dsquery

dsquery

new in WS2003

---

Search for a specific type of object within Active Directory.

Syntax

 dsquery   command     switches   [{-s   Server   -d   Domain   }] [-u   UserName   ]  [-p {   Password   *}] [-desc   Description   ] [-q] [-r] [-gc] [-limit   N   ] 

Options

command

Any dsquery command (see below)

switches

Various switches that go with each command (see below)

{-s Server -d Domain}

Connects to a specified server or domain to run the command (if omitted, defaults to domain controller in logon domain).

[-u UserName] [-p {Password *}]

Credentials for running the command. Specify UserName as domain\ user or user@domain . If -p * , prompts for password.

-desc Description

Description for the object.

-q

Runs in quiet mode to suppress standard output of command.

-r

Performs recursive search or follows referrals during search.

-gc

Performs the search using the global catalog.

-limit N

Number of results to be returned (default is 1000).

Commands

Here is a list of supported dsquery commands together with a brief description of their syntax (only the most commonly used switches are described).

dsquery computer [{StartNode forestroot domainroot}] [-o {dn rdn samid}] [-scope { subtree onelevel base}] [-name Name ] [-samid SAMName] [-inactive Weeks] [-stalepwd Days] [-disabled]

Searches for computers within Active Directory. The switches here are:

{StartNode forestroot domainroot}

Where to begin the search (default is domainroot )

-o {dn rdn samid}

Output search results by distinguished name, relative distinguished name, or SAM account name of each object

-scope {subtree onelevel base}

Scope of search to be entire subtree of start node, immediate children of start node, or start node only

-name Name

Searches for computers with specified name (wildcards supported)

-samid SAMName

Searches for computer accounts with specified SAM account name

-inactive Weeks

Searches for computer accounts that have been stale (inactive) for a certain number of weeks

-stalepwd Days

Searches for computers whose password has not been modified for a certain number of weeks

-disabled

Searches for disabled computer accounts

dsquery contact [{StartNode forestroot domainroot}] [-o {dn rdn}] [-scope {subtree onelevel base}] [-name Name]

Searches for contacts within Active Directory. See dsquery computer earlier in this list for an explanation of switches.

dsquery group [{StartNode forestroot domainroot}] [-o {dn rdn samid}] [-scope {subtree onelevel base}] [-name Name] [-samid SAMName]

Searches for groups within Active Directory. See dsquery computer earlier in this list for an explanation of switches.

dsquery ou [{StartNode forestroot domainroot}] [-o {dn rdn}] [-scope {subtree onelevel base}] [-name Name]

Searches for organizational units within Active Directory. See dsquery computer earlier in this list for an explanation of switches.

dsquery partition [-o {dn rdn}] [-part PartitionCN]

Searches for partitions matching the common name PartitionCN .

dsquery quota [{domainroot ObjectDN}] [-o {dn rdn}] [-acct Name] [-qlimit Filter]

Searches for quota specifications within Active Directory. The switches here are:

domainroot ObjectDN

Specifies the starting point for the search, either the root of the domain or the distinguished name of a specified container

-o {dn rdn samid}

Output search results by distinguished name, relative distinguished name, or SAM account name of each object

-acct Name

The security principal to which the quota specifications queried are assigned

-qlimit Filter

Searches for quota specifications matching the filter condition, for example, " =100 " or " <=75 " percent

dsquery server [-forest] [-domain DomainName] [-site SiteName] [-o {dn rdn}] [-name Name] [-hasfsmo {schema name infr pdc rid}] [-isgc]

Searches for domain controllers within Active Directory. See dsquery computer earlier in this list for an explanation of some switches. Other switches include:

-forest

Searches for domain controllers in the forest

-domain DomainName

Searches for domain controllers in the specified domain

-site SiteName

Searches for domain controllers in the specified site

-hasfsmo {schema name infr pdc rid}

Searches for domain controllers with a specific FSMO role assigned

-isgc

Searches for domain controllers that are global catalog servers

dsquery site [-o {dn rdn}] [-name Name]

Searches for sites within Active Directory. See dsquery computer earlier in this list for an explanation of switches.

dsquery user [{StartNode forestroot domainroot}] [-o {dn rdn samid upn}] [-scope {subtree onelevel base}] [-name Name] [-upn UserPrincipalName] [-samid SAMName] [-inactive Weeks] [-stalepwd Days] [-disabled]

Searches for user accounts within Active Directory. See dsquery computer earlier in this list for an explanation of these switches.

dsquery * [{StartNode forestroot domainroot}] [-scope {subtree onelevel base}] [-filter LDAPFilter] [-attr {AttributeList *}] [-attrsonly] [-l]

Searches for objects in Active Directory by using an LDAP query.

Examples

Search for all computer accounts in the forest:

  dsquery computer forestroot -o dn  "CN=ESRV210D,OU=Sales,DC=mtit,DC=local" "CN=ESRV230D,CN=Computers,DC=mtit,DC=local" "CN=DESK155,OU=Sales,DC=mtit,DC=local" "CN=DESK156,OU=Sales,DC=mtit,DC=local" "CN=DESK157,OU=Sales,DC=mtit,DC=local" 

Restrict search to computers whose name begins with D and which reside in the Sales OU, displaying results as SAM account names :

  dsquery computer OU=Sales,DC=mtit,DC=local -o samid -name d*  "DESK155$" "DESK156$" "DESK157$" 

Search for the PDC Emulator in the local domain:

  dsquery server -hasfsmo pdc  "CN=ESRV210D,CN=Servers,CN=Default-First- Site,CN=Sites,CN=Configuration,DC=mtit,DC=local" 

Display all partitions in Active Directory:

  dsquery partition  "DC=TAPI3Directory,DC=mtit,DC=local" "DC=DomainDnsZones,DC=mtit,DC=local" "DC=ForestDnsZones,DC=mtit,DC=local" "CN=Configuration,DC=mtit,DC=local" "DC=mtit,DC=local" "CN=Schema,CN=Configuration,DC=mtit,DC=local" 

See Also

Active Directory , dsadd , dsget , dsmod , dsmove , dsrm , Groups , Users