Modifying Computer Objects with Active Directory - Identifying a Computer Role
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Problem
You want to identify the role that a particular computer serves in an Active Directory domain.
Solution
Using a graphical user interface
Open the Active Directory Users and Computers MMC snap-in.
Right-click on the domain node and select Find.
In the Find drop-down box, select Computers and click Find Now.
The role of each computer will be displayed in the Machine Role column in the Search Results window.
Using a command-line interface
> wmic computersystem get domainrole
For a domain controller that holds the PDC Emulator FSMO role, this will return the following output:
DomainRole
5
For a DC that doesn’t hold the PDCe FSMO, this command will return a value of 4.
Using VBScript
' The following code will return the domain role of the
' local computer.
strComputer = "."
Set objWMIService = GetObject("winmgmts:" _
& "{impersonationLevel=impersonate}!" _
& strComputer & "\root\cimv2")
Set colComputers = objWMIService.ExecQuery _
("Select DomainRole from Win32_ComputerSystem")
For Each objComputer in colComputers
Select Case objComputer.DomainRole
Case 0
strComputerRole = "Standalone Workstation"
Case 1
strComputerRole = "Member Workstation"
Case 2
strComputerRole = "Standalone Server"
Case 3
strComputerRole = "Member Server"
Case 4
strComputerRole = "Backup Domain Controller"
Case 5
strComputerRole = "Primary Domain Controller"
End Select
Wscript.Echo strComputerRole
Next
Discussion
Using a command-line interface
WMIC is the command-line component of the Windows Management Instrumentation that uses aliases to enable you to easily access WMI namespaces from the command line. To run wmic against a remote computer, specify the /node:"<ComputerFQDN> " switch.
Using VBScript
Rather than relying on an if...else construct to produce output, this script uses Select Case. In situations where there are numerous possible outcomes for a conditional statement, Select Case can produce far more elegant code than using numerous if...else statements.
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 This article is excerpted from chapter eight of the Active Directory Cookbook, Second Edition, written by Robbie Allen and Laura E. Hunter (O'Reilly; ISBN: 059610202X). Check it out today at your favorite bookstore. Buy this book now.
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