Users Guide

NOTE: To initiate remote command, check system and configuration requirements in details by executing the following
cmdlet:
get-help about_Remote_Requirements
Primary components of Desired State Configuration
Desired State Configuration is a declarative framework used for configuration, deployment, and management of systems. It
consists of three primary components:
● Configuration—Configuration defines the type of function that is used in DSC through declarative scripts. This function
can be called using the keyword ‘Configuration’ with suitable identifier. DSC configuration enforces the defined BIOS
settings on the client systems. The Local Configuration Manager (LCM) ensures that systems are configured according to
the Configuration declaration.
● Resources—Dell Command | PowerShell Provider provides the user a set of custom resources that can be leveraged to
enforce required Dell BIOS settings on the Dell client systems. The resources are classified into 22 categories. For the list of
the supported categories, run
Get-Help About_DellBIOSProvider_DscResources
Each category contains properties (BIOS attributes names) that are available in the resources folder DSCResources
available at ${env:ProgramFiles}\WindowsPowerShell\Modules\DellBIOSProvider.
To discover deployed Dell’s DSC resources, run:
Get-DscResource *DCPP*
For more information on attributes, refer the Reference Guide available at Dell.com/DellClientCommandSuiteManuals.
The Dell Command | PowerShell Provider resources can verify the configuration drift, get current value settings, and set
desired value on Dell client systems. This workflow is similar to the flow of ‘Test-‘ and ‘Set-‘ of standard DSC configurations.
When you define BIOS configurations using scripts, the resources declared for Dell Command | PowerShell Provider are used
to monitor drift and maintain the configuration. Declared resources must be present both on server and client systems for
successful authoring, staging, and enactment.
● Node—Node is a target system on which you want to enforce the configuration. Node can either be an IP address or a
system name.
Dell Command | PowerShell Provider resources work seamlessly in both Push and Pull modes. In Push mode you author a
configuration, stage it to generate the Managed Object Format (MOF), and enact it on target nodes. In Push mode the server is
only a medium to author and enact the configuration onto nodes. The Local Configuration Manager (LCM) agent on the target
nodes, ensures that systems are configured according to the configuration declaration. In Pull mode, the server is defined as a
Pull Server. The Pull Server has web services running which initiates a handshake between the server and the client systems.
The server contains the MOF at a standard location, and whenever there is a change in the checksum associated with the MOF
file, the client machine(s) pulls the configuration from the server and enforces it on the client systems. In Pull mode the LCM of
the client system(s) is set to Pull mode. These settings of the LCM are called meta – configuration.
Desired State Configuration Logs can be viewed using Windows Event Viewer. Configuration drifts on Dell client systems are
recorded in this event log at Applications and Service Logs -> DellClientBIOS PowerShell.
To check the syntax and properties accepted by a Dell Command | PowerShell Provider DSC resource, run the cmdlet in the
following format:
Get-DSCResource <DSC resource name> -syntax
Folder structure— The install module has the following folder structure:
$env: psmodulepath (folder)
|- DellBIOSProvider (folder)
|- < DellBIOSProvider.psd1> (file, required)
|- DSCResources (folder)
|- DCPP_POSTBehavior (folder)
|- DCPP_PowerManagement (folder)
...
Getting started with Dell Command | PowerShell Provider 2.2
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