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Need some verification on Powershell Multi-threading
I don't like massive amounts of code in a single file. I know it can't always be avoided, but in my case, I actually need to avoid putting some blocks of code in the same file. I decided to break-out my code in four different files:
I want to execute files 2 - 4 in parallel. Each file has to iterate through a DataSet that I will pass. I have the paremterization setup fine, but I need confirmation that my syntax for executing each script in parallel using RunSpaces is correct. Following is the code I have generated for doing this. By the way, I have borrowed heavily from forums for what limited understanding I have about it.
File 1: Automate.ps1 (serves as initiator)
File 2: au_CreateADUser.ps1
File 3: au_CreateEXContact.ps1 (creates an Exchange 2010 contact card)
File 4: au_CreateMSOLUser.ps1 (creates a student's email account and assigns licensing)
I want to execute files 2 - 4 in parallel. Each file has to iterate through a DataSet that I will pass. I have the paremterization setup fine, but I need confirmation that my syntax for executing each script in parallel using RunSpaces is correct. Following is the code I have generated for doing this. By the way, I have borrowed heavily from forums for what limited understanding I have about it.
#region Create Active Directory User
#######################################################################################
$AD =
{
Invoke-Expression ".\automation\au_CreateADUser.ps1 -DataSet $ds"
}
$thread1 = [System.Management.Automation.PowerShell]::Create()
$thread1.RunspacePool = $Pool
$thread1.AddScript($AD)
$thread1.BeginInvoke()
#endregion
#region Create MSOL Services Account
#######################################################################################
$MSOL =
{
Invoke-Expression ".\automation\au_CreateMSOLUser.ps1 -DataSet $ds"
}
$thread2 = [System.Management.Automation.PowerShell]::Create()
$thread2.RunspacePool = $Pool
$thread2.AddScript($MSOL)
$thread2.BeginInvoke()
#endregion
#region CreateExchange Server Contact
#######################################################################################
$ExContact =
{
Invoke-Expression ".\automation\au_CreateEXContact.ps1 -DataSet $ds"
}
$thread3 = [System.Management.Automation.PowerShell]::Create()
$thread3.RunspacePool = $Pool
$thread3.AddScript($ExContact)
$thread3.BeginInvoke()
#endregion
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No. The dataset will not get provided correctly. But before I go into details: any reason you do not make use of PowerShell jobs?
Probably lack of understanding.
Most of what I read seemed to indicate that if I passed my dataset to a job, it would try to process multiple rows of the dataset simultaneously. My need is to process the same dataset in three simultaneous scripts.
I can't create an Exchange Contact and an MSOL user in the same script if I import both sessions and leave them imported. If Id o, I have ambiguous commands. It is possible that the script may have to iterate through 20 records at a time that will all requre an AD user, an MSOL user, and an Exchange Contact. It would take forever for the script to complete if I tried to establish those sessions individually, close them, then repeat for each of 20 records for three different processes.
I figured my best bet was to make a call to separate scripts, pass the dataset to each one, and hopefully process them in seperate threads so they can process simultaneously. I'm open to suggestions.
I have attached a zip file with the respective scripts (called by my posted code section) in txt format.
scripts.zip
Most of what I read seemed to indicate that if I passed my dataset to a job, it would try to process multiple rows of the dataset simultaneously. My need is to process the same dataset in three simultaneous scripts.
I can't create an Exchange Contact and an MSOL user in the same script if I import both sessions and leave them imported. If Id o, I have ambiguous commands. It is possible that the script may have to iterate through 20 records at a time that will all requre an AD user, an MSOL user, and an Exchange Contact. It would take forever for the script to complete if I tried to establish those sessions individually, close them, then repeat for each of 20 records for three different processes.
I figured my best bet was to make a call to separate scripts, pass the dataset to each one, and hopefully process them in seperate threads so they can process simultaneously. I'm open to suggestions.
I have attached a zip file with the respective scripts (called by my posted code section) in txt format.
scripts.zip
with conflicting commands use the modulename\command syntax i.e.
function onlineuser {
#region Connect to MSOL Services
###################### Connect to MSOL Services ##########################
try
{
New-MsolUser -DisplayName $FullName -UserPrincipalName $email -UsageLocation "US" -FirstName $NickAsFirst -LastName $LastName -LicenseAssignment "studentsccbbc:STANDARDWOFFPACK_IW_STUDENT" -StrongPasswordRequired $false -Password $emailPass -ForceChangePassword 0 -ErrorAction Stop| Out-File $log -Append
$tryblock = $true
}
catch
{
Send-MailMessage -From erroradmin@ourdomain.edu -To it@ourdomain.edu -Subject "Failed to create AD account for $NickAsFirst $LastName" -Body $_.Exception.Message + "`n`r`n`r" + $_.Exception.ItemName -SmtpServer mail.ourdomain.edu
$logdate + ": Failed to create new MSOL user ($Fullname):`n$_.Exception.Message" | Out-File $log -Append
$tryblock = $false
}
finally
{
if ($tryblock -eq $true) { $logdate + ": Created new MSOL user ($Fullname)" | Out-File $log -Append }
$tryblock = $false
}
Start-Sleep -Seconds 30
Try
{
msonline\Set-Mailbox -identity $email -CustomAttribute1 $SecEmail -CustomAttribute2 "Student" -CustomAttribute3 $Affiliation -ErrorAction Stop
$tryblock = $true
}
Catch
{
Send-MailMessage -From erroradmin@ourdomain.edu -To it@ourdomain.edu -Subject "Failed to create MSOL account for $NickAsFirst $LastName" -Body $_.Exception.Message + "`n`r`n`r" + $_.Exception.ItemName -SmtpServer mail.ourdomain.edu
$logdate + ": Failed to update custom attributes for $FullName" +":`n" + $_.Exception.Message | Out-File $log -Append
$tryblock = $false
}
Finally
{
if($tryblock -eq $true)
{
$logdate + ": Finished New-Mailbox command for " + $FullName | Out-File $log -Append
$logdate + ": New MSOL user mailbox custom attributes set" | Out-File $log -Append
}
$tryblock = $false
}
}
function aduser{
$path = "ou=Students,dc=OURAD,dc=LAN"
$chgpass = $false
if($Affiliation -like "*Online*")
{
$path = "ou=Online,ou=Students,dc=OURAD,dc=LAN"
$chgpass = $false
}
elseif($Affiliation -like "*On Campus*") { $path = "ou=OnCampus,ou=Students,dc=OURAD,dc=LAN" }
elseif($Affiliation -like "*Commuter*") { $path = "ou=OnCampus,ou=Students,dc=OURAD,dc=LAN" }
elseif($Affiliation -like "*Hybrid*") { $path = "ou=Hybrid,ou=Students,dc=OURAD,dc=LAN" }
else {$path = "ou=Students,dc=OURAD,dc=LAN"}
try
{
$student = activedirectory\Get-ADUser -LDAPFilter "(sAMAccountName=$alis)"
if($student -eq $null) {
"Creating New AD User: $First $LastName" | Out-File -Append
New-ADUser $Alias -GivenName $First -Surname $LastName -UserPrincipalName $email -Server CCDC01.CCBBC.LAN -Description $StudentID -AccountPassword (ConvertTo-SecureString -String $emailPass -AsPlainText -Force) -ChangePasswordAtLogon $chgpass -Credential $ADCred -Path $path -Displayname $Display -PassThru | Enable-ADAccount -ErrorAction Stop
$tryblock = $true
}
else { $tryblock = $true }
}
catch
{
[System.Exception]
$logdate + ": Failed to create new AD user:`n$_.Exception.Message" | Out-File $log -Append
Send-MailMessage -From erroradmin@ourdomain.edu -To it@ourdomain.edu -Subject "Failed to create AD account for $NickAsFirst $LastName" -Body $_.Exception.Message + "`n`r`n`r" + $_.Exception.ItemName -SmtpServer mail.ourdomain.edu
$tryblock = $false
}
Finally
{
if ($tryblock -eq $true) { $logdate + ": Successfully created new Active Directory user." | Out-File $log -Append }
$tryblock = $false
}
}
function local_exchange_user {
#region ###################### Create Student Contact at On-Premise Exchange Server ##########################
Try
{
$student = Exchange\Get-MailContact -Identity $alias
If ($student -eq $null) {
Exchange\New-MailContact -Name $display -ExternalEmailAddress $email -OrganizationalUnit $path -FirstName $first -LastName $last -alias ($alias)
}
Exchange\Set-MailContact -identity $display -Alias $alias -DisplayName $display -CustomAttribute1 $secEmail -CustomAttribute2 "Student" -CustomAttribute3 $ca3
$tryblock = $true
}
Catch
{
[system.Exception]
Send-MailMessage -From erroradmin@ourdomain.edu -To it@ourdomain.edu -Subject "Failed to create Contact for $first $last" -Body $_.Exception.Message + "`n`r`n`r" + $_.Exception.ItemName -SmtpServer mail.ourdomain.edu
$logdate + ": Failed to create new mail contact for " + $email + ":`n$_.Exception.Message" | Out-File $log -Append
$tryblock = $false
}
Finally
{
if($tryblock -eq $true) { $logdate + ": New mail contact ($DisplayName) created" | Out-File $log -Append }
$tryblock = $false
$student = $null
}
#endregion
}
param(
[Parameter(Position=0,Mandatory=$true)][System.Data.DataSet]$DataSet
)
Import-Module activedirectory
import-module msonline
import-module exchange
$fpath = "C:\Automation\"
$ldate = Get-Date
$logdate = $ldate.ToString("MM/dd/yyyy HH:mm:ss")
$log = $fpath + "NewStudentLog" + $ldate.ToString("MMddyyyyHHmm") + ".log"
$logdate + ": ============= Begin New Student Addtion =============" | Out-File $log
$ADUser = "ourAdmin"
$File = "C:\Temp 2\Password.txt"
$ADPASS = New-Object -TypeName System.Management.Automation.PSCredential -ArgumentList $ADUser, (Get-Content $File | ConvertTo-SecureString)
$ACred = New-Object -TypeName System.Management.Automation.PSCredential -ArgumentList $ADUser, $ADPass
$tryblock = $false
#region ###################### Connect to On-Premise Exchange Server ##########################
Try
{
$Exchange = New-PSSession -ConfigurationName Microsoft.Exchange -ConnectionUri http://ccmail01.ourad.lan/PowerShell/ -Authentication Kerberos -ErrorAction Stop
Import-PSSession $Exchange -ErrorAction Stop
$tryblock = $true
}
Catch
{
[System.Exception]
Exchange\Send-MailMessage -From erroradmin@ourdomain.edu -To it@ourdomain.edu -Subject "Exchange: Unable to connect or load" -Body $_.Exception.Message + "`n`r`n`r" + $_.Exception.ItemName -SmtpServer mail.ourdomain.edu
$logdate + ": Failed to connect to on-premise Microsoft Exchange service: `n" + $_.Exception.Message | Out-File $log -Append
$tryblock = $false
}
Finally
{
if($tryblock -eq $true) { $logdate + ": Connected to on-premise Microsoft Exchange service" | Out-file $log -Append }
$tryblock = $false
}
#endregion
#region ################### Connect to Microsoft Online Exchange Server
Try
{
Import-Module MSOnline
$MSOL = New-PSSession -ConfigurationName Microsoft.Exchange -ConnectionUri https://ps.outlook.com/powershell/ -Credential $LiveCred -Authentication Basic -AllowRedirection -ErrorAction Stop
Import-PSSession $MSOL
Connect-MsolService -Credential $LiveCred -ErrorAction Stop
$tryblock = $true
}
Catch
{
exchange\Send-MailMessage -From erroradmin@ourdomain.edu -To it@ourdomain.edu -Subject "MSOL: Unable to conenct or load" -Body $_.Exception.Message + "`n`r`n`r" + $_.Exception.ItemName -SmtpServer mail.ourdomain.edu
$logdate + ": Failed to connect to MSOL service: `n" + $_.Exception.Message | Out-File $log -Append
$tryblock = $false
}
Finally
{
if ($tryblock -eq $true) { $logdate + ": Successfully connected to MSOL service" | Out-File $log -Append }
$tryblock = $false
}
#endregion
#region ############ process user ###############
foreach ($row in $DataSet.Tables[0].Rows)
{
$greet = ""
$NickAsFirst = ""
if([string]::IsNullOrEmpty($row[1])) { $FullName = "" } else { $FullName = $row[1].ToString().Trim() }
if([string]::IsNullOrEmpty($row[3])) { $Nickname = "" } else { $Nickname = $row[3].ToString().Trim() }
if([string]::IsNullOrEmpty($row[5])) { $SSN = "EMPTY4321" } else { $SSN = $row[5].ToString().Trim() }
if([string]::IsNullOrEmpty($row[17])) { $SecEmail = "" } else { $SecEmail = $row[17].ToString().Trim() }
if([string]::IsNullOrEmpty($row[18])) { $Affiliation = "" } else { $Affiliation = $row[18].ToString().Trim() }
if([string]::IsNullOrEmpty($row[21])) { $LastName = "" } else { $LastName = $row[21].ToString().Trim() }
if([string]::IsNullOrEmpty($row[22])) { $FirstName = "" } else { $FirstName = $row[22].ToString().Trim() }
if([string]::IsNullOrEmpty($row[23])) { $Processed = "" } else { $Processed = $row[23].ToString().Trim() }
if([string]::IsNullOrEmpty($row[25])) { $StudentID = "" } else { $StudentID = $row[25].ToString().Trim() }
if([string]::IsNullOrEmpty($row[30])) { $pin = "" } else { $pin = $row[30].ToString() }
if([string]::IsNullOrEmpty($row[31])) { $email = "" } else { $email = $row[31].ToString() }
if($Prefix.Length -gt 0) { $greet = $Prefix.Trim() + " " }
if($Nickname.Trim().Length -gt 0) {
$First = $Nickname.Trim()
}
else {
$First = $FirstName.Trim()
}
$Display = $LastName.Trim() + ", " + $First.Trim()
$Alias = $First + "." + $LastName.Trim()
$LastFour = $SSN.Trim().Substring(5,4)
if($email.Length -eq 0) { $email = $First.Trim() + "." + $LastName.Trim() + "@students.ourdomain.edu" }
if($SSN.Length -eq 0) { $SSN = "EMPTY4321" }
if($pin.Length -eq 0) { $emailPass = ($First.SubString(0,2) + $LastName.Trim().Substring(0,2) + "@" + $LastFour) } else { $emailPass = $pin }
if ($Affiliation -like "*Online*") { $CA3 = "Online" } else { $CA3 = "On-Campus" }
if ($Processed -eq "" -or $Processed -eq "False")
{
aduser
exchange
onlineuser
}
}
#endregion
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David,
Thank you for that advice. This all started because I could not find a way around the ambiguous commands. Would you believe that searching for "problem with ambiguous commands in Powershell" did not return anything about "modulename\command" syntax?
I will try this today and see if it resolves my problem. Though I am still interested in the multi-threading approach (whether using jobs or RunSpace).
Thank you for that advice. This all started because I could not find a way around the ambiguous commands. Would you believe that searching for "problem with ambiguous commands in Powershell" did not return anything about "modulename\command" syntax?
I will try this today and see if it resolves my problem. Though I am still interested in the multi-threading approach (whether using jobs or RunSpace).
David,
Thank you for that advice. This all started because I could not find a way around the ambiguous commands. Would you believe that searching for "problem with ambiguous commands in Powershell" did not return anything about "modulename\command" syntax?
I will try this today and see if it resolves my problem. Though I am still interested in the multi-threading approach (whether using jobs or RunSpace).
Thank you for that advice. This all started because I could not find a way around the ambiguous commands. Would you believe that searching for "problem with ambiguous commands in Powershell" did not return anything about "modulename\command" syntax?
I will try this today and see if it resolves my problem. Though I am still interested in the multi-threading approach (whether using jobs or RunSpace).
OR, when you import your session you can put prefix
Import-PSSession $Session -Prefix oo
then you can run get-mailbox and get-oomailbox to differentiate who is who.
Import-PSSession $Session -Prefix oo
then you can run get-mailbox and get-oomailbox to differentiate who is who.
Since both solutions work, I'll give you both credit. I'm going to use the prefix method though --it suits me better.
Additional note: You can also provide a prefix with Import-Module, which should be more straight-forward than setting the prefix on importing the session, and is available in all cases.
Thinking more about it, the Runspace idea is not that bad, because you can choose to have isolated environments. But you also have no access to common variables. It is similar with jobs, but those at least can share a common (parent) runspace.
Having a dataset $ds, jobs would be used with
Having a dataset $ds, jobs would be used with
start-job -scriptBlock { .\automation\au_CreateADUser.ps1 -DataSet $args[0] } -ArgumentList $ds
start-job -scriptBlock { .\automation\au_CreateMSOLUser.ps1 -DataSet $args[0] } -ArgumentList $ds
start-job -scriptBlock { .\automation\au_CreateEXContact.ps1 -DataSet $args[0] } -ArgumentList $ds
get-job | wait-job # wait until all jobs are done
get-job | receive-job # get all output
get-job | remove-job # cleanup
It looks like I was right about the results of the start-job method. Unfortunately, Powershell is serializing the datatable. See the error below:
Cannot process argument transformation on parameter 'DataSet'. Cannot convert value "System.Data.DataSet" to type "System.Data.DataSet". Error: "Cannot
convert the "System.Data.DataSet" value of type "Deserialized.System.Data.DataSet" to type "System.Data.DataSet"."
I didn't expect it to be a real dataset ;-). No, you cannot use a serialized dataset. You would have to collect data first, then stream them into the jobs.
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