The new command-line tools for Active Directory in Windows Server 2003 (298882)

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Windows Server 2003 has a suite of new directory service command-line tools to manage the various types of objects in Active Directory and to perform queries against the directory according to specified criteria. These tools are located in the %SystemRoot%\System32 folder.

The command-line tools are included with Windows Server 2003 and are installed with the Admin Pack and the Windows Server 2003 Setup program. The command-line tools can be installed and run on computers that are running Windows XP Service Pack 1 and Windows Server 2003 Server. Microsoft does not recommend that you install these tools on a Windows 2000-based computer.

The command-line tools can target Windows Server 2003 and Windows 2000 domain controllers. Windows 2000 domain controllers that are administered by the command-line tools must have Service Pack 3 or later installed to prevent errors in LDAP signing.

All of the command-line tools can operate on a variety of objects in the directory. These tools can modify objects locally as the logged-on user or they can specify the server, domain, user name, and password that you want to use when you run the command either remotely or locally. Some of these tools are:

• Dsadd.exe
  This tool adds a computer, contact, group, organization unit, or user to a directory.
• Dsget.exe
  This tool displays the selected attributes of a computer, contact, group, organizational unit, server, or user in a directory.
• Dsmod.exe
  This tool modifies an existing user, computer, contact, group, or organizational units in a directory.
• Dsmove.exe
  This tool moves any object from its current location in the directory to a new location (provided that the move can be accommodated in a single domain controller) and renames an object without moving it in the directory tree.
• Dsquery.exe
  This tool queries and finds a list of computers, groups, organizational units, servers, or users in the directory by using specified search criterion.
• Dsrm.exe
  This tool deletes an object of a specific type or any general object from the directory.

In addition to the preceding new tools, the following utilities can also be used to manage objects in Active Directory:

• Csvde.exe
  This utility can import and export Active Directory data by using a comma-separated format.
• Ldifde.exe
  This utility can create, modify, and delete directory objects. This utility can also be used to extend the schema, export Active Directory user and group information to other programs or services, and populate Active Directory with data from other directory services.

For details and examples, refer to Help and Support on the Start menu. Additional command-line tools are available in the Support Tools folder, which is located in the CD-ROM of the product, and from the Resource kit.