You may use the following (2) Microsoft Windows PowerShell cmdlets to view the domain and forest functional levels of a Microsoft Active Directory domain.
Get-ADDomain | Format-List Name, DomainMode
Get-ADForest | Format-List Name, ForestMode
Microsoft Active Directory – Domain and Forest Functional Levels
Microsoft Exchange Server 2016 – Edge Transport Role Command Line Installation
The architecture of Microsoft Exchange Server 2016 includes the Edge Transport Role server role. Below you will find a step-by-step tutorial for installing the Edge Transport Role using the command line.
- Right click Windows PowerShell and select Run as Administrator.
- Execute the following command to install Active Directory Lightweight
Directory Services (ADLDS).- Install-WindowsFeature ADLDS
- Install-WindowsFeature ADLDS
- Install Microsoft .NET Framework 4.5.2.
- Execute the following command to install the Edge Transport Server role.
- Setup.exe /mode:install /role:EdgeTransport /IAcceptExchangeServerLicenseTerms
- Execute the following command to create the Edge subscription file.
- New-EdgeSubscription -FileName C:\Microsoft Exchange\Edge_Subscription_File.xml
- Copy the subscription file to a folder on the server hosting the Mailbox Server role.
- Run the following command on the Mailbox Server Role server to import the Edge subscription file and subscribe the Edge Transport server to the Active Directory site named Default-First-Site-Name.
- New-EdgeSubscription -FileData ([byte[]]$(Get-Content -Path “C:\Microsoft Exchange\Edge_Subscription_File.xml” -Encoding Byte -ReadCount 0)) -Site “Default-First-Site-Name”
- On the Mailbox Server Role server execute the following command to start the synchronization between the Mailbox Server Role and the Edge Transport Server role.
- Start-EdgeSynchronization
Microsoft Exchange Server 2016 – Mailbox Server Role Prerequisites
The Microsoft Exchange Server 2016 Mailbox Server role prerequisites may be installed during the graphical user interface (GUI) installation of the Mailbox Server role. Additionally, and recommended, you may use the process below to install the required prerequisites on the server that will be hosting the Mailbox Server role. These include installing operating system features, preparing Microsoft Active Directory (AD), installation Microsoft .NET Framework 4.5.2, and installing Microsoft Unified Communications Managed API 4.0, Core Runtime 64-bit.
- Right click Windows PowerShell and select Run as Administrator.
- Use the following cmdlet to install the required features, then reboot the server.
- Install-WindowsFeature AS-HTTP-Activation, Desktop-Experience, NET-Framework-45-Features, RPC-over-HTTP-proxy, RSAT-Clustering, RSAT-Clustering-CmdInterface, RSAT-Clustering-Mgmt, RSAT-Clustering-PowerShell, Web-Mgmt-Console, WAS-Process-Model, Web-Asp-Net45, Web-Basic-Auth, Web-Client-Auth, Web-Digest-Auth, Web-Dir-Browsing, Web-Dyn-Compression, Web-Http-Errors, Web-Http-Logging, Web-Http-Redirect, Web-Http-Tracing, Web-ISAPI-Ext, Web-ISAPI-Filter, Web-Lgcy-Mgmt-Console, Web-Metabase, Web-Mgmt-Console, Web-Mgmt-Service, Web-Net-Ext45, Web-Request-Monitor, Web-Server, Web-Stat-Compression, Web-Static-Content, Web-Windows-Auth, Web-WMI, Windows-Identity-Foundation
- Install-WindowsFeature AS-HTTP-Activation, Desktop-Experience, NET-Framework-45-Features, RPC-over-HTTP-proxy, RSAT-Clustering, RSAT-Clustering-CmdInterface, RSAT-Clustering-Mgmt, RSAT-Clustering-PowerShell, Web-Mgmt-Console, WAS-Process-Model, Web-Asp-Net45, Web-Basic-Auth, Web-Client-Auth, Web-Digest-Auth, Web-Dir-Browsing, Web-Dyn-Compression, Web-Http-Errors, Web-Http-Logging, Web-Http-Redirect, Web-Http-Tracing, Web-ISAPI-Ext, Web-ISAPI-Filter, Web-Lgcy-Mgmt-Console, Web-Metabase, Web-Mgmt-Console, Web-Mgmt-Service, Web-Net-Ext45, Web-Request-Monitor, Web-Server, Web-Stat-Compression, Web-Static-Content, Web-Windows-Auth, Web-WMI, Windows-Identity-Foundation
- Use the Install-WindowsFeature RSAT-ADDS cmdlet to prepare Microsoft Active Directory.
- Right click the Microsoft .NET Framework 4.5.2 executable file and select Run as administrator.
- On the .NET Framework 4.5.2 Setup dialog box select the check box that states I have read and accept the license terms., then click Install.
- On the Do you want Setup to close your programs? dialog box click Yes.
- On the Installation is Complete dialog box click Finish.
- Right click the Microsoft Unified Communications Managed API 4.0, Core Runtime 64-bit executable file and select Run as administrator.
- On the Microsoft Unified Communications Managed API 4.0, Runtime Setup dialog box click Next >.
- On the Microsoft Unified Communications Managed API 4.0, Runtime Setup dialog box select the check box that states I have read and accept the license terms., then click Install.
- On the Installation is Complete dialog box click Finish.
Microsoft Exchange Server 2016 – Mailbox Server Role Command Line Installation
You may use the following commands to install the Microsoft Exchange Server 2016 Mailbox Server role from the command line.
Setup.exe /PrepareSchema /IAcceptExchangeServerLicenseTerms
Setup.exe /PrepareAD /IAcceptExchangeServerLicenseTerms /OrganizaionName:
“<Organization Name>”
Setup.exe /mode:install /role:Mailbox /IAcceptExchangeServerLicenseTerms
VMware vCenter Server 6.0 – Verify the Status of Critical Services Locally
The script below will query the status of the service(s) specified in “C:\Scripts\VMware vCenter Server\Verify_Critical_Services.txt” on the local server. The output of the script will provide the name and status of the service(s) in a formatted list for your viewing. Additionally, it is recommended that the following services be queried as they are critical to the proper functioning of VMware vCenter Server 6.
- VMware VirtualCenter Server (vpxd)
- VMware Inventory Service (invsvc)
- VMware vSphere Web Client (vspherewebclientsvc)
<#
.SYNOPSIS
This script will provide the name and status of the service(s) defined in “C:\Scripts\VMware vCenter Server\Verify_Critical_Services.txt”
.DESCRIPTION
This script will automate the process of providing the status of critical VMware vCenter Server 6 service(s) on the local server
.EXAMPLE
N/A.
.AUTHOR
Written by Noel Enrique Alvarez on Wednesday, November 22, 2017.
#>
#Define the service(s) to query
$Services = Get-Content “C:\Scripts\VMware vCenter Server\Verify_Critical_Services.txt”
#Query the status of the service(s) in “C:\Scripts\VMware vCenter Server\Verify_Critical_Services.txt”
ForEach ($Service in $Services)
{Get-Service $Service |
Format-List -Property Name, Status}
Microsoft Active Directory – Get NetBIOS Name
You may use Microsoft Windows PowerShell to obtain the NetBIOS name of a Microsoft Active Directory (AD) domain. The command is Get-ADDomain –Identity domain.com and the NetBIOS name is contained in the NetBIOSName field.
Microsoft Windows PowerShell – Delete DNS A Record
Scripting is a great way to make yourself more efficient as an Information Technology (IT) professional. With that being said, the Microsoft Windows PowerShell script below may be used to automate the deletion of a domain name system (DNS) A record.
<#
.SYNOPSIS
This script will automate the process of deleting a DNS A record.
.DESCRIPTION
This script will automate the process of deleting a DNS A record.
.EXAMPLE
Remove-DnsServerResourceRecord -ZoneName “noelalvarez.net” -RRType “A” -Name “www”.
.AUTHOR
Written by Noel Enrique Alvarez on Thursday, December 22, 2016.
#>
#Request the hostname of the server
$HOSTNAME = Read-Host “What is the hostname of the server?”
#Delete the DNS A record
Remove-DnsServerResourceRecord -ZoneName “noelalvarez.net” -RRType “A” -Name “$HOSTNAME” -Force
#End of script
Dell – Get Service Tag Remotely
You may use the Microsoft Windows PowerShell script below to get the service tag of a Dell server, remotely.
<#
.SYNOPSIS
This script will automate the process of determining the service tag of a Dell server.
.DESCRIPTION
This script will query the server you specificy for it’s service tag.
.EXAMPLE
wmic /user:administrator /node:hostname bios get serialnumber.
.AUTHOR
Written by Noel Enrique Alvarez on Monday, December 05, 2016.
#>
#Request the domain name
$– USERNAME = Read-Host “What is the username of the administrator account?”
#Request the hostname of the server
$HOSTNAME = Read-Host “What is hostname of the server?”
#Get the service tag
wmic /user:$– USERNAME /node:$HOSTNAME bios get serialnumber
#End of script
Microsoft Windows PowerShell – Add a Domain User to a Group
You may use the Microsoft Windows PowerShell script below to remotely add a domain user to the specified group of the server you choose.
<#
.SYNOPSIS
This script will add a domain user to a group on a server.
.DESCRIPTION
This script will automate the process of adding a domain user to a group on a server.
.EXAMPLE
N/A.
.AUTHOR
Modified by Noel Enrique Alvarez on Friday, December 02, 2016.
#>
#Request the domain name
$DOMAIN = Read-Host “What is the domain?”
#Request the username
$– USERNAME = Read-Host “What is the username?”
#Request the hostname of the server
$SERVER = Read-Host “What is the hostname of the server?”
#Request the name of the group
$GROUP = Read-Host “What is the name of the group (i.e. Administrators)?”
([ADSI]”WinNT://$SERVER/$GROUP,group”).psbase.Invoke(“Add”,([ADSI]”WinNT://$DOMAIN/$– USERNAME”).path)
Microsoft Windows PowerShell – nslookup Configuration
You may use the following commands at a Microsoft Windows PowerShell to configure a default domain name system (DNS) server, for that instance, as well specify the type(s) of DNS records to resolve. This may be used for daily support of DNS.
- nslookup
- server <<<IP ADDRESS>>>
- set type=<<<DNS RECORD>>>
- domain.com
For example, if you wanted to configure the nslookup session to utilize a Google public DNS server (google-public-dns-a.google.com) and query the domain google.com for all DNS records you would enter the following commands.
- nslookup
- server 8.8.8.8
- set type=all
- google.com
Additionally, more information may be found using this link.