PowerShell 5.0 and Desired State Configuration Course Overview

PowerShell 5.0 and Desired State Configuration Course Overview

The "PowerShell 5.0 and Desired State Configuration (DSC)" course is designed for IT professionals looking to automate Windows system configuration and management using Microsoft PowerShell 5 and Windows PowerShell DSC. Through this course, learners will gain a comprehensive understanding of DSC's capabilities, architecture, and how to implement configuration management across their IT infrastructure.

Starting with an introduction to PowerShell 5.0 and DSC, the course covers the imperative and declarative aspects of PowerShell and explains why DSC is a valuable tool for system administrators. Learners will explore the DSC architecture, including Pull and Push Servers, and delve into creating and managing DSC Configuration Files. The course also provides practical knowledge on using and authoring DSC Resources for various system components like files, services, and user accounts.

The course's hands-on approach ensures that participants will be able to apply DSC to real-world scenarios, manage Configuration drift, and debug configurations effectively. By the end of this course, learners will be well-versed in using Microsoft PowerShell 5 and Windows PowerShell DSC to maintain consistent and reliable system configurations across their environments.

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Course Prerequisites

To ensure a successful learning experience in the PowerShell 5.0 and Desired State Configuration course, participants should have the following minimum prerequisites:


  • Basic understanding of Windows Server roles and features.
  • Familiarity with common Windows Server management tools (like Server Manager, MMC consoles, etc.).
  • Fundamental knowledge of Windows networking concepts such as IP addressing, name resolution, and connectivity.
  • An introductory level of knowledge about Active Directory Domain Services (e.g., domain user accounts and domain vs. local user accounts).
  • Experience with Windows command-line interface and basic scripting or automation. Prior exposure to any scripting language can be beneficial.
  • Basic understanding of systems administration concepts.
  • Willingness to learn new scripting concepts and embrace automation techniques.

No previous experience with PowerShell is required, but any experience with command-line interfaces or basic scripting will be advantageous. The course will cover PowerShell 5.0 Basics in Module 7 to accommodate those who are new to PowerShell.


Please note that while the course is designed to be accessible to those with a fundamental IT background, a willingness to engage with the material and a commitment to practice the skills learned will greatly enhance the learning experience.


Target Audience for PowerShell 5.0 and Desired State Configuration

Koenig Solutions' PowerShell 5.0 and DSC course equips IT professionals with automation and configuration skills essential for modern infrastructures.


Target Audience for PowerShell 5.0 and Desired State Configuration Course:


  • System Administrators
  • IT Professionals with a focus on Windows Server administration
  • DevOps Engineers
  • Cloud Infrastructure Engineers
  • Network Administrators
  • Security Analysts with a focus on system compliance
  • Database Administrators seeking automation solutions
  • Technical Support Specialists looking to streamline tasks
  • Software Developers with a need for deployment automation
  • Configuration Managers
  • IT Managers overseeing Windows environments
  • Professionals working on Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) pipelines


Learning Objectives - What you will Learn in this PowerShell 5.0 and Desired State Configuration?

Introduction to Learning Outcomes

This PowerShell 5.0 and Desired State Configuration course equips learners with the skills to automate and manage Windows environments, utilizing the advanced capabilities of PowerShell 5.0 and DSC.

Learning Objectives and Outcomes

  • Understand the fundamentals and benefits of Desired State Configuration (DSC) and its role in IT infrastructure automation.
  • Grasp the differences between imperative and declarative programming within the context of PowerShell scripting.
  • Learn about the architectural components of DSC, including the Local Configuration Manager (LCM) and DSC Pull Server.
  • Write and interpret PowerShell DSC configuration files, and comprehend the significance of the Configuration Keyword.
  • Explore and manipulate a variety of DSC Resources such as File, User, and WindowsFeature to manage system configurations.
  • Implement PowerShell's DSC Pull and Push models to deploy configurations across multiple nodes.
  • Manage configuration drift and ensure system consistency with DSC's monitoring and enforcement capabilities.
  • Debug and troubleshoot DSC configurations and deployments in PowerShell version 5.
  • Gain a foundational understanding of PowerShell 5.0 basics, including scripting, functions, and effective use of the pipeline.
  • Develop the ability to automate tasks and manage system configurations with greater efficiency and compliance.

Technical Topic Explanation

Desired State Configuration (DSC)

Desired State Configuration (DSC) is a management platform in PowerShell that enables you to ensure the components of your computing environment are configured to a specific state. Hosted by Microsoft PowerShell 5 and later versions, DSC allows you to define a configuration that includes settings, services, and management preferences. Microsoft PowerShell DSC then checks the environment to see if it matches the desired configuration, automatically correcting any deviations. This ensures your systems are reliably maintained at their defined settings, enhancing consistency across Windows environments.

PowerShell 5.0

PowerShell 5.0, developed by Microsoft, is a powerful scripting language and command-line shell designed to automate system and administrative tasks. It integrates with Microsoft PowerShell Desired State Configuration (DSC), a feature that helps manage and maintain consistency across infrastructure through declarative scripts, ensuring that machines are configured precisely as required. This is useful in environments where maintaining standard configurations is crucial, such as in server setups. Microsoft Desired State Configuration and Windows PowerShell DSC effectively apply configurations to systems, reduce errors, and ensure compliance across multiple devices, enhancing administration and operational efficiency.

Configuration management

Configuration management is a process in IT that ensures all software and hardware assets an organization uses are maintained at a consistent state. It's crucial for system reliability, auditing, and managing change. Microsoft's PowerShell 5, along with PowerShell Desired State Configuration (DSC) and Microsoft Desired State Configuration, are tools that help automate and enforce the configurations of various devices in your network, ensuring they are in their desired state as specified by your scripts. Windows PowerShell DSC and Microsoft PowerShell DSC are specifically designed to work with Windows environments to streamline this process.

DSC Configuration Files

DSC Configuration Files are part of the PowerShell Desired State Configuration tool, a Microsoft technology that helps manage and maintain Windows servers and machines through a declarative approach, i.e., defining what you want a system to look like. These configuration files specify the settings that should be applied, such as software to be installed or settings to be enforced, and continually check to ensure the system matches the desired state. Microsoft PowerShell DSC reads these files and adjusts the system as needed, promoting consistent configurations and reducing manual setup errors.

DSC architecture

Desired State Configuration (DSC) is a management platform in Windows PowerShell that enables deploying and managing configuration data for software services and the environment on which these services run. DSC provides a set of PowerShell language extensions, cmdlets, and a process called declarative scripting. In DSC, you describe your environment through configuration files specifying how you want each part of your system configured. Once these configurations are set, DSC ensures all components keep their correct settings automatically, correcting any deviations. This helps in maintaining consistency across environments, easing the management of complex systems.

Pull and Push Servers

Pull and Push Servers are methods used to manage and distribute configurations in server environments. In a Push configuration, the central server actively sends (or 'pushes') configuration updates to the target servers whenever changes are made. This gives administrators direct control over when and what updates are deployed. Alternatively, Pull configuration involves target servers periodically checking (or 'pulling') for updates from a central server. Here, each server fetches its required configurations at scheduled intervals. Both techniques ensure that server settings align with predefined configurations, potentially utilizing tools like Microsoft PowerShell DSC (Desired State Configuration) to automate and enforce these configurations efficiently.

DSC Resources

DSC Resources in PowerShell Desired State Configuration (a feature of Windows PowerShell) are building blocks used to model and manage your IT infrastructure's configuration. Each DSC resource represents a piece of the system (like software installations, services, or files) and specifies how they should be configured. Microsoft PowerShell DSC enables administrators to ensure their systems are set up correctly and consistently by deploying these predefined resources, streamlining their management processes and reducing configuration drift. The use revolves around writing and applying configurations that utilize these DSC Resources to maintain desired states across Windows environments.

Configuration drift

Configuration drift occurs when the settings and software on a company's computers and servers change over time without being documented or managed. This can make systems unreliable or incompatible with each other, leading to potential downtime and security risks. Microsoft's PowerShell Desired State Configuration (DSC), part of Windows PowerShell, helps manage this by automatically ensuring that the systems are set up exactly as they should be according to a predefined configuration, preventing unintended changes and maintaining consistency across all devices and environments.

Target Audience for PowerShell 5.0 and Desired State Configuration

Koenig Solutions' PowerShell 5.0 and DSC course equips IT professionals with automation and configuration skills essential for modern infrastructures.


Target Audience for PowerShell 5.0 and Desired State Configuration Course:


  • System Administrators
  • IT Professionals with a focus on Windows Server administration
  • DevOps Engineers
  • Cloud Infrastructure Engineers
  • Network Administrators
  • Security Analysts with a focus on system compliance
  • Database Administrators seeking automation solutions
  • Technical Support Specialists looking to streamline tasks
  • Software Developers with a need for deployment automation
  • Configuration Managers
  • IT Managers overseeing Windows environments
  • Professionals working on Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) pipelines


Learning Objectives - What you will Learn in this PowerShell 5.0 and Desired State Configuration?

Introduction to Learning Outcomes

This PowerShell 5.0 and Desired State Configuration course equips learners with the skills to automate and manage Windows environments, utilizing the advanced capabilities of PowerShell 5.0 and DSC.

Learning Objectives and Outcomes

  • Understand the fundamentals and benefits of Desired State Configuration (DSC) and its role in IT infrastructure automation.
  • Grasp the differences between imperative and declarative programming within the context of PowerShell scripting.
  • Learn about the architectural components of DSC, including the Local Configuration Manager (LCM) and DSC Pull Server.
  • Write and interpret PowerShell DSC configuration files, and comprehend the significance of the Configuration Keyword.
  • Explore and manipulate a variety of DSC Resources such as File, User, and WindowsFeature to manage system configurations.
  • Implement PowerShell's DSC Pull and Push models to deploy configurations across multiple nodes.
  • Manage configuration drift and ensure system consistency with DSC's monitoring and enforcement capabilities.
  • Debug and troubleshoot DSC configurations and deployments in PowerShell version 5.
  • Gain a foundational understanding of PowerShell 5.0 basics, including scripting, functions, and effective use of the pipeline.
  • Develop the ability to automate tasks and manage system configurations with greater efficiency and compliance.