This script uses Powershell 2.0 with the Windows Server 2008 R2 Active Directory service provider and CMDlets.  Use the script to bulk create test user objects in AD.

When creating an AD LDS instance you are prompted to specify an account to use as the service account. At this point you can specify either the Network Service account or another account. Unless you have a particular need, you should choose the built-in Network Service account. If you opt for a domain-based service account you have to jump through a whole lot of hoops to get things working. Also, you typically end up giving your domain-based service account more permissions than are strictly necessary (as described later in this article). The Network Service account on the other hand provides an easy set up option and is a good choice from a security perspective given that the account has limited access to the local computer.

 

This script was created to help when raising domain and forest functional levels, especially in larger environments. The script uses an authoritative DC to enumerate all the DCs in the forest. Each DC is then contacted in turn to determine what it thinks is the current domain and forest functional level. The goal is to ensure that the information is consistent across DCs before raising the functional level, and to ensure that replication distributes the changes successfully after raising the functional level.

I subscribe to a number of Blogs with Active Directory content. As it took me a while to accumulate the list, I thought I would share it here.

Let me know if I have missed any out there that should be on this list.

This article is the third in a series providing tips for common LDAP searches.

Describes how to make bulk updates to Active Directory User Attributes using freeware tools (from WiseSoft.co.uk).

This script will enable and configure Active Directory users for OCS 2007.  This is an updated version of the re-written LCS reskit script published in article: How to Enable, Disable and Maintain LCS (Live Communications Server) User Attributes using VBScript.