Scripting – Home

The place of scripting

In Windows Server 2003 and to a lesser extent in Windows 2003, scripting is a vital skill for those of us who look after the network.

For the curious there are 5 secrets to mastering scripting.

1. How to write VBScript or JScript
2. The role of WSH
3. The models used by ADSI and WMI
4. LDAP attributes and syntax
5. When to use which built in commands to use CSVDE, LDIFDE or CSCript.

How to learn scripting

In listening to network administrators or techies, I discovered that they learn by finding other people’s scripts and modifying them!

This scripting section has lots of scripts, feel free to copy, change the odd variable then run on your server.

1. Map network drives with Logon Scripts
2. Bulk import of users – CSVDE and LDIFDE
3. Generate users with WSH
4. Create and modify users with DSadd and DSmod

Index of Windows Server 2003 Scripting

a) Logon Scripts

• Map Network Drives
• Map Printers

b) CSVDE & LDIFDE – Key differences

• CSVDE Import
• CSVDE Export
• LDIFDE Import
• LDIFDE Export

c) WSH – Explained

• WSH – Create Users
• WSH – Bulk Import

Guy Recommends:  SolarWinds’ Free Bulk Import Tool

Import users from a spreadsheet.  Just provide a list of the users with their fields in the top row, and save as .csv file.  Then launch this FREE utility and match your fields with AD’s attributes, click and import the users.

Optionally, you can provide the name of the OU where the new accounts will be born. Download your FREE bulk import tool.

If you need more comprehensive software, download a free trial of SAM (Server & Application Monitor)

d) DS Commands – New scripting tools for Windows Server 2003

• DSadd and family of built-in scripting commands
• DSmod to change password and more