Summary | Windows NT/2000 ADSI Scripting for System Administration

Summary

Using the IADsComputer, IADsService, and IADsServiceOperations interfaces, the administrator can easily perform ad hoc queries of important properties on individual machines as well as manipulate the services on any machine or group of machines in the enterprise.

The IADsComputer interface provides vital information about the machines in a resource domain, including the operating system installed and the HAL currently in use. In addition to collecting information about the enterprise, you can incorporate these functions into an application to limit execution based on a given set of parameters such as specifying that the application can be run on Windows NT 4.0 or higher or only on a multiprocessor machine.

Using the IADsService interface, you can modify the default configuration of a service, such as the path to the executable, and query for dependent services. You can even change the display name of a service, thus modifying the way an administrator would see the service in the services list.

Using the IADsServiceOperations interface, you can create an application that enables synchronization between the password stored in the SAM and the password used to start the service. For those creating Web-based administrative consoles (perhaps for recycling a print spooler on the corporate technical support desk), the IADsServiceOperations interface also enables you to start the services on any machine in the enterprise.

As with the other chapters in Part II, "Exploring the ADSI Service Providers: Windows NT," all code segments found in the text were concatenated into an easy-to-implement class module in the NTAdmin.DLL ActiveX DLL (COM server) project started in Chapter 3. This DLL can then be instantiated from any programming language that supports automation, including Visual Basic, VBScript, and JavaScript.

By adding these services to your programmatic administration toolbox, you can reduce the tedium associated with performing administrative tasks upon large groups of Windows NT machines.

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