Have you ever wondered how long it took to run your script? Well, you
$Start = [system.datetime]::Now
{
Script run….
}
$End = [system.datetime]::Now
$resulttime = $End – $Start
Write-Host: (‘Execution Time : {0}Days:{1}Hours:{2}Minutes:{3}Seconds’ -f $Resulttime.Hours, $Resulttime.Days, $Resulttime.Minutes, $Resulttime.Seconds)
Regards
The Author – Blogabout.Cloud
Do you have a requirement to understand how many Distribution Lists exist within your Exchange organization or need to understand if they actually being utilized? Well, this is something I have come across recently while working for the customer. They have a mass of distribution lists across their organization which they are trying to tidy up before migrating to Office 365. The
So the following script was created to obtain
[CmdletBinding()]
param()
# Call Distribution Lists
$dist = @(Get-DistributionGroup -resultsize unlimited)
# Start Transcript
Start-Transcript -Path $env:USERPROFILE\desktop\transcript.txt
# Report on Distribution List
foreach ($dl in $dist)
{
$count =@(Get-DistributionGroup $dl.samaccountname).count
$report = New-Object -TypeName PSObject
$report | Add-Member -MemberType NoteProperty -Name 'Group Name' -Value $dl.Name
$report | Add-Member -MemberType NoteProperty -Name 'samAccountname' -Value $dl.samaacountname
$report | Add-Member -MemberType NoteProperty -Name 'Group Type' -Value $dl.grouptype
$report | Add-Member -MemberType NoteProperty -Name 'DN' -Value $dl.distinguishedName
$report | Add-Member -MemberType NoteProperty -Name 'Manager' -Value $dl.managedby
$report | Add-Member -MemberType NoteProperty -Name 'Member Depart Restriction' -Value $dl.memberdepartrestriction
$report | Add-Member -MemberType NoteProperty -Name 'Member Join Restriction' -Value $dl.memberjoinrestriction
$report | Add-Member -MemberType NoteProperty -Name 'PrimarySMTPAddress' -Value $dl.primartysmtpaddress
$report | Add-Member -MemberType NoteProperty -Name 'Number of Members' -Value $count
Write-Host ('INFO: {0} has {1} members' -f $dl.name, ($count))
$reportoutput += $report
}
# Stop Transcript
Stop-Transcript
# Report
$reportoutput | Export-Csv -Path $env:USERPROFILE\desktop\DistributionListReport.csv -NoTypeInformation -Encoding UTF8
Regards
The Author – Blogabout.Cloud
Have you ever worked with Excel files where you wanted to match and compare Columns/Rows? In the past, this has been quite difficult tasks to achieve using the native commands within PowerShell.
So have you heard of the PowerShell module ImportExcel?
It’s is a PowerShell module that is available on the PowerShell Gallery and introduces a number of functions that allow you to work with Excel files using the good old blue background.
From this
Syntax
Merge-Worksheet [-Referencefile] [-Differencefile] [[-WorksheetName] ] [-Startrow ]
-Headername [[-OutputFile] ] [[-OutputSheetName] ] [-Property ] [-ExcludeProperty ]
[-Key ] [-KeyFontColor ] [-ChangeBackgroundColor ] [-DeleteBackgroundColor ]
[-AddBackgroundColor ] [-HideEqual] [-Passthru] [-Show] [-WhatIf] [-Confirm] []
The below shows the Reference and Difference Excel files that are being used in this example. I am going to merge the two excel files based on Column A the EmployeeNumber. During my testing, I have had issues using -HeaderName parameter. In this
# Variables
$ref = “$env:USERPROFILE\desktop\test\ref.xlsx”
$dif = “$env:USERPROFILE\desktop\test\dif.xlsx”
$out = “$env:USERPROFILE\desktop\test\out.xlsx”
# Script Block
Merge-Worksheet -Referencefile $ref -Differencefile $dif -OutputFile $out -WorksheetName Sheet1 -Startrow 1 -OutputSheetName Sheet1 -NoHeader
As we can see from below, the output field has organised Column A and aligned the rows
Every useful if you are working with Excel files but only annoying thing is the HeaderName parameter not working.
Regards
The Author – Blogabout.Cloud
When working with large organisations that have multiple SMTP Domains, you may run into a requirement where you need to know. How many mailboxes have blogabout.cloud as their PrimarySMTPAddress or have blogabout.cloud listed as their EmailAddress.
Using the below PowerShell snippet you can find out exactly
# Primary SMTP Address
get-mailbox -resultsize unlimited | where {$_.primarysmtpaddress -like "*@blogabout.cloud"} | Measure-Object
# Email Address
get-mailbox -resultsize unlimited | where {$_.emailaddress -like "*@blogabout.cloud"} | Measure-Object
Regards,
The Author – Blogabout.Cloud
It is common for organisations to use or create Active Directory Attributes that may contain multiple different values and when trying to obtain the information using PowerShell you might receive
Microsoft.ActiveDirectory.Management.ADPropertyValueCollection
Which isn’t helpful to man or beast. However, I have been recently working with custom attributes so its time to share my experiences once again. In this
# Command
Get-ADUser -Properties * -Filter * | Select-Object samaccountname,customattribute10 | export-csv -Path $env:USERPROFILE\desktop\test1.csv
As you can see that from the above I am not receiving the desired output from Get-ADUser. So
Let’s discuss the below string in detail to explain what each part does
@{name=” customattribute10 ”;expression={$_. customattribute10}}
The @
@{name=” customattribute10 ”;
Then you provide an expression; this is the script block where you tell the PowerShell cmdlet what you are trying to fetch. For example; we want to fetch the values for the customattribute10 attribute.
expression={$_. customattribute10}}
So, now we understand the require array to pull the multi-values from lets execute the below command
# Command
Get-ADUser -Filter * -Properties proxyaddresses,customattribute10 | select samaccountname, @{L='customAttribute10'; E={$_.customAttribute10}} | Export-Csv -Path $env:USERPROFILE\desktop\test.csv
Now executing this command you will receive the correct output from the attribute which you desired.
Regards
The Author – Blogabout.Cloud
When working with Active Directory Users sometimes its a lot easier using PowerShell to obtain all the information you require from your environment. As a Consultant I have lost count how many times I’ve used PowerShell to get information out of Active Directory and its essential to your skill set.
The most simple and effective way by running the following command, as it will dump all Active Directory Users and their properties to a CSV file located on your desktop
# Command
Get-ADUser -Filter * -Properties * | Export-CSV $env:userprofile\desktop\ADExport.csv
or
# Command
Get-ADUser -Filter * | Export-CSV $env:userprofile\desktop\ADExport.csv
What if you only require bits of information? The command only targets the Name and SamAccountName Field. Simple right?
# Command
Get-ADUSer -Filter * -Properties Name,SamAccountName | Export-CSV $env:userprofile\desktop\ADExport.csv
or
# Command
Get-ADUSer -Filter * -Properties * | Select-Object -Property Name,SamAccountName | Export-CSV $env:userprofile\desktop\ADExport.csv
The possibilities are endless, you can call all everything from the below table because it exists on the AD object by default. If you have used ExtensionAttributes or CustomAttributes you can also call these as well by adding them to your filter.
| Property | Syntax | R/RW | lDAPDisplayName |
| AccountExpirationDate | DateTime | RW | accountExpires, converted to local time |
| AccountLockoutTime | DateTime | RW | lockoutTime, converted to local time |
| AccountNotDelegated | Boolean | RW | userAccountControl (bit mask 1048576) |
| AllowReversiblePasswordEncryption | Boolean | RW | userAccountControl (bit mask 128) |
| BadLogonCount | Int32 | R | badPwdCount |
| CannotChangePassword | Boolean | RW | nTSecurityDescriptor |
| CanonicalName | String | R | canonicalName |
| Certificates | ADCollection | RW | userCertificate |
| ChangePasswordAtLogon | Boolean | W | If pwdLastSet = 0 |
| City | String | RW | l |
| CN | String | R | cn |
| Company | String | RW | company |
| Country | String | RW | c (2 character abbreviation) |
| Created | DateTime | R | whenCreated |
| Deleted | Boolean | R | isDeleted |
| Department | String | RW | department |
| Description | String | RW | description |
| DisplayName | String | RW | displayName |
| DistinguishedName | String (DN) | R | distinguishedName |
| Division | String | RW | division |
| DoesNotRequirePreAuth | Boolean | RW | userAccountControl (bit mask 4194304) |
| EmailAddress | String | RW | |
| EmployeeID | String | RW | employeeID |
| EmployeeNumber | String | RW | employeeNumber |
| Enabled | Boolean | RW | userAccountControl (bit mask not 2) |
| Fax | String | RW | facsimileTelephoneNumber |
| GivenName | String | RW | givenName |
| HomeDirectory | String | RW | homeDirectory |
| HomedirRequired | Boolean | RW | userAccountControl (bit mask 8) |
| HomeDrive | String | RW | homeDrive |
| HomePage | String | RW | wWWHomePage |
| HomePhone | String | RW | homePhone |
| Initials | String | RW | initials |
| LastBadPasswordAttempt | DateTime | R | badPasswordTime, converted to local time |
| LastKnownParent | String (DN) | R | lastKnownParent |
| LastLogonDate | DateTime | R | lastLogonTimeStamp, converted to local time |
| LockedOut | Boolean | RW | msDS-User-Account-Control-Computed (bit mask 16) |
| LogonWorkstations | String | RW | userWorkstations |
| Manager | String (DN) | RW | manager |
| MemberOf | ADCollection | R | memberOf |
| MNSLogonAccount | Boolean | RW | userAccountControl (bit mask 131072) |
| MobilePhone | String | RW | mobile |
| Modified | DateTime | R | whenChanged |
| Name | String | R | cn (Relative Distinguished Name) |
| ObjectCategory | String | R | objectCategory |
| ObjectClass | String | R | objectClass, most specific value |
| ObjectGUID | Guid | R | objectGUID converted to string |
| Office | String | RW | physicalDeliveryOfficeName |
| OfficePhone | String | RW | telephoneNumber |
| Organization | String | RW | o |
| OtherName | String | RW | middleName |
| PasswordExpired | Boolean | RW | msDS-User-Account-Control-Computed (bit mask 8388608) (see Note 1) |
| PasswordLastSet | DateTime | RW | pwdLastSet, local time |
| PasswordNeverExpires | Boolean | RW | userAccountControl (bit mask 65536) |
| PasswordNotRequired | Boolean | RW | userAccountControl (bit mask 32) |
| POBox | String | RW | postOfficeBox |
| PostalCode | String | RW | postalCode |
| PrimaryGroup | String | R | Group with primaryGroupToken |
| ProfilePath | String | RW | profilePath |
| ProtectedFromAccidentalDeletion | Boolean | RW | nTSecurityDescriptor |
| SamAccountName | String | RW | sAMAccountName |
| ScriptPath | String | RW | scriptPath |
| ServicePrincipalNames | ADCollection | RW | servicePrincipalName |
| SID | Sid | R | objectSID converted to string |
| SIDHistory | ADCollection | R | sIDHistory |
| SmartcardLogonRequired | Boolean | RW | userAccountControl (bit mask 262144) |
| State | String | RW | st |
| StreetAddress | String | RW | streetAddress |
| Surname | String | RW | sn |
| Title | String | RW | title |
| TrustedForDelegation | Boolean | RW | userAccountControl (bit mask 524288) |
| TrustedToAuthForDelegation | Boolean | RW | userAccountControl (bit mask 16777216) |
| UseDESKeyOnly | Boolean | RW | userAccountControl (bit mask 2097152) |
| UserPrincipalName | String | RW | userPrincipalName |
Regards
The Author –
Dealing with a Skype for Business deployment with SQL AlwaysOn isn’t an easy task as there are a number of different elements involved from ensuring your databases are in the correct configuration to security permissions across the nodes.
I did originally create the following script while doing a customer deployment and have improved/modified to ensure I take out most of the headaches involved when deploying your backend databases.
The script runs through the following actions;
Complete your AlwaysOn Configuration using the SQL Management Studio
Set-SfBSQLDatabases (546 downloads)
Version 1.1 – Features
If you identity any issues within running the script please email theauthor@blogabout.cloud
Regards
The Author – Blogabout.Cloud
Installing Office 365 ProPlus can be a bit of a headache and also there are many different tricks/hacks which can be implemented to test out the latest channels.
The Office ProPlus ToolKit script is built with following options to help you test and deploy ProPlus in the most effective way. This script is built with the following menu
1) Configure Monthly Channel –>
2) Configure Semi Annual (Targeted) Channel –>
3) Configure Semi Annual Channel –>
4) Configure Monthly (Targeted) Channel –>
5) Configure Insider (Unsupported) Channel –>
6) Check your Office 365 ProPlus Configuration –>
7) Download the Office Readiness Toolkit for Add-ins & VBS –>
8) Download Microsoft FixIT Removal Tool –>
9) Download Offscrub Files (Office 03,07,10, O15 & O16) –>
10) Download Office 2016/2019/ProPlus Group Policy Templates –>
11) Download Office Telemetry Requirements –>
15) Download Office Deployment Tool (Official) –>
16) Download Pre-Loaded Office 365 Configuration Files –>
20) Install Office 365 ProPlus –>
21) Install SQL Express –>
22) Install SQL Management Studio –>
23) Install Office Telemetry Dashboard –>
30) Build your own configuration.xml (config.office.com) –>
31) Install Office using your modified configuration.xml –>
This script has seen a number of updates recently which have been logged below
Version 1.1 – Features
If
Regards
The Author – Blogabout.Cloud
When working with PowerShell and using a (get-command | fl or format-list) you will receive a whole list of information which sometimes can be difficult to digest as shown below. In most cases normally you are only after one or two pieces of key information.
Select-Object is a great command when filtering PowerShell output by a particular property example Get-Service and Name/Status
# Command
Get-Service | Select-Object -Property Name,Status
This command isnt limited to just Get-Service and can be used across all Microsoft workloads for example you wanted to see UserPrincipleName and O365 licence, Select-Object can help you achieve that.
Where-Object is a powerful option when filtering PowerShell output by a particular value, for example, Get-Service state based on stopped services
# Command
Get-Service | select -Property Name,Status | where {$_.Status -like 'Stopped'}
Where-Object doesn’t just stop there, what if you just wanted all the Stopped Service
# Command
Get-Service | select -Property Name,Status | where {($_.Name -like 'C*') -and ($_.Status -like 'Stopped')
Again where-object
Now go and try this commands within on your computer or organisation and see what you automate.
Regards
The Author – Blogabout.Cloud
When working with PowerShell and using a (get-command | fl or format-list) you will receive a whole list of information which sometimes can be difficult to digest as shown below. In most cases normally you are only after one or two
Using Format-List or LT you can specify the required information into something a bit more readable.
For example, I am currently working Get-SPOSite (SharePoint Online Sites) and I would like to know if any of the sites have sharing capabilities and site defined sharing capabilities.
# Command
Get-SPOSite | Select-Object -Property URL,SharingCapability,SiteDefinedSharingCapability | ft
As you can see from the above image the output for the required fields is more readable to my needs. You can use this approach for many different scenarios and maybe within a technical script you are writing for a deployment or an action.
Regards
The Author – Blogabout.Cloud
