A better alternative available through COM objects to the madness of using exec('net stat')

map-windows-shared-drives.php

<?php

/**
 * Creates a temporary network share drive connection to the share
 * using windows COM object for the executing PHP identity as a different user
 *
 * @param string $letter
 * @param string $path
 * @param string $user
 * @param string $password
 * @return boolean
 */
function map_windows_shared_drive($letter, $path, $user, $password)
{
    try {
        $network_com = new COM("WScript.Network");
        $network_com->MapNetworkDrive(
            "{$letter}:",
            $path,
            FALSE,
            $user,
            $password
        );
    } catch (Exception $exception) {
        show_error($exception->getMessage());
    }
    return TRUE;
}

/**
 * Closes a network drive stored by the executing PHP identity
 *
 * @param object $network
 * @param string $letter
 * @return NULL
 */
function disconnect_windows_shared_drive($network, $letter)
{
    $network->RemoveNetworkDrive("{$letter}:", TRUE, FALSE);
}