Windows 2000: Scripting for System Administrators: 1. Introduction

Course Overview

The inclusion of Windows Scripting Host (WSH) in Windows provides a rich and powerful environment for System Administrators to manage and administer their Windows machines. With a little VBScript knowledge you will soon be able to take advantage of the improved effectiveness and efficiency that scripts can give your working life. Computers were originally designed to take away the drudgery of dull, repetitive tasks, but unfortunately administering them generates dull, repetitive tasks such as monthly/weekly defrags, making the same registry change on machine after machine. Scripting allows us to give those tedious jobs back to the machine that was designed to handle them in the first place.

This course will start with the basics of using scripts to manipulate an object based environment. The course will then use VBScript to access and manipulate the WSH objects, the FileSystemObject, the Excel object model and the ADO objects for accessing databases. You will learn how to write scripts that automate applications, parse log files for specific information, map network drives, and install printers and applications, amongst others things. Due to the practical nature of scripting, there will be a large element of hands on lab work with an emphasis on creating reusable, useful sample scripts that can be employed in the work place. The course will be delivered as an interactive lecture including many hands-on exercises.

Windows 2000: Scripting for System Administrators: 1. Introduction / W2-SC1