Use PowerShell to randomly stagger Veeam backup schedules

In previous posts “Randomize your Veeam backups via PowerShell” and “Fixing Veeam Backup v8 Periodic Scheduling” I discussed the unwanted and unexpected changes Veeam Backup and Replication 8 made to is Periodic Scheduling. In summary, Periodic Schedules could no longer exceed a 24-hour period (e.g. you could no longer configure jobs to run every 30 …

Use PowerShell to require users with the oldest passwords to change their passwords

This PowerShell script will help you find the Active Directory users who have gone the longest without changing their password, and then require them to change their password the next time they logon to a domain resource. Consider this a password policy on a bell curve that targets those users who have the oldest Password …

Mail Merge Email via PowerShell’s Send-MailMessage

Here’s a script that will help you learn how to use PowerShell to conduct a mail merge via email. While I once used Microsoft Excel, Word, and Outlook to perform this task; PowerShell makes the process better. My script will even create an example CSV file that contains three columns: Email, First Name, Last Name. …

Using PowerShell to disable and move user and computer accounts

Here are two PowerShell scripts that I wrote and use to disable old Active Directory user or computer accounts. Typically I use the Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit to have it identify “Days Since Last Activity” for both Active Directory Users and Devices. I then copy the list of Users or Devices I wish to …

Randomize Windows Updates via PowerShell and PSWindowsUpdate

If you manage a group of computers that have fallen behind on installing Windows Updates, this procedure and a few PowerShell tools may help you less-disruptively install a just a few randomized updates at a time when computers are idle. Objective Many of the computers in my environment are used 24/7 by rotating shifts of …