Exporting Active Directory Computer Objects to CSV

Wesley EllisDec 11, 2024

Introduction

This PowerShell script provides a simple way to export common attributes of all computer objects within Active Directory to a CSV file. The script is designed to be easily adaptable for different environments and use cases.

Use Case

This script can be useful for:

Documentation: Maintaining an up-to-date inventory of computer objects in your Active Directory domain.
Auditing: Periodically exporting computer object data for analysis and compliance checks.
Reporting: Generating reports on computer object attributes like operating system versions or last logon times.

Script

PowerShell

# Specify the domain controller and domain name
$domainController = "<Your Domain Controller>" 
$domainName = "<Your Domain Name>" 

# PowerShell Script to Export AD Object Information to CSV with Date in Filename
$todayDate = (Get-Date).ToString("yyyy-MM-dd")
$csvPath = "C:\Exports\AD_$todayDate.csv" 

# Retrieve AD Objects from the specified domain controller
$ADObjects = Get-ADComputer -Filter * -Server $domainController -Property CanonicalName, Description, DistinguishedName, DNSHostName, Enabled, IPv4Address, LastLogonDate, Name, ObjectClass, ObjectGUID, OperatingSystem, OperatingSystemVersion, PasswordLastSet, SamAccountName, SID, UserPrincipalName

$ADObjects | Select-Object CanonicalName, Description, DistinguishedName, DNSHostName, Enabled, IPv4Address, LastLogonDate, Name, ObjectClass, ObjectGUID, OperatingSystem, OperatingSystemVersion, PasswordLastSet, SamAccountName, SID, UserPrincipalName |
Export-Csv -Path $csvPath -NoTypeInformation

Write-Host "CSV export complete. File saved to $csvPath"

Explanation

Variables: The script starts by defining variables for the domain controller, domain name, and the desired output file path. The filename includes the current date for easy tracking.
Get-ADComputer: The Get-ADComputer cmdlet retrieves all computer objects from the specified domain controller. The -Property parameter specifies the attributes to be retrieved.
Select-Object: This cmdlet selects the desired attributes from the retrieved computer objects.
Export-Csv: The Export-Csv cmdlet exports the selected attributes to a CSV file at the specified path.

Outro

This script is a basic example of how to export Active Directory computer object data to a CSV file. You can modify the script to include additional attributes, filter the computer objects based on specific criteria, and customize the output file path and name.