple Windows: Different snap-ins can be opened in separate Windows under the same MMC console.
User mode: Limited access, single window: Does not allow additional Windows in the MMC console

Note: Therefore, If you were to add the remote Desktop Snap-Ins here in the MMC Console, some remote management functions will be disabled by default. Additionally, Kindly enable this via the Server Manager for each server added for remote connection.

I hope you found this blog post on saving and stopping modifications to Microsoft Management Console helpful. Please let me know in the comment session if you have any questions.