Automated Active Directory Deployment with PowerShell

Posted on December 12, 2011 by Thomas Maurer

For a small presentation at KTSI I created a PowerShell script will automatically will deploys Active Directory Servers, adds other member servers, creates Organization Units and adds users via Powershell Remoting. As source there is a XML configuration file and CSV files for User Data.

This script is just for Lab deployments not for production, and it is not perfect, but I think maybe some people will enhance this script with their own code.

I do not support this script. it is just something I need to deploy my test environments and nothing more. More it shows diffrent

You can find more information about it works in this document.

XML Config file:


<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<lab>
<config>
<servers>
<server name="ADS01" ip="192.168.100.11" id="1" adminpw="passw0rd"/>
<server name="ADS02" ip="192.168.100.12" id="2" adminpw="passw0rd"/>
</servers>
<ad>
<domain name="ktsi.local" netbiosname="ktsi" forestlevel="4" domainlevel="4" safemodepw="passw0rd" />
</ad>
<ous>
<ou name="UserAccounts" path="DC=KTSI,DC=LOCAL" />
<ou name="BASEL" path="OU=USERACCOUNTS,DC=KTSI,DC=LOCAL" />
<ou name="CHICAGO" path="OU=USERACCOUNTS,DC=KTSI,DC=LOCAL" />
<ou name="NEWYORK" path="OU=USERACCOUNTS,DC=KTSI,DC=LOCAL" />
<ou name="SALES" path="OU=BASEL,OU=USERACCOUNTS,DC=KTSI,DC=LOCAL" />
<ou name="IT" path="OU=BASEL,OU=USERACCOUNTS,DC=KTSI,DC=LOCAL" />
<ou name="ADMINISTRATION" path="OU=BASEL,OU=USERACCOUNTS,DC=KTSI,DC=LOCAL" />
<ou name="PRODUCTION" path="OU=BASEL,OU=USERACCOUNTS,DC=KTSI,DC=LOCAL" />
<ou name="SALES" path="OU=CHICAGO,OU=USERACCOUNTS,DC=KTSI,DC=LOCAL" />
<ou name="IT" path="OU=CHICAGO,OU=USERACCOUNTS,DC=KTSI,DC=LOCAL" />
<ou name="ADMINISTRATION" path="OU=CHICAGO,OU=USERACCOUNTS,DC=KTSI,DC=LOCAL" />
<ou name="PRODUCTION" path="OU=CHICAGO,OU=USERACCOUNTS,DC=KTSI,DC=LOCAL" />
<ou name="SALES" path="OU=NEWYORK,OU=USERACCOUNTS,DC=KTSI,DC=LOCAL" />
<ou name="IT" path="OU=NEWYORK,OU=USERACCOUNTS,DC=KTSI,DC=LOCAL" />
<ou name="ADMINISTRATION" path="OU=NEWYORK,OU=USERACCOUNTS,DC=KTSI,DC=LOCAL" />
<ou name="PRODUCTION" path="OU=NEWYORK,OU=USERACCOUNTS,DC=KTSI,DC=LOCAL" />
</ous>
<users>
<file name="users.csv" path="OU=ADMINISTRATION,OU=BASEL,OU=USERACCOUNTS,DC=KTSI,DC=LOCAL" />
</users>
<members>
<member name="PC101" ip="192.168.100.21" />
<member name="PC101" ip="192.168.100.22" />
<member name="PC101" ip="192.168.100.23" />
</members>
</config>
</lab>

The PowerShell Script:

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HP Network Interface does not start.

Posted on March 24, 2011 by Thomas Maurer

I just installed two new HP ProLiant DL360 G6 with Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2. Everything worked fine until I installed the HP Support Pack which includes Drivers and Firmware for the HP Server.

After I installed the HP ProLiant Support Pack one of my Network Interfaces could not start. I got the following error in the Device Manager:

HP NC382i DP Virtual Bus Device
This device cannot start. (Code 10)

I tried to uninstall the device and rebooted the server but this didn’t work. I had still the same error.

The problem was that just uninstalling the driver does not work, you also have to check the checkbox on “Delete the driver software for this device.”

After doing that you can rescan for new hardware and the system will find this adapter again and everything will work fine.

Install HP Support Pack on Hyper-V R2 Core Server

Posted on December 20, 2010 by Thomas Maurer

If you are using Microsoft Hyper-V R2 Core Server, installing the HP Support Pack is a little different. This post should show you how this is done.

Download the latest HP Support Pack for Windows Server 2008 R2 and extract that on your Management Server or PC.
Now copy the extracted folder to the Hyper-V Core Server. In my case i copied in the C:\ root of the Core Server via the administrative network share. If you have easy physical access to the server, you could also use a USB stick or something like that.
Now connect to the Core Server and use the cmd.exe to navigate to the folder with the HP Support Pack
Run the “hpsum.exe” to start the HP Smart Update Manager
When the HP Smart Update Manager is started you can use it like on a Full Server installation of Windows Server 2008

You could also try to run the HP Smart Update Manager on another machine and use the remote connection feature.

Install and configure IPv6 on Windows Server 2003

Posted on October 1, 2010 by Thomas Maurer

On Microsoft Windows Server 2003 there is no GUI to configure IPv6. So this article should show you how to configure IPv6 on a Windows Server 2003.

Install the IPv6 Protocol in the Network Adapter Properties or Control Panel
Open the console
Type “netsh” this is a command line program to configure network adapters
Here are some demo configurations

int ipv6
reset
add dns interface=”<Interface Name>” address=<IPv6 primary DNS IP Address>
add dns interface=”<Interface Name>” address=<IPv6 secondary DNS IP Address>
add route prefix=::/0 interface=”<Interface Name>” metric=0 nexthop=<IPv6 Gateway IP Address>
add address interface=”<Interface Name>” address=<IPv6 IP Address>

int ipv6
reset
add dns interface=”Local Area Connection” address=fec0:0:0:0:ffff::1
add dns interface=”Local Area Connection” address=fec0:0:0:0:ffff::2
add route prefix=::/0 interface=”Local Area Connection”metric=0 nexthop=fe80::1
add address interface=”Local Area Connection” address=fe80::2

int ipv6
reset
add dns “Local Area Connection” fec0:0:0:0:ffff::1
add dns “Local Area Connection” fec0:0:0:0:ffff::2
add route ::/0 “Local Area Connection” fe80::1
add address”Local Area Connection” fe80::2

HowTo: Install Roles and Features Windows Server 2008 R2 Core (Shell)

Posted on July 20, 2010 by Thomas Maurer

This Guide should help you to install Roles and Features on Windows Server 2008 R2 per shell or on a Windows Server 2008 R2 Core Server.

Under Windows Server 2008 you could install Roles and Features with the command OCSETUP. Since we use Windows Server 2008 R2 Microsoft used the tool called DISM (Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool).

For checking availible Server roles type:

Dism /online /get-features /format:table

To enable a Feature or a Role, in this case the DNS Server Role, you just type:

Dism /online /enable-feature /featurename:DNS-Server-Core-Role

How to create a Windows 7 & Windows Server 2008 R2 Install USB Stick

Posted on February 16, 2010 by Thomas Maurer

Its very simple to create a Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 R2 bootable USB Stick. Microsoft provides a tool called Windows 7 USB/DVD Tool. This tool also works for Windows Server 2008 R2.

Download Windows 7 USB/DVD Tool and install it

Start the programm and choose the .iso Image (Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 R2)

Choose which media you want to create (USB)

Choose USB device

Begin Copying and after some minutes your USB Stick is ready to use