LCM Enumerations in WMF 5.0 February preview release

 

Local Configuration manager in WMF 5.0 February preview release has introduced newer properties along with additional configuration values.

Below are updated and latest configuration values for some of its properties.

 

RefreshMode

“Push” and “Pull” had been the applicable values for RefreshMode property since beginning. Now an additional “Disabled” has been added to disable local configuration manager to not apply configuration to a target Node

 

ConfigurationMode

There is no change in the ConfigurationMode property. The applicable value are same as in previous version – “ApplyOnly”, “ApplyAndMonitor” and “ApplyandAutoCorrect”.

 

ActionAfterReboot

This is a new property that determines the action Local configuration manager should undertake after a target node restarts as a result of applying a configuration. The applicable values are “ContinueConfiguration” and “StopConfiguration”

 

DebugMode

DebugMode has added newer set of values. Earlier DebugMode used to accept boolean values – either “true” or “false” determining if the resource modules should be cached or not. It has gone complete change and now it accepts four different values instead of boolean true or false.

“None” signifies that DebugMode is False and not applicable.

“ForceModuleImport” enforce the resource module to be reloaded instead of using the cache. This is similar to “true” value in previous versions.

“ResourceScriptBrealAll” helps in debugging DSC resources when Local configuration manager tries to execute their functions. More on it in subsequent blog posts!

“All” signifies that debugging as well as reloading of modules are both enabled.

 

LCMState

LCMState determines the current state of LCM, whether it is busy executing and applying configurations or is waiting for a node reboot to happen or doing nothing. Each of these three states are represented through three different values. “Busy” while LCM is working on the target node, “PendingReboot” while LCM is waiting for node to restart and “Ready” when LCM is doing nothing. It could be waiting for commands to apply configurations or pull configuration or reapply apply configuration.

We will delve deeper into these configurations in subsequent blog posts!

Stay tuned!

Cheers!!

Powershell cmdlets for Azure Automation now available!!

The latest Powershell version for Azure has added 43 new cmdlets to manage Azure Automation.

After downloading the latest version of Azure Powershell check the build number containing these cmdlets. It should be 0.8.14.

You get the version number of Azure module by executing the following command.

You can also execute the below command to get all the available cmdlets belonging to Azure Automation.

The cmdlets primarily belongs to Azure Automation Assets like Connection, Credential, Variables, and Schedules. It also has cmdlets for managing Accounts and Runbooks.

We will deep-dive into each of these cmdlets and Azure Automation to know how they work.

Stay tuned!!

Cheers to Azure Automation !!

Local Configuration Manager (LCM) in Powershell Desired State Configuration (DSC) in WMF 5.0

Local Configuration Manager (LCM) for Powershell Desired State Configuration (DSC) in WMF 5.0

Local Configuration Manager is coming off a long way and I personally think it still has a long way to go. However, with its latest and current February 2015 release there are many new interesting features compared to its earlier preview release. Infact, many of the features featuring in November 2014 release have now stabled.

The following command can be executed on each of the DSC versions to view the Local Configuration Manager settings available.

Following will be results in different WMF versions

In WMF 4.0 version, following commands were available

In WMF 5.0 version of November 2014 release, the commands were

And in its February 2015 preview release, they are

You can see that the features and functionalities provided are ever increasing to DSC Local Configuration Manager and making it a really powershell agent for Configuration and deployment management.

We will deep-dive into each of these properties to know how they work and impact the configurations and their execution.

Stay tuned!!

Cheers to DSC !!

Cmdlets for Powershell Desired State Configuration (DSC) in WMF 5.0

Desired state Configuration is coming off a long way and I personally think it still has a long way to go. However, with its latest and current February 2015 release there are many new interesting features compared to its earlier preview release. Infact, many of the features featuring in November 2014 release have now stabled.

One of the features that keeps on getting more is the support of cmdlets for managing DSC. In this new release there are as many as 18 cmdlets which is more than double from its first release in WMF 4.0.

The following command can be executed on each of the DSC versions to view the cmdlets available.

Following will be results in different WMF versions

In WMF 4.0 version, following commands were available

In WMF 5.0 version of November 2014 release, the commands were

And in its February 2015 preview release, they are

You can see that the features and functionalities provided are ever increasing to DSC full featured configuration management and deployment framework with enough commands at the hands of the DevOps people.

Cheers to DSC !!

Windows Management Framework (WMF) 5.0 Preview February release

Windows Management Framework (WMF) 5.0 Preview February 2015 contains functionality that has been updated from WMF 4.0. WMF 5.0 Preview February 2015 is available for installation on Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2012 R2 and Windows Server 2012, and contains updated versions of the following features:

• Windows PowerShell
• Windows PowerShell Integrated Scripting Environment (ISE)
• Windows PowerShell Web Services (Management OData IIS Extension)
• Windows PowerShell Desired State Configuration (DSC)
• Windows Remote Management (WinRM)
• Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI)

You can download the release from here

This Windows Management Framework (WMF) preview includes everything from WMF 5.0 Preview November 2014, plus lots of new and interesting features.

The installer downloads and installs KB3037315 as shown here. You would require restart of the machine before the changes take effect.

Also, you do not need to uninstall previous versions to install the february release. Just download and install!!

Enjoy the experience and experiments!!

Cheers!!