How to Build a Test PowerShell DSC Pull Server

Test DSC Pullserver

  1. Configure a new Windows Server and ensure that it has PowerShell 5 installed.
  2. Open PowerShell ISE as administrator, enter and execute the following script:
    Configuration MyPullServer{
	param(
		[ValidateNotNullOrEmpty()]
		[String] $certificateThumbprint
	)
	Import-DSCResource -ModuleName xPSDesiredStateConfiguration
	Node localhost{
		WindowsFeature DSCServiceFeature{
			Ensure = "Present"
			Name = "DSC-Service"
		}

		xDSCWebService PSDSCPullServer{
			Ensure = "Present"
			EndPointName = "PSDSCPullServer"
			CertificateThumbprint = $certificateThumbprint
			PhysicalPath = "$env:SystemDrive\inetpub\wwwroot\PSDSCPullServer"
			ConfigurationPath = "$env:ProgramFiles\WindowsPowerShell\DscService\Configuration"
			ModulePath = "$env:ProgramFiles\WindowsPowerShell\DscService\Modules"
			Port = 80
			IsComplianceServer = $false
			State = "Started"
			DependsOn = "[WindowsFeature]DSCServiceFeature"
		}

		xDSCWebService PSDSCComplianceServer{
			Ensure = "Present"
			EndPointName = "PSDSCComplianceServer"
			CertificateThumbprint = "AllowUnencryptedTraffic"
			PhysicalPath = "$env:SystemDrive\inetpub\wwwroot\PSDSCComplianceServer"
			Port = 81
			IsComplianceServer = $true
			State = "Started"
			DependsOn = "[WindowsFeature]DSCServiceFeature"
		}
	}
}

MyPullServer
Start-DscConfiguration -Path .\MyPullServer-Wait -Verbose -Force
  3. In the PowerShell ISE execute the following sample configuration script:
    Configuration SampleConfiguration{
	Import-DscResource -ModuleName 'PSDesiredStateConfiguration'
	Node [GUID recorded above]{
		File SomeSpecificConfigurationName{
			Ensure = "Present"
			Type = "Directory"
			DestinationPath = "c:\windows\logs\SOMELOGDIR"
		}
	}
}

SampleConfiguration -OutputPath c:\some_empty_temp_folder -Verbose
New-DscChecksum -Path c:\some_empty_temp_folder -Verbose
  4. Copy the resulting files from c:\some_empty_temp_folder to c:\Program Files\WindowsPowerShell\DscService\Configuration.

Test DSC Client

  1. On a test client machine, in the PowerShell prompt execute "[guid]::NewGuid()" and record the resulting guid.
  2. Open PowerShell ISE and enter and execute the following script:
    Configuration MyLCM{
	LocalConfigurationManager{
		ConfigurationID = "[GUID recorded above]"
		RefreshMode = "PULL"
		DownloadManagerName = "WebDownloadManager"
		RebootNodeIfNeeded = $true
		ConfigurationModeFrequencyMins = 30
		ConfigurationMode = "ApplyAndAutoCorrect"
		DownloadManagerCustomData = @{
			ServerUrl = "http://[IP Address or Hostname of the Pull Server]/PSDSCPullServer.svc"; AllowUnsecureConnection = "TRUE"
		}
	}
}

MyLCM -verbose -Path c:\some_empty_temp_folder
Set-DscLocalConfigurationManager -ComputerName localhost -Path c:\some_empty_temp_folder

The test client will pull SampleConfiguration every 30 minutes and ensure the existence of c:\windows\logs\SOMELOGDIR.

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