PowerShell Desired State Configuration partial configurations
Applies To: Windows PowerShell 5.0 and later.
In PowerShell 5.0, Desired State Configuration (DSC) allows configurations to be delivered in fragments and from multiple sources. The Local Configuration Manager (LCM) on the target node puts the fragments together before applying them as a single configuration. This capability allows sharing control of configuration between teams or individuals. For example, if two or more teams of developers are collaborating on a service, they might each want to create configurations to manage their part of the service. Each of these configurations could be pulled from different pull servers, and they could be added at different stages of development. Partial configurations also allow different individuals or teams to control different aspects of configuring nodes without having to coordinate the editing of a single configuration document. For example, one team might be responsible for deploying a VM and operating system, while another team might deploy other applications and services on that VM. With partial configurations, each team can create its own configuration, without either of them being unnecessarily complicated.
You can use partial configurations in push mode, pull mode, or a combination of the two.
Partial configurations in push mode
To use partial configurations in push mode, you configure the LCM on the target node to receive the
partial configurations. Each partial configuration must be pushed to the target by using the
Publish-DSCConfiguration cmdlet. The target node then combines the partial configuration into a
single configuration, and you can apply the configuration by calling the
Start-DscConfiguration
cmdlet.
Configuring the LCM for push-mode partial configurations
To configure the LCM for partial configurations in push mode, you create a DSCLocalConfigurationManager configuration with one PartialConfiguration block for each partial configuration. For more information about configuring the LCM, see Windows Configuring the Local Configuration Manager. The following example shows an LCM configuration that expects two partial configurations—one that deploys the OS, and one that deploys and configures SharePoint.
[DSCLocalConfigurationManager()]
configuration PartialConfigDemo
{
Node localhost
{
PartialConfiguration ServiceAccountConfig
{
Description = 'Configuration to add the SharePoint service account to the Administrators group.'
RefreshMode = 'Push'
}
PartialConfiguration SharePointConfig
{
Description = 'Configuration for the SharePoint server'
RefreshMode = 'Push'
}
}
}
PartialConfigDemo
The RefreshMode for each partial configuration is set to "Push". The names of the PartialConfiguration blocks (in this case, "ServiceAccountConfig" and "SharePointConfig") must match exactly the names of the configurations that are pushed to the target node.
Note
The named of each PartialConfiguration block must match the actual name of the configuration
as it is specified in the configuration script, not the name of the MOF file, which should be
either the name of the target node or localhost.
Publishing and starting push-mode partial configurations
You then call Publish-DSCConfiguration
for each configuration, passing the folders that contain the configuration documents as the
Path parameters. Publish-DSCConfigurationplaces the configuration MOF files to the target
nodes. After publishing both configurations, you can call Start-DSCConfiguration –UseExisting on
the target node.
For example, if you have compiled the following configuration MOF documents on the authoring node:
Get-ChildItem -Recurse
Directory: C:\PartialConfigTest
Mode LastWriteTime Length Name
---- ------------- ------ ----
d----- 8/11/2016 1:55 PM ServiceAccountConfig
d----- 11/17/2016 4:14 PM SharePointConfig
Directory: C:\PartialConfigTest\ServiceAccountConfig
Mode LastWriteTime Length Name
---- ------------- ------ ----
-a---- 8/11/2016 2:02 PM 2034 TestVM.mof
Directory: C:\PartialConfigTest\SharePointConfig
Mode LastWriteTime Length Name
---- ------------- ------ ----
-a---- 11/17/2016 4:14 PM 1930 TestVM.mof
You would publish and run the configurations as follows:
Publish-DscConfiguration .\ServiceAccountConfig -ComputerName 'TestVM'
Publish-DscConfiguration .\SharePointConfig -ComputerName 'TestVM'
Start-DscConfiguration -UseExisting -ComputerName 'TestVM'
Id Name PSJobTypeName State HasMoreData Location Command
-- ---- ------------- ----- ----------- -------- -------
17 Job17 Configuratio... Running True TestVM Start-DscConfiguration...
Note
The user running the Publish-DSCConfiguration cmdlet must have administrator privileges on the target node.
Partial configurations in pull mode
Partial configurations can be pulled from one or more pull servers (for more information about pull servers, see Windows PowerShell Desired State Configuration Pull Servers. To do this, you have to configure the LCM on the target node to pull the partial configurations, and name and locate the configuration documents properly on the pull servers.
Configuring the LCM for pull node configurations
To configure the LCM to pull partial configurations from a pull server, you define the pull server in either a ConfigurationRepositoryWeb (for an HTTP pull server) or ConfigurationRepositoryShare (for an SMB pull server) block. You then create PartialConfiguration blocks that refer to the pull server by using the ConfigurationSource property. You also need to create a Settings block to specify that the LCM uses pull mode, and to specify the ConfigurationNames or ConfigurationID that the pull server and target node use to identify the configurations. The following meta-configuration defines an HTTP pull server named CONTOSO-PullSrv and two partial configurations that use that pull server.
For more information about configuring the LCM using ConfigurationNames, see Setting up a pull client using configuration names. For information about configuring the LCM using ConfigurationID, see Setting up a pull client using configuration ID.
Configuring the LCM for pull mode configurations using configuration names
[DscLocalConfigurationManager()]
Configuration PartialConfigDemoConfigNames
{
Settings
{
RefreshFrequencyMins = 30;
RefreshMode = "PULL";
ConfigurationMode ="ApplyAndAutocorrect";
AllowModuleOverwrite = $true;
RebootNodeIfNeeded = $true;
ConfigurationModeFrequencyMins = 60;
}
ConfigurationRepositoryWeb CONTOSO-PullSrv
{
ServerURL = 'https://CONTOSO-PullSrv:8080/PSDSCPullServer.svc'
RegistrationKey = 5b41f4e6-5e6d-45f5-8102-f2227468ef38
ConfigurationNames = @("ServiceAccountConfig", "SharePointConfig")
}
PartialConfiguration ServiceAccountConfig
{
Description = "ServiceAccountConfig"
ConfigurationSource = @("[ConfigurationRepositoryWeb]CONTOSO-PullSrv")
}
PartialConfiguration SharePointConfig
{
Description = "SharePointConfig"
ConfigurationSource = @("[ConfigurationRepositoryWeb]CONTOSO-PullSrv")
DependsOn = '[PartialConfiguration]ServiceAccountConfig'
}
}
Configuring the LCM for pull mode configurations using ConfigurationID
[DSCLocalConfigurationManager()]
configuration PartialConfigDemoConfigID
{
Node localhost
{
Settings
{
RefreshMode = 'Pull'
ConfigurationID = '1d545e3b-60c3-47a0-bf65-5afc05182fd0'
RefreshFrequencyMins = 30
RebootNodeIfNeeded = $true
}
ConfigurationRepositoryWeb CONTOSO-PullSrv
{
ServerURL = 'https://CONTOSO-PullSrv:8080/PSDSCPullServer.svc'
}
PartialConfiguration ServiceAccountConfig
{
Description = 'Configuration for the Base OS'
ConfigurationSource = '[ConfigurationRepositoryWeb]CONTOSO-PullSrv'
RefreshMode = 'Pull'
}
PartialConfiguration SharePointConfig
{
Description = 'Configuration for the Sharepoint Server'
ConfigurationSource = '[ConfigurationRepositoryWeb]CONTOSO-PullSrv'
DependsOn = '[PartialConfiguration]ServiceAccountConfig'
RefreshMode = 'Pull'
}
}
}
PartialConfigDemo
You can pull partial configurations from more than one pull server—you would just need to define each pull server, and then refer to the appropriate pull server in each PartialConfiguration block.
After creating the meta-configuration, you must run it to create a configuration document (a MOF file), and then call Set-DscLocalConfigurationManager to configure the LCM.
Naming and placing the configuration documents on the pull server (ConfigurationNames)
The partial configuration documents must be placed in the folder specified as the
ConfigurationPath in the web.config file for the pull server (typically C:\Program Files\WindowsPowerShell\DscService\Configuration).
Naming configuration documents on the pull server in PowerShell 5.1
If you are pulling only one partial configuration from an individual pull server, the configuration
document can have any name. If you are pulling more than one partial configuration from a pull
server, the configuration document can be named either <ConfigurationName>.mof, where
ConfigurationName is the name of the partial configuration, or
<ConfigurationName>.<NodeName>.mof, where ConfigurationName is the name of the partial
configuration, and NodeName is the name of the target node. This allows you to pull
configurations from Azure Automation DSC pull server.
Naming configuration documents on the pull server in PowerShell 5.0
The configuration documents must be named as follows: ConfigurationName.mof, where
ConfigurationName is the name of the partial configuration. For our example, the configuration
documents should be named as follows:
ServiceAccountConfig.mof
ServiceAccountConfig.mof.checksum
SharePointConfig.mof
SharePointConfig.mof.checksum
Naming and placing the configuration documents on the pull server (ConfigurationID)
The partial configuration documents must be placed in the folder specified as the
ConfigurationPath in the web.config file for the pull server
(typically C:\Program Files\WindowsPowerShell\DscService\Configuration). The configuration
documents must be named as follows: <ConfigurationName>.<ConfigurationID>.mof, where
ConfigurationName is the name of the partial configuration and ConfigurationID is the
configuration ID defined in the LCM on the target node. For our example, the configuration
documents should be named as follows:
ServiceAccountConfig.1d545e3b-60c3-47a0-bf65-5afc05182fd0.mof
ServiceAccountConfig.1d545e3b-60c3-47a0-bf65-5afc05182fd0.mof.checksum
SharePointConfig.1d545e3b-60c3-47a0-bf65-5afc05182fd0.mof
SharePointConfig.1d545e3b-60c3-47a0-bf65-5afc05182fd0.mof.checksum
Running partial configurations from a pull server
After the LCM on the target node has been configured, and the configuration documents have been created and properly named on the pull server, the target node will pull the partial configurations, combine them, and apply the resulting configuration at regular intervals as specified by the RefreshFrequencyMins property of the LCM. If you want to force a refresh, you can call the Update-DscConfiguration cmdlet, to pull the configurations and apply them.
Partial configurations in mixed push and pull modes
You can also mix push and pull modes for partial configurations. That is, you could have one
partial configuration that is pulled from a pull server, while another partial configuration is
pushed. Specify the refresh mode for each partial configuration as described in the previous
sections. For example, the following meta-configuration describes the same example, with the
ServiceAccountConfig partial configuration in pull mode and the SharePointConfig partial
configuration in push mode.
Mixed push and pull modes using ConfigurationNames
[DscLocalConfigurationManager()]
Configuration PartialConfigDemoConfigNames
{
Settings
{
RefreshFrequencyMins = 30;
RefreshMode = "PULL";
ConfigurationMode = "ApplyAndAutocorrect";
AllowModuleOverwrite = $true;
RebootNodeIfNeeded = $true;
ConfigurationModeFrequencyMins = 60;
}
ConfigurationRepositoryWeb CONTOSO-PullSrv
{
ServerURL = 'https://CONTOSO-PullSrv:8080/PSDSCPullServer.svc'
RegistrationKey = 5b41f4e6-5e6d-45f5-8102-f2227468ef38
ConfigurationNames = @("ServiceAccountConfig", "SharePointConfig")
}
PartialConfiguration ServiceAccountConfig
{
Description = "ServiceAccountConfig"
ConfigurationSource = @("[ConfigurationRepositoryWeb]CONTOSO-PullSrv")
RefreshMode = 'Pull'
}
PartialConfiguration SharePointConfig
{
Description = "SharePointConfig"
DependsOn = '[PartialConfiguration]ServiceAccountConfig'
RefreshMode = 'Push'
}
}
Mixed push and pull modes using ConfigurationID
[DSCLocalConfigurationManager()]
configuration PartialConfigDemo
{
Node localhost
{
Settings
{
RefreshMode = 'Pull'
ConfigurationID = '1d545e3b-60c3-47a0-bf65-5afc05182fd0'
RefreshFrequencyMins = 30
RebootNodeIfNeeded = $true
}
ConfigurationRepositoryWeb CONTOSO-PullSrv
{
ServerURL = 'https://CONTOSO-PullSrv:8080/PSDSCPullServer.svc'
}
PartialConfiguration ServiceAccountConfig
{
Description = 'Configuration for the Base OS'
ConfigurationSource = '[ConfigurationRepositoryWeb]CONTOSO-PullSrv'
RefreshMode = 'Pull'
}
PartialConfiguration SharePointConfig
{
Description = 'Configuration for the Sharepoint Server'
DependsOn = '[PartialConfiguration]ServiceAccountConfig'
RefreshMode = 'Push'
}
}
}
PartialConfigDemo
Note that the RefreshMode specified in the Settings block is "Pull", but the RefreshMode
for the SharePointConfig partial configuration is "Push".
Name and locate the configuration MOF files as described above for their respective refresh modes.
Call Publish-DSCConfiguration to publish the SharePointConfig partial configuration, and either
wait for the ServiceAccountConfig configuration to be pulled from the pull server, or force a
refresh by calling Update-DscConfiguration.
Example ServiceAccountConfig Partial Configuration
Configuration ServiceAccountConfig
{
Param (
[Parameter(Mandatory,
HelpMessage="Domain credentials required to add domain\sharepoint_svc to the local Administrators group.")]
[ValidateNotNullOrEmpty()]
[pscredential]$Credential
)
Import-DscResource -ModuleName PSDesiredStateConfiguration
Node localhost
{
Group LocalAdmins
{
GroupName = 'Administrators'
MembersToInclude = 'domain\sharepoint_svc',
'admins@example.domain'
Ensure = 'Present'
Credential = $Credential
}
WindowsFeature Telnet
{
Name = 'Telnet-Server'
Ensure = 'Absent'
}
}
}
ServiceAccountConfig
Example SharePointConfig Partial Configuration
Configuration SharePointConfig
{
Param (
[Parameter(Mandatory)]
[ValidateNotNullOrEmpty()]
[pscredential]$ProductKey
)
Import-DscResource -ModuleName xSharePoint
Node localhost
{
xSPInstall SharePointDefault
{
Ensure = 'Present'
BinaryDir = '\\FileServer\Installers\Sharepoint\'
ProductKey = $ProductKey
}
}
}
SharePointConfig
