# Open-VaultConnection

Connects to the specified Vault Server.

## Syntax

```powershell
Open-VaultConnection [-Vault <String>] [-Server <String>] [-User <String>] [-Password <String>] <CommonParameters>]
```

## Parameters

| Type   | Name     | Description                                                             | Default value | Optional |
|--------|----------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------|----------|
| String | Vault    | The name of the vault for which the connection should be made           | Vault         | yes      |
| String | Server   | The Ip or hostname of the server on which the Vault server is installed | localhost     | yes      |
| String | User     | A valid user, that is able to login to the target Vault                 | Administrator | yes      |
| String | Password | The users password                                                      | ""            | yes      |

## Return type

**empty** \<- On failure the Exception/ErrorMessage can be accessed using [\$Error](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/microsoft.powershell.core/about/about_automatic_variables?view=powershell-5.1#error).

## Remarks

When the commandlet could successfully establish a connection to Vault,
following powershell variables are created which let you communicate
directly to Vault through it's API:

- [$vault](/code_reference/objects/vault)
- [$vaultconnection](/code_reference/objects/vaultconnection)
- [$vaultExplorerUtil](/code_reference/objects/vaultexplorerutil)

If the application already has an open Vault connection, the commandlet does not recreate a new connection, and **reuses the existing connection** to create the previous variables in the powerShell session.\
Therefore the cmdlet can be used e.g. in Vault-Explorer without any arguments, in order to prepare the powerShell Runspace with the correct powerShell variables for the current session.