PoshTip #11 – Active Directory PSDrive

PoshTip #11 – Active Directory PSDrive

One of cool feature enabled by the Active Directory module is the “Active Directory PSDrive”. You can browse your AD as if it is a hard drive.

First, you need to import the AD module :

Import-Module ActiveDirectory

And then, Browse your AD :

C:\> cd AD:
AD:\> dir

Name                 ObjectClass          DistinguishedName
----                 -----------          -----------------
TESTDomain           domainDNS            DC=TESTDomain,DC=local
Configuration        configuration        CN=Configuration,DC=TESTDomain,DC=local
Schema               dMD                  CN=Schema,CN=Configuration,DC=TESTDomain,DC=local
DomainDnsZones       domainDNS            DC=DomainDnsZones,DC=TESTDomain,DC=local
ForestDnsZones       domainDNS            DC=ForestDnsZones,DC=TESTDomain,DC=local

AD:\> cd "DC=TESTDomain,DC=local"

And you can list all the containers :

AD:\DC=TESTDomain,DC=local> dir

Name                 ObjectClass          DistinguishedName
----                 -----------          -----------------
Builtin              builtinDomain        CN=Builtin,DC=TESTDomain,DC=local
Computers            container            CN=Computers,DC=TESTDomain,DC=local
Domain Controllers   organizationalUnit   OU=Domain Controllers,DC=TESTDomain,DC=local
ForeignSecurityPr... container            CN=ForeignSecurityPrincipals,DC=TESTDomain,DC=local
Infrastructure       infrastructureUpdate CN=Infrastructure,DC=TESTDomain,DC=local
INSTANCES            organizationalUnit   OU=INSTANCES,DC=TESTDomain,DC=local
LAB                  organizationalUnit   OU=LAB,DC=TESTDomain,DC=local
LostAndFound         lostAndFound         CN=LostAndFound,DC=TESTDomain,DC=local
Managed Service A... container            CN=Managed Service Accounts,DC=TESTDomain,DC=local
Microsoft Exchang... organizationalUnit   OU=Microsoft Exchange Security Groups,DC=TESTDomain,DC=local
Microsoft Exchang... msExchSystemObjec... CN=Microsoft Exchange System Objects,DC=TESTDomain,DC=local
NTDS Quotas          msDS-QuotaContainer  CN=NTDS Quotas,DC=TESTDomain,DC=local
OperationsManager    container            CN=OperationsManager,DC=TESTDomain,DC=local
Program Data         container            CN=Program Data,DC=TESTDomain,DC=local
System               container            CN=System,DC=TESTDomain,DC=local
TPM Devices          msTPM-Information... CN=TPM Devices,DC=TESTDomain,DC=local
Users                container            CN=Users,DC=TESTDomain,DC=local

Cool. Now you can use the Get-ChildItem cmdlet :

AD:\> cd "Users"
AD:\CN=Users,DC=TESTDomain,DC=local> Get-ChildItem | Where-Object {$_.ObjectClass -eq "Group"}

Name                 ObjectClass          DistinguishedName
----                 -----------          -----------------
Allowed RODC Pass... group                CN=Allowed RODC Password Replication Group,CN=Users,DC=TESTDomain,DC=local
Cert Publishers      group                CN=Cert Publishers,CN=Users,DC=TESTDomain,DC=local
Cloneable Domain ... group                CN=Cloneable Domain Controllers,CN=Users,DC=TESTDomain,DC=local
ConfigMgr Remote ... group                CN=ConfigMgr Remote Control Users,CN=Users,DC=TESTDomain,DC=local
CSAdministrator      group                CN=CSAdministrator,CN=Users,DC=TESTDomain,DC=local
CSArchivingAdmini... group                CN=CSArchivingAdministrator,CN=Users,DC=TESTDomain,DC=local
CSHelpDesk           group                CN=CSHelpDesk,CN=Users,DC=TESTDomain,DC=local
CSLocationAdminis... group                CN=CSLocationAdministrator,CN=Users,DC=TESTDomain,DC=local
CsPersistentChatA... group                CN=CsPersistentChatAdministrator,CN=Users,DC=TESTDomain,DC=local
CSResponseGroupAd... group                CN=CSResponseGroupAdministrator,CN=Users,DC=TESTDomain,DC=local
CSResponseGroupMa... group                CN=CSResponseGroupManager,CN=Users,DC=TESTDomain,DC=local