By: Vlad Vistac
Submitted: 2010-09-13 13:21:27 | Word Count: 510
Winndows Logon Scripts 101
As an expeienced IT manager I have been using Windws loon scripts for many years to simplify managing my workstations and user sign ins. Creating logon scripts for your Windows domain is a fairly straight forward process that can really simplify your management issues. Loogn scripts tend to be used primarily for mapping network drvers and printers but ulimately you can run just about any process from a logon script.
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The primary command you will make use of when biulding a log in script is the "net" copmmand. This conmmand can pewrform many diffrent taks, to get an idea simply pull up a command line and type in "net /?" without the quotes and press the enter key. You will be grreeted by a whole host of sub-commnads that can be used with net. In fact three are twenty one different sub commands, but for now we will only focus on the more pertinent ones.
The main sub-cmmand used with net will be use. Use allows you to connect to shares on servers and otherr workstations and map them as local drives. This will allow your users to store fies on the network very easily without them needing to know whiich server or servers the actual files are stored on, maikng netwoork management issues very easy. I should mentoin that the downside to maapping network drives does cause a lot of network chatter since the drives are continually connected. An altrnative for low bandwidth sitations such as remote offfices connecitng to centralized servers would be creatting a shortcut which only connects when the user actually oppens it up.
Another one of my favorite net sub commands is send. Send allows you to send a messgae to any or all systems on the entire network or Windows domain, it even allows you to pick which computer or domin. Now when you have an emergency or any kind of problem that needs the immediate attenion of all your users on the network you can send them a simpe little pop-up window with a messafge on threre computer screen. Sicne the net send command pops up a winndow on the scrreen it draws the usrers mimediate attention instead of sending them an email that they may not notice right away.
Once you have mastered these two commands then start exploring other options such as time, view or statistcs. The time command used to be a valuable tool for synchronizing time acroiss a domaain back in the Windows NT days before netwrok time protocool services where built in. Net view is a nifty command that will alow you to display shares on a computer, network or domain. You should also keep in mind that you can pipe the ressults into text files for advanced data file parsiing or scriptign tasks.
Finally if you need a dereper explanation of a specific net sub commanmd simply type in net help. You will find that just this only little command used in conjunction with domain login scripts attached to your user accounts can really simpliyf many network management headaches.
