Team,
I am learning DSC. It may be very basic question for you, but I need to understand.
I understand that using dsc I can configure my servers and maintain the configuration. My main query is how much I can achieve using dsc? Suppose, I’m building a domain controller, so using DSC I can install the required roles features etc. After that what? Am I able to do the post configuration of ADDS service, i.e. can I promote to DC using DSC?
So like this what I can achieve using DSC, can you plz give me some example of DSC’s capabilities. I am not asking about the configuration/ scripting. Want to know things I can do.
Regards
Roy.
What resources are you using to learn?
The Microsoft Virtual Academy provides video training on the topic, and of course there is YouTube, which has many vids posted on the topic.
With any tool or solution, there are several pieces to it. DSC is not really different. Start small and grow out from there.
Here are a few things that should provide you more edification on the topic. Yet, basically, if you have config stuff you do by hand, you can do it, in most respects with DSC automation.
PowerShell DSC 101 – What's it all about?
DSC is a Powershell technology that enables a set of server’s configuration states to be described in a Powershell configuration object. Each part of the configuration for a server (or Node) is described using a Powershell DSC Resource. There are some “built in” resources, such as File, Registry, WindowsFeature, Script, but many others are available from third-party sources, such as the Powershell Gallery, or can be custom written. A DSC Resource provider will typically have three functions:
• Test (Figure out if the configuration is already in the desired state or not)
• Get (Return the state of the existing configured resource)
• Set (Make the resource comply with the desired state)
‘russellyoung.net/2015/11/21/dsc101’
‘Desired State Configuration 2.0 - PowerShell | Microsoft Learn’
‘Getting Started with PowerShell Desired State Configuration (DSC) | Microsoft Learn’
‘Advanced PowerShell Desired State Configuration (DSC) and Custom Resources | Microsoft Learn’
‘17 Hours of PowerShell Desired State Configuration (DSC) Video Training | Microsoft Learn’
As for ADDS, DC…etc… see these
‘systemcentercentral.com/day-1-intro-to-powershell-dsc-and-configuring-your-first-pull-server’
'blogs.technet.microsoft.com/ashleymcglone/2015/03/20/deploy-active-directory-with-powershell-dsc-a-k-a-dsc-promo'
‘blogs.technet.microsoft.com/ashleymcglone/2016/05/20/quick-and-easy-active-directory-test-lab-using-powershell-dsc-and-azurerm’
Hey there Roy,
To answer your questions:
I understand that using dsc I can configure my servers and maintain the configuration. My main query is how much I can achieve using dsc?
Pretty much anything you can do manually on a server, you can accomplish with Desired State Configuration.
Suppose, I'm building a domain controller, so using DSC I can install the required roles features etc. After that what? Am I able to do the post configuration of ADDS service, i.e. can I promote to DC using DSC?
Yes you can. As a matter of fact, there are some configurations in the Azure DSC portal that you can use to do exactly this. The required module for these configurations is the xActiveDirectory module, which is also available at PowerShellGallery.com.
So like this what I can achieve using DSC, can you plz give me some example of DSC's capabilities. I am not asking about the configuration/ scripting. Want to know things I can do.
I've used DSC configurations for building out corporate compliant machines to reduce the overhead of the image building process, all the way out to building fully configured Citrix environments and Dynamics environments.
From a Windows server perspective, there really isn’t much that you can’t do, unless the application you’re trying to support simply can’t be automated. That’s a technology problem that’s usually easily remedied.
Hi Will,
Right, I just research a bit more, found that module, now I understand the idea. Everything is possible. Thanks man for your help and making me more interested in this topic.
Regards
Roy.
Hi Postanote,
Thanks for those links. I am following MVA for learning DSC. Could you please help me a little bit more. I am unable to access Ashley McGlone videos. I am not a premium customer. Your support will help me a lot.
Regards
Roy.
That’s what we’re here for. 