Monthly Archives: February 2015

Triggering a System Center Configuration Manager deployment task

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A slightly different topic today.

Once you have built up knowledge, you become the person that people ask to solve things. This is something I really enjoy, taking a problem and solving it for people and in the process teaching them and enabling them to automate more things.

A colleague was performing a new deployment of a product via SCCM and wanted to trigger the clients to update and receive the new update instead of waiting for it to be scheduled.

They had found some code that would do this

Invoke-WMIMethod -Namespace root\ccm -Class SMS_CLIENT -Name TriggerSchedule "{00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000121}"|Out-Null
Invoke-WMIMethod -Namespace root\ccm -Class SMS_CLIENT -Name TriggerSchedule "{00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000021}"|Out-Null
Invoke-WMIMethod -Namespace root\ccm -Class SMS_CLIENT -Name TriggerSchedule "{00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000022}"|Out-Null
Invoke-WMIMethod -Namespace root\ccm -Class SMS_CLIENT -Name TriggerSchedule "{00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000002}"|Out-Null

They had the idea of using this command and a text file containing the machines and PS Remote.

I looked at it a different way and gave them a function so that they could provide the Collection Name (In SCCM a collection is a list of machines for a specific purpose) and the function would import the SCCM module, connect to the Site get the names of the machines in the collection and run the command on each one

function Trigger-DeploymentCycle
{
param
(
[string]$CollectionName
)

# PS script to run

$scriptblock = {
    Invoke-WMIMethod -Namespace root\ccm -Class SMS_CLIENT -Name TriggerSchedule "{00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000121}"|Out-Null
    Invoke-WMIMethod -Namespace root\ccm -Class SMS_CLIENT -Name TriggerSchedule "{00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000021}"|Out-Null
    Invoke-WMIMethod -Namespace root\ccm -Class SMS_CLIENT -Name TriggerSchedule "{00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000022}"|Out-Null
    Invoke-WMIMethod -Namespace root\ccm -Class SMS_CLIENT -Name TriggerSchedule "{00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000002}"|Out-Null
    }

## import SCCM module
Import-Module (Join-Path $(Split-Path $env:SMS_ADMIN_UI_PATH) ConfigurationManager.psd1)
#open drive for SCCM 
cd <Site Code>:\ #### cd <Site Code>:\ replace with Site Code or add param $SiteCOde and use cd ${$SiteCode}:\ 
# Get Computer names in collection
$PCs = (Get-CMDeviceCollectionDirectMembershipRule -CollectionName $CollectionName).rulename
$Count = $PCs.count
Write-Output "Total number of PCs = $Count"

Invoke-Command –ComputerName $PCs –ScriptBlock $scriptblock –ThrottleLimit 50

}

This would work very well but they wanted some error checking to enable them to identify machines they were unable to connect to following the deployment so the final solution which will run a little slower

Set up function and parameters and create log files

function Trigger-DeploymentCycle
{
param
(
[string]$CollectionName
)

# Create log file
$StartTime = Get-Date
$Date = Get-Date -Format ddMMyyHHss
$Errorlogpath = "C:\temp\SCCMError" + $Date + ".txt"
$Successlogpath = "C:\temp\SCCMSuccess" + $Date + ".txt"
New-Item -Path $Errorlogpath -ItemType File
New-Item -Path $Successlogpath -ItemType File

$StartLog = "Script Started at $StartTime"
$StartLog | Out-File -FilePath $Successlogpath -Append

Create the script block, import the SCCM module, connect to the SCCM site and get the machines in the collection. Note that you will have to change <Site Code> with your own site code

 

$scriptblock = {
    Invoke-WMIMethod -Namespace root\ccm -Class SMS_CLIENT -Name TriggerSchedule "{00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000121}"|Out-Null
    Invoke-WMIMethod -Namespace root\ccm -Class SMS_CLIENT -Name TriggerSchedule "{00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000021}"|Out-Null
    Invoke-WMIMethod -Namespace root\ccm -Class SMS_CLIENT -Name TriggerSchedule "{00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000022}"|Out-Null
    Invoke-WMIMethod -Namespace root\ccm -Class SMS_CLIENT -Name TriggerSchedule "{00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000002}"|Out-Null
    }

## import SCCM module
Import-Module (Join-Path $(Split-Path $env:SMS_ADMIN_UI_PATH) ConfigurationManager.psd1)
#open drive for SCCM 
cd <Site Code>:\ #### cd <Site Code>:\ replace with Site Code or add param $SiteCOde and use cd ${$SiteCode}:\ 
# Get Computer names in collection
$PCs = (Get-CMDeviceCollectionDirectMembershipRule -CollectionName $CollectionName).rulename
$Count = $PCs.count
Write-Output "Total number of PCs = $Count"

I wanted to give them a progress output so I needed to be able to identify the number of machines in the collection by using the count property. I then needed to output the number of the item within the array which I did with

$a= [array]::IndexOf($PCs, $PC) + 1
Write-Output " Connecting to PC - $PC -- $a of $count"

I then pinged the machine,ran the script block and wrote to the log files and finally opened the log files

if (Test-Connection $PC -Quiet -Count 1)
{   
# Run command on PC
Invoke-Command -ComputerName $PC -scriptblock $scriptblock
$Success = "SUCCESS - finished - $PC -- $a of $count" 
 $Success | Out-File -FilePath $Successlogpath -Append
Write-Output $Success
}
else
{
$ErrorMessage = "ERROR - $PC is not available -- $PC -- $a of $count"
$ErrorMessage| Out-File -FilePath $Errorlogpath -Append 
Write-Output $ErrorMessage
}
}

notepad $Errorlogpath
notepad $Successlogpath

Now they can load the function into their powershell sessions and type

[code language=”language="Powershell”]TriggerDeplyment COLLECTIONNAME

and they will be able to manually trigger the tasks. This function will trigger the following tasks for a list of PCs in a collection.

Machine Policy Assignment Request — {00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000021}
Machine Policy Evaluation — {00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000022}
Software Inventory — {00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000002}
Application Deployment Evaluation Cycle: {00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000121}

Here is the list of other tasks you can trigger:

Discovery Data Collection Cycle: {00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000003}
Hardware Inventory Cycle: {00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000001}
Machine Policy Retrieval and Evaluation Cycle: {00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000021}
Software Metering Usage Report Cycle: {00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000031}
Software Updates Deployment Evaluation Cycle: {00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000108}
Software Updates Scan Cycle: {00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000113}
Windows Installer Source List Update Cycle: {00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000032}
Hardware Inventory={00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000001}
Software Update Scan={00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000113}
Software Update Deployment Re-eval={00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000114}
Data Discovery={00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000003}
Refresh Default Management Point={00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000023}
Refresh Location (AD site or Subnet)={00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000024}
Software Metering Usage Reporting={00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000031}
Sourcelist Update Cycle={00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000032}
Cleanup policy={00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000040}
Validate assignments={00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000042}
Certificate Maintenance={00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000051}
Branch DP Scheduled Maintenance={00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000061}
Branch DP Provisioning Status Reporting={00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000062}
Refresh proxy management point={00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000037}
Software Update Deployment={00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000108}
State Message Upload={00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000111}
State Message Cache Cleanup={00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000112}

You can find the function here

Trigger-Deployment

and all of my Script Center Submissions are here

As always – The internet lies, fibs and deceives and everything you read including this post should be taken with a pinch of salt and examined carefully. All code should be understood and tested prior to running in a live environment.

Show AutoGrowth Events with Powershell to CSV

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This week I was reading Pinal Daves post about Autogrowth Events

http://blog.sqlauthority.com/2015/02/03/sql-server-script-whenwho-did-auto-grow-for-the-database/

as it happened I had a requirement to make use of the script only a few days later. I was asked to provide the information in a CSV so that the person who required the information could manipulate it in Excel.

I am a great believer in Automation. If you are going to do something more than once then automate it so I wrote two functions, added them to TFS and now they will be available to all of my team members next time they load Powershell.

Why two functions? Well Pinal Daves script gets the information from the default trace for a single database but there may be times when you need to know the autogrowth events that happened on a server with multiple databases.

I use a very simple method for doing this as I have not found the correct way to parse the default trace with Powershell. The functions rely on Invoke-SQLCMD2 which I also have in my functions folder and pass the query from Pinal Daves Blog post as a here string

$Results = Invoke-Sqlcmd2 -ServerInstance $Server -Database master -Query $Query

To output to CSV I use the Export-CSV cmdlet

if($CSV)
{
$Results| Export-Csv -Path $CSV
}

And to open the CSV I add a [switch] parameter. You can find out more about parameters here or by

Get-Help about_Functions_Advanced_Parameters

so the parameter block of my function looks like

param
(
[Parameter(Mandatory=$true)]
[string]$Server,
[Parameter(Mandatory=$true)]
[string]$Database,
[Parameter(Mandatory=$false)]
[string]$CSV,
[Parameter(Mandatory=$false)]
[switch]$ShowCSV
)

Now when I am asked again to provide this information it is as easy as typing

Show-AutogrowthServer -Server SQL2014Ser12R2

or

Show-AutogrowthDatabase -Server SQL2014Ser12R2 -Database Autogrowth

and the results will be displayed as below

autogrowth

just a side note. Pinal Daves script uses @@servername in the where clause and if you have renamed your host the script will be blank. The resolution to this is to runt he following T-SQL

 sp_dropserver 'OLDSERVERNAME';
GO
sp_addserver NEWSERVERNAME, local;
GO

You can find the scripts here

Show-AutoGrowthServer

Show-AutoGrowthDatabase

and all of my Script Center Submissions are here

As always – The internet lies, fibs and deceives and everything you read including this post  should be taken with a pinch of salt and examined carefully. All code should be understood and tested prior to running in a live environment.

Uploading a Source Folder to Azure File Storage

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This blog has been migrated to blog.robsewell.com

Azure File Storage enables you to present an Azure Storage Account to your IaaS VMs as a share using SMB. You can fid out further details here

http://azure.microsoft.com/en-gb/documentation/articles/storage-dotnet-how-to-use-files/ 

Once you have created your Azure File Storage Account and connected your Azure Virtual Machines to it, you may need to upload data from your premises into the storage to enable it to be accessed by the Virtual Machines

To accomplish this I wrote a function and called it Upload-ToAzureFileStorage

I started by creating a source folder and files to test

New-Item -Path C:\temp\TestUpload\New1 -ItemType Directory
New-Item -Path C:\temp\TestUpload\New2 -ItemType Directory
New-Item -Path C:\temp\TestUpload\New3 -ItemType Directory
New-Item -Path C:\temp\TestUpload\New4 -ItemType Directory
New-Item -Path C:\temp\TestUpload\New5 -ItemType Directory
New-Item -Path C:\temp\TestUpload\New1\list -ItemType Directory
New-Item -Path C:\temp\TestUpload\New1\list\a -ItemType Directory
New-Item -Path C:\temp\TestUpload\New1\list\b -ItemType Directory
New-Item -Path C:\temp\TestUpload\New1\list\c -ItemType Directory
New-Item -Path C:\temp\TestUpload\New1\list\d -ItemType Directory
New-Item -Path C:\temp\TestUpload\New1\list\a\1 -ItemType Directory
New-Item -Path C:\temp\TestUpload\New1\list\a\2 -ItemType Directory
New-Item -Path C:\temp\TestUpload\New1\list\a\3 -ItemType Directory
New-Item -Path C:\temp\TestUpload\New1\list\a\4 -ItemType Directory

New-Item -Path C:\temp\TestUpload\New1\file.txt -ItemType File
New-Item -Path C:\temp\TestUpload\New2\file.txt -ItemType File
New-Item -Path C:\temp\TestUpload\New3\file.txt -ItemType File
New-Item -Path C:\temp\TestUpload\New4\file.txt -ItemType File
New-Item -Path C:\temp\TestUpload\New5\file.txt -ItemType File
New-Item -Path C:\temp\TestUpload\New1\list\file.txt -ItemType File
New-Item -Path C:\temp\TestUpload\New1\list\a\file.txt -ItemType File
New-Item -Path C:\temp\TestUpload\New1\list\a\1\file.txt -ItemType File
New-Item -Path C:\temp\TestUpload\New1\list\a\2\file.txt -ItemType File
New-Item -Path C:\temp\TestUpload\New1\list\a\3\file.txt -ItemType File
New-Item -Path C:\temp\TestUpload\New1\list\a\4\file.txt -ItemType File

Then we needed to connect to the subscription, get the storage account access key and create a context to store them

#Select Azure Subscription
Select-AzureSubscription -SubscriptionName $AzureSubscriptionName

# Get the Storage Account Key
$StorageAccountKey = (Get-AzureStorageKey -StorageAccountName $StorageAccountName).Primary

# create a context for account and key
$ctx=New-AzureStorageContext $StorageAccountName $StorageAccountKey

The Get-AzureStorageShare  cmdlet shows the shares available for the context so we can check if the share exists

$S = Get-AzureStorageShare -Context $ctx -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue|Where-Object {$_.Name -eq $AzureShare}

and if it doesnt exist create it using New-AzureStorageShare 

$s = New-AzureStorageShare $AzureShare -Context $ctx

For the sake only of doing it a different way we can check for existence of the directory in Azure File Storage that we are going to upload the files to like this

$d = Get-AzureStorageFile -Share $s -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue|select Name

if ($d.Name -notcontains $AzureDirectory)

and if it doesnt exist create it using New-AzureStorageDirectory

$d = New-AzureStorageDirectory -Share $s -Path $AzureDirectory

Now that we have the directory created in the storage account we need to create any subfolders. First get the folders

# get all the folders in the source directory
$Folders = Get-ChildItem -Path $Source -Directory -Recurse

We can then iterate through them using a foreach loop. If we do this and select the FullName property the results will be

C:\temp\TestUpload\New1
C:\temp\TestUpload\New2
C:\temp\TestUpload\New3
C:\temp\TestUpload\New4
C:\temp\TestUpload\New5
C:\temp\TestUpload\New1\list
C:\temp\TestUpload\New1\list\a
C:\temp\TestUpload\New1\list\b
C:\temp\TestUpload\New1\list\c
C:\temp\TestUpload\New1\list\d
C:\temp\TestUpload\New1\list\a\1
C:\temp\TestUpload\New1\list\a\2
C:\temp\TestUpload\New1\list\a\3
C:\temp\TestUpload\New1\list\a\4

but to create new folders we need to remove the “C:\temp\TestUpload” and replace it with the Directory name in Azure. I chose to do this as follows using the substring method and the length of the source folder path.

foreach($Folder in $Folders)
 {
 $f = ($Folder.FullName).Substring(($source.Length))
 $Path = $AzureDirectory + $f

and tested that the results came out as I wanted

AppName\New1
AppName\New2
AppName\New3
AppName\New4
AppName\New5
AppName\New1\list
AppName\New1\list\a
AppName\New1\list\b
AppName\New1\list\c
AppName\New1\list\d
AppName\New1\list\a\1
AppName\New1\list\a\2
AppName\New1\list\a\3
AppName\New1\list\a\4

I could then create the new folders in azure using New-AzureStorageDirectory again

New-AzureStorageDirectory -Share $s -Path $Path -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue

I followed the same process with the files

$files = Get-ChildItem -Path $Source -Recurse -File</pre>
<pre>foreach($File in $Files)
 {
 $f = ($file.FullName).Substring(($Source.Length))
 $Path = $AzureDirectory + $f

and then created the files using Set-AzureStorageFileContent this has a -Force and a -Confirm switch and I added those into my function by using a [switch] Parameter

#upload the files to the storage

 if($Confirm)
 {
 Set-AzureStorageFileContent -Share $s -Source $File.FullName -Path $Path -Confirm
 }
 else
 {
 Set-AzureStorageFileContent -Share $s -Source $File.FullName -Path $Path -Force
 }

You can download the function from the Script Center

https://gallery.technet.microsoft.com/scriptcenter/Recursively-upload-a-bfb615fe

As also, any comments or queries are welcome and obviously the internet lies so please understand and test all code you find before using it in production