Chapter 23. Automating Tasks Using Windows Server 2003 Scripting

In This Chapter

• Scripting Overview

• Introduction to VBScript

• Active Directory Scripting Overview

• Discovering Object Properties

• Scripting User Management

• Creating a User from File Data

• Searching Active Directory

• Windows Server 2003 Scripting

• Leveraging Sample Scripts

Microsoft Windows Server 2003 supports performing server management and administrative tasks from both a command line and a graphical user interface. In many cases, these tasks are repetitive and are performed manually. For example, checking each server in a site and manually recording disk volume free space are single tasks on a maintenance checklist. Other manual tasks include creating users and changing group membership. Many tasks associated with server, workstation, or user management can be automated using scripts.

This chapter describes technologies that are used for scripting, including some command-line utilities and scripts written using the Microsoft Visual Basic Scripting language known as VBScript. This chapter also covers some basic scripting commands and provides some examples using WMI, ADO, CDO, and ADSI object models to manage the Windows Server 2003 environment. The purpose of this chapter is to help administrators think of ways to simplify administrative tasks by creating scripts.