PowerShell and DSC : Learn How to use Windows PowerShell DSC Log Resource

 

1.  Introduction of Windows PowerShell “Desired State Configuration”.

2.  Installing Windows PowerShell 4.0 [Windows Management Framework 4.0].

3.  Getting Started With Desired State Configuration: DSC Syntax.

4.  Review of Desired State Configuration: The 3 easy steps.

5.  Write your First Desired State Configuration Script using ROLE Resource.

6.  Run your first "DSC" PowerShell Script.

7. Configuring Dependencies in "Desired State Configuration" script in PowerShell.

8. PowerShell and DSC : Using File Resource

9. Using Registry Resource

10. Using Archive Resource.

11. Using Group Resource.

12. Using User Resource

13. Using Service Resource.

14. Configure the Service to run under different account name in Service Resource.

15. How to use Windows PowerShell Desired State Configuration Environment Resource.

Welcome to the last blog post of the "PowerShell and Desired State Configuration" tutorial series. 

I am hoping that you have enjoyed the all of my previous blog posts which I have written on the various "Desired State Configuration Resources".

Today, we are using "Log Resource" in our "Desired State Configuration" script.

We had see a small demos of usage of "Log Resource" in one of my previous post, but at that time I didn't described it in a detail.

The Syntax of "Log Resource" is :

"Log Resource" have only two parameters, "Message"  and "DependsOn" and I hope both of them are very much self-explanatory and there are no need to explain them.

In our below script, we are using two resources boxes, the first one is "Environment Resource" and the second one is the "Log Resource". 

In the script the "Log Resource" is depends on "Environment Resource" block, When the "Environment Resource" block run successfully, after that "Log Resource" block will run and  will show us a message , that "Windows Environment variable set successfully".

But Wait!!! 

"Log Resource" shows the message configured in the PowerShell console as well as it logged the message in the Microsoft-Windows-Desired State Configuration/Analytic Event log too.".

Cool, Isn't?

In our script, we are creating a new Windows Environmental variable , named as "ServerLoc" and I am using the "New Delhi,India" as the variable value, If our Windows Environment variable successfully created, after that "Log Resource" block, will show the message that , "windows Environment variable is set successfully" in the console as well as in Event Log.

Our Script is :

Configuration logDemo
{
    Node 'Posh-Demo'
    {
        Environment serverCoLocation
        {
            Name = 'ServerLoc'
            Value = 'New Delhi, India'
            Ensure = 'Present'
        }

        Log loggingInfo
        {
            DependsOn = "[Environment]serverCoLocation"
            Message = " Windows Environment variable set successfully."
        }
    }
}


logDemo

 

The name of Our .ps1 script is , "Demo_Log.ps1" , the name of the DSC Configuration is "logDemo". In our Script we have used "Log and Environment Resources". 

But , if you want to see the Analytics Event Logs of Windows-Desired State Configuration ,  we have to enable them first.

How to do that?

In the below event viewer screenshot, you can see that, Currently we have only "Operational" log enabled.

To see the "Analytic and Debug Logs", Click on "View" option of "Event Viewer" and tick on "Show Analytics and Debug Logs".

When, "Analytic Log" appeared beneath "Desired State Configuration" , right click on "Analytics Log" and click on ""Enable Log".

Everything is set.

Now let's check on our "Posh-Demo server, if the "ServerLoc" variable do exists.

Now can see that , current the "ServerLoc" variable is not yet created.

Run the script and it is export the MOF file.

Start the pushing of the MOF file, using the Start-DscConfiguration cmdlet.

Start-DscConfiguration -path .\logDemo -Wait -Verbose 

You can see that, the pushing of the file is successfully, and it also shows us the logged messaged.

Check the server, and you can see that , "ServerLoc" variable is set perfectly.

Open event viewer and you can check the "Analytic Log" and see that , our Log Resource message is logged there too.

Perfect, Isn't?

That's all for this month.

Thanks a lot for reading through all of this series.  I hope you have enjoyed it.

See you next month with something new to share with. ;o) .

With Regards

Aman Dhally

 

If you like, you can follow me on Twitter and Facebook. You can also check my “You Tube” channel for PowerShell video tutorials. You can download all of my scripts from “Microsoft TechNet Gallery”.

 

Learn how to use Windows PowerShell Desired State Configuration Environment Resource.

 

 

1.  Introduction of Windows PowerShell “Desired State Configuration”.

2.  Installing Windows PowerShell 4.0 [Windows Management Framework 4.0].

3.  Getting Started With Desired State Configuration: DSC Syntax.

4.  Review of Desired State Configuration: The 3 easy steps.

5.  Write your First Desired State Configuration Script using ROLE Resource.

6.  Run your first "DSC" PowerShell Script.

7. Configuring Dependencies in "Desired State Configuration" script in PowerShell.

8. PowerShell and DSC : Using File Resource

9. Using Registry Resource

10. Using Archive Resource.

11. Using Group Resource.

12. Using User Resource

13. Using Service Resource.

14. Configure the Service to run under different account name in Service Resource.

 

I am hoping that you are already knows about "Windows Environment" variables, they are very helpful, I do use them heavily, they are very important piece in PowerShell scripts.

Today we are going to use the "Environment Resource" of the Windows PowerShell "Desired State Configuration" in our script.

The Syntax of the Windows Environment Resource is :

Let's get started.

This is the simplest "Desired State Configuration" script.  In this script, we are setting a new "Windows Environment Variable" , named as "ServerRack", in this variable, I am manually storing the location of my server rack as a variable value.

I am sure , that in this script, I don't need to explain anything, this is very simple and straight forwarded script.

Configuration setEnvpath
{
    Node 'Posh-Demo'
    {
        Environment serveRackInfo
        {
            Ensure = 'Present'
            Name = "ServerRack"
            Value = "Rack2 U9"

        }
    }
}
setEnvpath

Before running the script, lets' check the server and see if we have "ServerRack" Windows Environment variable set.

you can see that, currently there are no variable set yet.

The name of our script is "DSC_EnvironmentDemo.ps1"  and the name of our "Desired State Configuration" Configuration is "setEnvpath".

Run the script, and it will export the MOF file.

Now, deploy the MOF file by using Start-DscConfiguration cmdlet.

Start-DscConfiguration -Path .\setEnvpath -Wait -Verbose

Our DSC script has run successfully.

Let's cross check it.

Note : Sometime, we may need to log-off or restart the system to check the Windows Environment after setup.

I am rebooting my server for a precaution sake.

My server is rebooted and after rebooting you can see in the below screenshot, that our Windows Environment variable ServerRack is set-up correctly and it is showing us the proper value.

That's all for now, will see you in my next blog post.

Thanks

Aman Dhally

If you like, you can follow me on Twitter and Facebook. You can also check my “You Tube” channel for PowerShell video tutorials. You can download all of my scripts from “Microsoft TechNet Gallery”.