In a Windows environment, managing Active Directory (AD) is a crucial task for system administrators. One of the common tasks is creating computer accounts in AD, which can be efficiently done using the New-ADComputer cmdlet in PowerShell. This cmdlet allows administrators to automate the process of adding new computers to the domain, ensuring consistency and saving time. This article will guide you through the process of using the New-ADComputer cmdlet to create computer accounts in Active Directory.

Examples:

1. Basic Example: Creating a New Computer Account

   To create a new computer account in a specific Organizational Unit (OU), use the following command:

   New-ADComputer -Name "ComputerName" -SamAccountName "ComputerName" -Path "OU=Computers,DC=example,DC=com"

   In this example, replace "ComputerName" with the name of the computer you want to add, and adjust the -Path parameter to point to the correct OU in your AD structure.

2. Adding Additional Properties

   You can also specify additional properties such as description, location, and more:

   New-ADComputer -Name "ComputerName" -SamAccountName "ComputerName" -Path "OU=Computers,DC=example,DC=com" -Description "Test Computer" -Location "Building 1"

3. Creating Multiple Computer Accounts

   To create multiple computer accounts, you can use a loop in PowerShell:

   $computers = @("Comp1", "Comp2", "Comp3")
   foreach ($computer in $computers) {
      New-ADComputer -Name $computer -SamAccountName $computer -Path "OU=Computers,DC=example,DC=com"
   }

4. Using Secure Strings for Passwords

   If you need to set a password for the computer account, you can use a secure string:

   $password = Read-Host "Enter Password" -AsSecureString
   New-ADComputer -Name "ComputerName" -SamAccountName "ComputerName" -Path "OU=Computers,DC=example,DC=com" -AccountPassword $password

5. Verifying the Creation

   After creating the computer account, you can verify its existence using the Get-ADComputer cmdlet:

   Get-ADComputer -Identity "ComputerName"

   This command will display the details of the newly created computer account.