We just released the DSC Resource Kit!
This release includes updates to 8 DSC resource modules. In the past 6 weeks, 95 pull requests have been merged and 55 issues have been closed, all thanks to our amazing community!
The modules updated in this release are:
- CertificateDsc
- NetworkingDsc
- PSDscResources
- SharePointDsc
- SqlServerDsc
- xActiveDirectory
- xDnsServer
- xPSDesiredStateConfiguration
For a detailed list of the resource modules and fixes in this release, see the Included in this Release section below.
Our latest community call for the DSC Resource Kit was last Wednesday, June 19. A recording of the call with be posted on the PowerShell YouTube channel soon. You can join us for the next call at 12PM (Pacific time) on July 31 to ask questions and give feedback about your experience with the DSC Resource Kit.
The next DSC Resource Kit release will be on Wednesday, August 7.
We strongly encourage you to update to the newest version of all modules using the PowerShell Gallery, and don’t forget to give us your feedback in the comments below, on GitHub, or on Twitter (@PowerShell_Team)!
Please see our documentation here for information on the support of these resource modules.
Included in this Release
You can see a detailed summary of all changes included in this release in the table below. For past release notes, go to the README.md or CHANGELOG.md file on the GitHub repository page for a specific module (see the How to Find DSC Resource Modules on GitHub section below for details on finding the GitHub page for a specific module).
| Module Name |
Version |
Release Notes |
|---|
| CertificateDsc |
4.7.0.0 |
- Opted into Common Tests “Common Tests – Validate Localization” – fixes Issue 195.
- Combined all
CertificateDsc.ResourceHelper module functions into CertificateDsc.Common module and renamed to CertificateDsc.CommonHelper module.
- CertReq:
- Fix error when ProviderName parameter is not encapsulated in double quotes – fixes Issue 185.
- Refactor integration tests to update to latest standards.
- Refactor unit tests to update to latest standards.
- CertificateImport:
- Refactor to use common functions and share more code with
PfxImport resource.
- Resource will now only throw an exception if the PFX file does not exist and it needs to be imported.
- Removed file existence check from
Path parameter to enable the resource to remove a certificate from the store without the need to have the access to the certificate file.
- Removed ShouldProcess because it is not required by DSC Resources.
- CertificatePfx:
- Refactor to use common functions and share more code with
CertificateImport resource.
- Resource will now only throw an exception if the certificate file does not exist and it needs to be imported.
- CertificateImport:
- Added
FriendlyName parameter to allow setting the certificate friendly name of the imported certificate – fixes Issue 194.
- CertificatePfx:
- Added
FriendlyName parameter to allow setting the certificate friendly name of the imported certificate – fixes Issue 194.
|
| NetworkingDsc |
7.3.0.0 |
- DnsClientGlobalSettings:
- Fixed SuffixSearchList Empty String Handling – fixes Issue 398.
- NetAdapterAdvancedProperty:
- Removed validation from RegistryKeyword parameter because the list of valid registry keywords is not fixed and will depend on adapter driver – fixes Issue 388.
- MSFT_WinsServerAddress Added MSFT_WinsServerAddress to control the WINS servers for a given network adapter.
- Test-DscParameterState:
- This function was enhanced with an optional reversecheck, optional internal sorting for arrays.
- The functions ConvertTo-CimInstance and ConvertTo-Hashtable were added required by Test-DscParameterState.
- Fix missing context message content in unit tests – fixes Issue 405.
- Correct style violations in unit tests:
- Adding
Get, Set and Test tags to appropriate describe blocks.
- Removing uneccesary
region blocks.
- Conversion of double quotes to single quotes where possible.
- Replace variables with string litterals in
describe block description.
- Firewall:
- Fix bug when LocalAddress or RemoteAddress is specified using CIDR notation with number of bits specified in subnet mask (e.g. 10.0.0.1/8) rather than using CIDR subnet mask notation (e.g 10.0.0.1/255.0.0.0) – fixes Issue 404.
|
| PSDscResources |
2.12.0.0 |
- Ports style fixes that were recently made in xPSDesiredStateConfiguration on test related files.
- Ports most of the style upgrades from xPSDesiredStateConfiguration that have been made in files in the DscResources folder.
- Ports fixes for the following issues: Issue 505 Issue 590 Changes to test helper Enter-DscResourceTestEnvironment so that it only updates DSCResource.Tests when it is longer than 120 minutes since it was last pulled. This is to improve performance of test execution and reduce the likelihood of connectivity issues caused by inability to pull DSCResource.Tests.
- Fixes issue where MsiPackage Integration tests fail if the test HttpListener fails to start. Moves the test HttpListener objects to dynamically assigned, higher numbered ports to avoid conflicts with other services, and also checks to ensure that the ports are available before using them. Adds checks to ensure that no outstanding HTTP server jobs are running before attempting to setup a new one. Also adds additional instrumentation to make it easier to troubleshoot issues with the test HttpListener objects in the future. Specifically fixes Issue 142
- Improved speed of Test-IsNanoServer function
- Remove the Byte Order Mark (BOM) from all affected files
- Opt-in to “Validate Module Files” and “Validate Script Files” common meta-tests
- Opt-in to “Common Tests – Relative Path Length” common meta-test
- Fix README markdownlint validation failures
- Move change log from README.md to CHANGELOG.md
|
| SharePointDsc |
3.5.0.0 |
- SharePointDsc generic
- Improved logging in all resource. They are now outputting the current and targeted values in the Test method.
- Updated various resources to comply with coding style guidelines.
- Updated the following resources to not return Null from the Get method anymore, but an hashtable which contains null values: SPDesignerSettings, SPDiagnosticLoggingSettings, SPFarmAdministrators, SPHealthAnalyzerRuleState, SPIrmSettings, SPOutgoingEmailSettings, SPPasswordChangeSettings, SPSearchTopology, SPServiceAppProxyGroup, SPTimerJobState, SPUserProfileSection, SPUserProfileSyncConnection, SPWebAppBlockedFileTypes, SPWebApplicationAppDomain, SPWebAppPolicy, SPWebAppSiteUseAndDeletion, SPWebAppThrottlingSettings, SPWordAutomationServiceApp.
- SPConfigWizard
- Added check to make sure the Config Wizard is only executed when all servers have the binaries installed.
- SPDistributedCacheService
- Added ability to check for incorrect service account.
- SPExcelServiceApp
- Fixes issue where Get method throws an error when the value of PrivateBytesMax and UnusedObjectAgeMax are negative values.
- SPFarm
- Throw error in Get method if CentralAdministrationUrl is HTTP.
- SPInstallPrereqs
- Fixed bug in version check, where lower versions would be detected as higher versions.
- SPProductUpdate
- Updated Readme to reflect the new patching possibilities added in v3.3.
- SPSecureStore
- Fixed issue where the test issue returned false is the service application didn’t exist, but the database name/server parameter was specified.
- SPUserProfileSyncConnection
- Fixed issue where the parameter Server was checked in SP2016 but isn’t used there and therefore always fails.
- SPWebAppAuthentication
- Updated the documentation to better explain the use of this resource when using Classic authentication.
|
| SqlServerDsc |
13.0.0.0 |
- Changes to SqlServerDsc
- Added SqlAgentAlert resource.
- Opt-in to the common test “Common Test – Validation Localization”.
- Opt-in to the common test “Common Test – Flagged Script Analyzer Rules” (issue 1101).
- Removed the helper function
New-TerminatingError, New-WarningMessage and New-VerboseMessage in favor of the the new localization helper functions.
- Combine DscResource.LocalizationHelper and DscResource.Common into SqlServerDsc.Common (issue 1357).
- Update Assert-TestEnvironment.ps1 to not error if strict mode is enabled and there are no missing dependencies (issue 1368).
- Changes to SqlServerDsc.Common
- Added StatementTimeout to function “Connect-SQL” with default 600 seconds (10mins).
- Added StatementTimeout to function “Invoke-Query” with default 600 seconds (10mins) (issue 1358).
- Changes to helper function Connect-SQL
- The function now make it more clear that when using the parameter
SetupCredential is impersonates that user, and by default it does not impersonates a user but uses the credential that the resource is run as (for example the built-in credential parameter PsDscRunAsCredential). @kungfu71186
- Added parameter alias
-DatabaseCredential for the parameter -SetupCredential. @kungfu71186
- Changes to SqlAG
- Added en-US localization.
- Changes to SqlAGReplica
- Added en-US localization.
- Improved verbose message output when creating availability group replica, removing a availability group replica, and joining the availability group replica to the availability group.
- Changes to SqlAlwaysOnService
- Now outputs the correct verbose message when restarting the service.
- Changes to SqlServerMemory
- Now outputs the correct verbose messages when calculating the dynamic memory, and when limiting maximum memory.
- Changes to SqlServerRole
- Now outputs the correct verbose message when the members of a role is not in desired state.
- Changes to SqlAgentOperator
- Fix minor issue that when unable to connect to an instance. Instead of showing a message saying that connect failed another unrelated error message could have been shown, because of an error in the code.
- Fix typo in test it block.
- Changes to SqlDatabaseRole
- Changes to SqlSetup
- Add an Action type of “Upgrade”. This will ask setup to do a version upgrade where possible (issue 1368).
- Fix an error when testing for DQS installation (issue 1368).
- Changed the logic of how default value of FailoverClusterGroupName is set since that was preventing the resource to be able to be debugged (issue 448).
- Added RSInstallMode parameter (issue 1163).
- Changes to SqlWindowsFirewall
- Where a version upgrade has changed paths for a database engine, the existing firewall rule for that instance will be updated rather than another one created (issue 1368). Other firewall rules can be fixed to work in the same way later.
- Changes to SqlAGDatabase
- Added new parameter “ReplaceExisting” with default false. This allows forced restores when a database already exists on secondary.
- Added StatementTimeout to Invoke-Query to fix Issue1358
- Fix issue where calling Get would return an error because the database name list may have been returned as a string instead of as a string array (issue 1368).
|
| xActiveDirectory |
3.0.0.0 |
- Changes to xActiveDirectory
- Added new helper functions in xADCommon, see each functions comment-based help for more information.
- Convert-PropertyMapToObjectProperties
- Compare-ResourcePropertyState
- Test-DscPropertyState
- Move the examples in the README.md to Examples folder.
- Fix Script Analyzer rule failures.
- Opt-in to the following DSC Resource Common Meta Tests:
- Common Tests – Custom Script Analyzer Rules
- Common Tests – Required Script Analyzer Rules
- Common Tests – Flagged Script Analyzer Rules
- Common Tests – Validate Module Files (issue 282)
- Common Tests – Validate Script Files (issue 283)
- Common Tests – Relative Path Length (issue 284)
- Common Tests – Validate Markdown Links (issue 280)
- Common Tests – Validate Localization (issue 281)
- Common Tests – Validate Example Files (issue 279)
- Common Tests – Validate Example Files To Be Published (issue 311)
- Move resource descriptions to Wiki using auto-documentation (issue 289)
- Move helper functions from MSFT_xADCommon to the module xActiveDirectory.Common (issue 288).
- Removed helper function
Test-ADDomain since it was not used. The helper function had design flaws too.
- Now the helper function
Test-Members outputs all the members that are not in desired state when verbose output is enabled.
- Update all unit tests to latest unit test template.
- Deleted the obsolete xActiveDirectory_TechNetDocumentation.html file.
- Added new resource xADObjectEnabledState. This resource should be used to enforce the
Enabled property of computer accounts. This resource replaces the deprecated Enabled property in the resource xADComputer.
- Cleanup of code
- Removed semicolon throughout where it is not needed.
- Migrate tests to Pester syntax v4.x (issue 322).
- Removed
-MockWith {} in unit tests.
- Use fully qualified type names for parameters and variables (issue 374).
- Removed unused legacy test files from the root of the repository.
- Updated Example List README with missing resources.
- Added missing examples for xADReplicationSubnet, xADServicePrincipalName and xWaitForADDomain. (issue 395).
- Changes to xADComputer
- Refactored the resource and the unit tests.
- BREAKING CHANGE: The
Enabled property is DEPRECATED and is no longer set or enforces with this resource. If this parameter is used in a configuration a warning message will be outputted saying that the Enabled parameter has been deprecated. The new resource xADObjectEnabledState can be used to enforce the Enabled property.
- BREAKING CHANGE: The default value of the enabled property of the computer account will be set to the default value of the cmdlet
New-ADComputer.
- A new parameter was added called
EnabledOnCreation that will control if the computer account is created enabled or disabled.
- Moved examples from the README.md to separate example files in the Examples folder.
- Fix the RestoreFromRecycleBin description.
- Fix unnecessary cast in
Test-TargetResource (issue 295).
- Fix ServicePrincipalNames property empty string exception (issue 382).
- Changes to xADGroup
- Change the description of the property RestoreFromRecycleBin.
- Code cleanup.
- Changes to xADObjectPermissionEntry
- Change the description of the property IdentityReference.
- Fix failure when applied in the same configuration as xADDomain.
- Localize and Improve verbose messaging.
- Code cleanup.
- Changes to xADOrganizationalUnit
- Change the description of the property RestoreFromRecycleBin.
- Code cleanup.
- Fix incorrect verbose message when this resource has Ensure set to Absent (issue 276).
- Changes to xADUser
- Change the description of the property RestoreFromRecycleBin.
- Added ServicePrincipalNames property (issue 153).
- Added ChangePasswordAtLogon property (issue 246).
- Code cleanup.
- Added LogonWorkstations property
- Added Organization property
- Added OtherName property
- Added AccountNotDelegated property
- Added AllowReversiblePasswordEncryption property
- Added CompoundIdentitySupported property
- Added PasswordNotRequired property
- Added SmartcardLogonRequired property
- Added ProxyAddresses property (Issue 254).
- Fix Password property being updated whenever another property is changed (issue 384).
- Replace Write-Error with the correct helper function (Issue 331).
- Changes to xADDomainController
- Change the
Requires statement in the Examples to require the correct module.
- Suppressing the Script Analyzer rule
PSAvoidGlobalVars since the resource is using the $global:DSCMachineStatus variable to trigger a reboot.
- Code cleanup.
- Changes to xADDomain
- Suppressing the Script Analyzer rule
PSAvoidGlobalVars since the resource is using the $global:DSCMachineStatus variable to trigger a reboot.
- Code cleanup.
- Changes to xADDomainTrust
- Replaced New-TerminatingError with Standard Function.
- Code cleanup.
- Changes to xWaitForADDomain
- Suppressing the Script Analyzer rule
PSAvoidGlobalVars since the resource is using the $global:DSCMachineStatus variable to trigger a reboot.
- Added missing property schema descriptions (issue 369).
- Code cleanup.
- Changes to xADRecycleBin
- Remove unneeded example and resource designer files.
- Added missing property schema descriptions (issue 368).
- Code cleanup.
- It now sets back the
$ErrorActionPreference that was set prior to setting it to "Stop".
- Replace Write-Error with the correct helper function (issue 327).
- Changes to xADReplicationSiteLink
- Fix ADIdentityNotFoundException when creating a new site link.
- Code cleanup.
- Changes to xADReplicationSubnet
|
| xDnsServer |
1.13.0.0 |
- Added resource xDnsServerConditionalForwarder
- Added xDnsServerDiagnostics resource to this module.
|
| xPSDesiredStateConfiguration |
8.8.0.0 |
- Ports fix for the following issue: Issue 142 Fixes issue where MsiPackage Integration tests fail if the test HttpListener fails to start. Moves the test HttpListener objects to dynamically assigned, higher numbered ports to avoid conflicts with other services, and also checks to ensure that the ports are available before using them. Adds checks to ensure that no outstanding HTTP server jobs are running before attempting to setup a new one. Also adds additional instrumentation to make it easier to troubleshoot issues with the test HttpListener objects in the future.
|
How to Find Released DSC Resource Modules
To see a list of all released DSC Resource Kit modules, go to the PowerShell Gallery and display all modules tagged as DSCResourceKit. You can also enter a module’s name in the search box in the upper right corner of the PowerShell Gallery to find a specific module.
Of course, you can also always use PowerShellGet (available starting in WMF 5.0) to find modules with DSC Resources:
#To list all modules that tagged as DSCResourceKit
Find-Module -Tag DSCResourceKit
#To list all DSC resources from all sources
Find-DscResource
Please note only those modules released by the PowerShell Team are currently considered part of the ‘DSC Resource Kit’ regardless of the presence of the ‘DSC Resource Kit’ tag in the PowerShell Gallery.
To find a specific module, go directly to its URL on the PowerShell Gallery:
http://www.powershellgallery.com/packages/< module name >
For example:
http://www.powershellgallery.com/packages/xWebAdministration
How to Install DSC Resource Modules From the PowerShell Gallery
We recommend that you use PowerShellGet to install DSC resource modules:
Install-Module -Name < module name >
For example:
Install-Module -Name xWebAdministration
To update all previously installed modules at once, open an elevated PowerShell prompt and use this command:
After installing modules, you can discover all DSC resources available to your local system with this command:
How to Find DSC Resource Modules on GitHub
All resource modules in the DSC Resource Kit are available open-source on GitHub.
You can see the most recent state of a resource module by visiting its GitHub page at:
https://github.com/PowerShell/< module name >
For example, for the CertificateDsc module, go to:
https://github.com/PowerShell/CertificateDsc.
All DSC modules are also listed as submodules of the DscResources repository in the DscResources folder and the xDscResources folder.
How to Contribute
You are more than welcome to contribute to the development of the DSC Resource Kit! There are several different ways you can help. You can create new DSC resources or modules, add test automation, improve documentation, fix existing issues, or open new ones.
See our contributing guide for more info on how to become a DSC Resource Kit contributor.
If you would like to help, please take a look at the list of open issues for the DscResources repository.
You can also check issues for specific resource modules by going to:
https://github.com/PowerShell/< module name >/issues
For example:
https://github.com/PowerShell/xPSDesiredStateConfiguration/issues
Your help in developing the DSC Resource Kit is invaluable to us!
Questions, comments?
If you’re looking into using PowerShell DSC, have questions or issues with a current resource, or would like a new resource, let us know in the comments below, on Twitter (@PowerShell_Team), or by creating an issue on GitHub.
Katie Kragenbrink
Software Engineer
PowerShell DSC Team
@katiedsc (Twitter)
@kwirkykat (GitHub)