This week’s tip was contributed by Ashley McGlone, Microsoft Premier Field Engineer.
How to learn PowerShell DSC
PowerShell Desired State Configuration (DSC) is a break-through technology that you will be hearing about for years to come. It is changing the way we manage server configurations in the Microsoft world, and it aligns us closer to industry standards.
PowerShell DSC offers huge time savings. Imagine scripting your entire server build checklist. And then if something gets changed (by that rogue admin), then it gets put back the way you had it… automatically. Yeah. It’s that cool.
As with everything in the world of IT we must constantly learn new things. Here are some links to get you started with PowerShell DSC:
TechEd NA 2014: A Practical Overview of Desired State Configuration, Don Jones & Jeffrey Snover (Watch this video!)
http://www.wservernews.com/go/1410436364363
PowerShell.org DSC Hub, ebook, forum, etc. (Start with this eBook!)
http://www.wservernews.com/go/1410436435692
Microsoft PowerShell Team Blog
http://www.wservernews.com/go/1410436444676
TechNet Windows PowerShell Desired State Configuration Overview
http://www.wservernews.com/go/1410436453051
Building a DSC Infrastructure, by Steven Murawski
http://www.wservernews.com/go/1410436456442/
Windows PowerShell 4.0 DSC Quick Reference Sheet
http://www.wservernews.com/go/1410436538254
TechNet Script Center – DSC Resource Kit download
http://www.wservernews.com/go/1410436562176
100 Days of DSC Blog Series
http://www.wservernews.com/go/1410436565270
This is one of those topics where you just need to dive in and start learning. Be patient with yourself. It may take a few times through for it to sink in. It did for me. But once you see the power of this you will wonder how you ever did your job without it.
About Ashley McGlone
Ashley McGlone is a Microsoft Premier Field Engineer (PFE) at Microsoft.
You can find more of Ashley’s PowerShell tips on his TechNet blog here:
http://www.wservernews.com/go/1410436587707
The above tip was previously published in an issue of WServerNews, a weekly newsletter from TechGenix that focuses on the administration, management and security of the Windows Server platform in particular and cloud solutions in general. Subscribe to WServerNews today by going to http://www.wservernews.com/subscribe.htm and join almost 100,000 other IT professionals around the world who read our newsletter!
Mitch Tulloch is a twelve-time recipient of the Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP) award and a widely recognized expert on Windows Server and cloud computing technologies. Mitch is also Senior Editor of WServerNews. For more information about him see http://www.mtit.com.
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