- name: Reference

items:

- name: Community Solutions

items:

- name: Configuration data at scale

href: automation-dsc-config-data-at-scale.md

displayName: DSC, Configuration Data, ConfigData

- name: Create configurations from servers

href: automation-dsc-config-from-server.md

displayName: DSC, ReverseDSC

- name: Configuration based on STIG

href: automation-dsc-configuration-based-on-stig.md

displayName: DSC, Configuration

- name: Convert configurations to composite resources

href: automation-dsc-create-composite.md

displayName: DSC, composite

title: Configuration data at scale - Azure Automation

description: Learn how to configure data at scale for state configuration in Azure Automation.

keywords: dsc,powershell,configuration,setup

services: automation

ms.service: automation

ms.subservice: dsc

author: mgreenegit

ms.author: migreene

ms.date: 08/08/2019

ms.topic: conceptual

manager: carmonm

Managing hundreds or thousands of servers can be a challenge.

Customers have provided feedback that the most difficult aspect is actually managing

[configuration data](/powershell/dsc/configurations/configdata).

Organizing information across logical constructs like location, type, and environment.

A community maintained solution named

[Datum](https://github.com/gaelcolas/Datum)

has been created to resolve this challenge.

Datum builds on great ideas from other configuration management platforms

and implements the same type of solution for PowerShell DSC.

Information is

[organized in to text files](https://github.com/gaelcolas/Datum#3-intended-usage)

based on logical ideas.

Examples would be:

- Settings that should apply globally

- Settings that should apply to all servers in a location

- Settings that should apply to all database servers

- Individual server settings

This information is organized in the file format you prefer (JSON, Yaml, or PSD1).

Then cmdlets are provided to generate configuration data files by

[consolidating the information](https://github.com/gaelcolas/Datum#datum-tree)

from each file in to single view of a server or server role.

Once the data files have been generated,

you can use them with

[DSC Configuration scripts](/powershell/dsc/configurations/write-compile-apply-configuration)

to generate MOF files

and

[upload the MOF files to Azure Automation](/azure/automation/tutorial-configure-servers-desired-state#create-and-upload-a-configuration-to-azure-automation).

Then register your servers from either

[on-premises](/azure/automation/automation-dsc-onboarding#physicalvirtual-windows-machines-on-premises-or-in-a-cloud-other-than-azureaws)

or [in Azure](/azure/automation/automation-dsc-onboarding#azure-virtual-machines)

to pull configurations.

To try out Datum, visit the

[PowerShell Gallery](https://www.powershellgallery.com/packages/datum/)

and download the solution or click "Project Site"

to view the

[documentation](https://github.com/gaelcolas/Datum#2-getting-started--concepts).

- [Windows PowerShell Desired State Configuration Overview](/powershell/dsc/overview/overview)

- [DSC Resources](/powershell/dsc/resources/resources)

- [Configuring The Local Configuration Manager](/powershell/dsc/managing-nodes/metaconfig)

title: Create configurations from existing servers - Azure Automation

description: Learn how to create configurations from existing servers for Azure Automation.

keywords: dsc,powershell,configuration,setup

services: automation

ms.service: automation

ms.subservice: dsc

author: mgreenegit

ms.author: migreene

ms.date: 08/08/2019

ms.topic: conceptual

manager: carmonm

Creating configurations from existing servers can be a challenging task.

You might not want *all* settings,

just those that you care about.

Even then you need to know in what order the settings

must be applied in order for the configuration to apply successfully.

A community maintained solution named

[ReverseDSC](https://github.com/microsoft/reversedsc)

has been created to work in this area starting SharePoint.

The solution builds on the

[SharePointDSC resource](https://github.com/powershell/sharepointdsc)

and extends it to orchestrate

[gathering information](https://github.com/Microsoft/sharepointDSC.reverse#how-to-use)

from existing SharePoint servers.

The latest version has multiple

[extraction modes](https://github.com/Microsoft/SharePointDSC.Reverse/wiki/Extraction-Modes)

to determine what level of information to include.

The result of using the solution is generating

[Configuration Data](https://github.com/Microsoft/sharepointDSC.reverse#configuration-data)

to be used with SharePointDSC configuration scripts.

Once the data files have been generated,

you can use them with

[DSC Configuration scripts](/powershell/dsc/overview/overview)

to generate MOF files

and

[upload the MOF files to Azure Automation](/azure/automation/tutorial-configure-servers-desired-state#create-and-upload-a-configuration-to-azure-automation).

Then register your servers from either

[on-premises](/azure/automation/automation-dsc-onboarding#physicalvirtual-windows-machines-on-premises-or-in-a-cloud-other-than-azureaws)

or [in Azure](/azure/automation/automation-dsc-onboarding#azure-virtual-machines)

to pull configurations.

To try out ReverseDSC, visit the

[PowerShell Gallery](https://www.powershellgallery.com/packages/ReverseDSC/)

and download the solution or click "Project Site"

to view the

[documentation](https://github.com/Microsoft/sharepointDSC.reverse).

- [Windows PowerShell Desired State Configuration Overview](/powershell/dsc/overview/overview)

- [DSC Resources](/powershell/dsc/resources/resources)

- [Configuring The Local Configuration Manager](/powershell/dsc/managing-nodes/metaconfig)

title: Configuration based on STIG to use in state configuration - Azure Automation

description: Learn about configurations based on STIG for state configuration in Azure Automation.

keywords: dsc,powershell,configuration,setup

services: automation

ms.service: automation

ms.subservice: dsc

author: mgreenegit

ms.author: migreene

ms.date: 08/08/2019

ms.topic: conceptual

manager: carmonm

Creating configuration content for the first time can be challenging.

In many cases,

the goal is to automate configuration of servers

following a "baseline" that hopefully aligns to an industry recommendation.

A community project named

[PowerSTIG](https://github.com/microsoft/powerstig)

aims to resolve this issue by generating DSC content based on

[public information](https://public.cyber.mil/stigs/)

provided about STIG (Security Technical Implementation Guide),

Dealing with baselines is more complicated than it sounds.

Many organizations need to

[document exceptions](https://github.com/microsoft/powerstig#powerstigdata)

to rules and manage that data at scale.

PowerSTIG addresses the problem by providing

[Composite Resources](https://github.com/microsoft/powerstig#powerstigdsc)

to address each area of the configuration

rather than trying to address the entire range of settings

in one large file.

Once the configurations have been generated,

you can use the

[DSC Configuration scripts](/powershell/dsc/configurations)

to generate MOF files

and

[upload the MOF files to Azure Automation](/azure/automation/tutorial-configure-servers-desired-state#create-and-upload-a-configuration-to-azure-automation).

Then register your servers from either

[on-premises](/azure/automation/automation-dsc-onboarding#physicalvirtual-windows-machines-on-premises-or-in-a-cloud-other-than-azureaws)

or [in Azure](/azure/automation/automation-dsc-onboarding#azure-virtual-machines)

to pull configurations.

To try out PowerSTIG, visit the

[PowerShell Gallery](http://www.powershellgallery.com)

and download the solution or click "Project Site"

to view the

[documentation](https://github.com/microsoft/powerstig).

- [Windows PowerShell Desired State Configuration Overview](/powershell/dsc/overview/overview)

- [DSC Resources](/powershell/dsc/resources/resources)

- [Configuring The Local Configuration Manager](/powershell/dsc/managing-nodes/metaconfig)

title: Convert configurations to composite resources for state configuration - Azure Automation

description: Learn how to convert configurations to composite resources for state configuration in Azure Automation.

keywords: dsc,powershell,configuration,setup

services: automation

ms.service: automation

ms.subservice: dsc

author: mgreenegit

ms.author: migreene

ms.date: 08/08/2019

ms.topic: conceptual

manager: carmonm

Once you get started authoring configurations,

you can quickly create "scenarios" that manage

groups of settings.

Examples would be:

- create a web server

- create a DNS server

- create a SharePoint server

- configure a SQL cluster

- manage firewall settings

- manage password settings

If you are interested in sharing this work with others,

the best option is to package the configuration as a

[Composite Resource](/powershell/dsc/resources/authoringresourcecomposite).

Creating composite resources for the first time can be overwhelming.

A community maintained solution named

[CompositeResource](https://github.com/microsoft/compositeresource)

has been created to resolve this challenge.

CompositeResource automates the process of creating a new module from your configuration.

You start by

[dot sourcing](https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/heyscriptingguy/2010/08/10/how-to-reuse-windows-powershell-functions-in-scripts/)

the configuration script on your workstation (or build server)

so it is loaded in memory.

Next, rather than running the configuration to generate a MOF file,

use the function provided by the CompositeResource module to automate a conversion.

The cmdlet will load the contents of your configuration,

get the list of parameters,

and generate a new module with everything you need.

Once you have generated a module,

you can increment the version and add release notes each time you make changes

and publish it to your own

[PowerShellGet repository](https://kevinmarquette.github.io/2018-03-03-Powershell-Using-a-NuGet-server-for-a-PSRepository/?utm_source=blog&utm_medium=blog&utm_content=psscriptrepo).

Once you have create a composite resource module containing your configuration

(or multiple configurations),

you can use them in the

[Composable Authoring Experience](/azure/automation/compose-configurationwithcompositeresources)

in Azure,

or add them to

[DSC Configuration scripts](/powershell/dsc/resources/configurations)

to generate MOF files

and

[upload the MOF files to Azure Automation](/azure/automation/tutorial-configure-servers-desired-state#create-and-upload-a-configuration-to-azure-automation).

Then register your servers from either

[on-premises](/azure/automation/automation-dsc-onboarding#physicalvirtual-windows-machines-on-premises-or-in-a-cloud-other-than-azureaws)

or [in Azure](/azure/automation/automation-dsc-onboarding#azure-virtual-machines)

to pull configurations.

The latest update to the project has also published

[runbooks](https://www.powershellgallery.com/packages?q=DscGallerySamples)

for Azure Automation to automate the process of importing configurations

from the PowerShell Gallery.

To try out automating creation of composite resources for DSC, visit the

[PowerShell Gallery](https://www.powershellgallery.com/packages/compositeresource/)

and download the solution or click "Project Site"

to view the

[documentation](https://github.com/microsoft/compositeresource).

- [Windows PowerShell Desired State Configuration Overview](/powershell/dsc/overview/overview)

- [DSC Resources](/powershell/dsc/resources/resources)

- [Configuring The Local Configuration Manager](/powershell/dsc/managing-nodes/metaconfig)