> 1. User could be determined either from a file, from
> requested input dialog
> box, or command line switch.
Agreed. One might want to do this as part of a web interface (way beyond the
scope of this exercise)... Where help desk folks could take the request and
they could be pending until the admin approves it. If NT accounts are based
at least in part on some unique identifier, such as Emp# the process can be
much more automated. If it's just %1g$s or a similar format someone needs to
manually error check against duplicates (or unreported changes in marital
status).
> 2. I assume this is a fairly basic VBScript command
Can be done pretty easily in vbscript and perl. Assume it can be done in wsh
and delphi as well w/o too much trouble (among others).
> 3. You assumed that the Manager field was populated-- how do
> you get the
> manager's NT account from that information? Would it be
> supplied in the same
> way as the user to be deleted was in step 1?
I was thinking one might be able to use ADSI to query the Exchange server
for the mailbox defined as the manager and then another query for the
primary NT account on that mailbox.
> 4. Is this something that VBScript can do with native
> capabilities, or would
> it be an export, massage, import type of thing?
One could probably use import/export for this as well, but ADSI is probably
cleaner.
> 5. Notification is easily done... I assume that adding the
> mailbox to the
> manager's profile would have to be a manual step.
I'd agree. You could try to automate it by generating an e-mail
(programmatically) for the manager with baby step by baby step instructions
for them... Or a link to such instructions on your intranet. You might also
automate a process by which they could let you know they'd completed that
step (a url in the message calling the next script and passing through the
account in question as a parameter). You might also automate a process to
have a technician dispatched if they click another link in the message or if
they don't respond within 72 hours. It might also be possible to add the
mailbox to the manager's profile using a script as well.
> 6. Implication here is that you know that the manager has
> done this (or that
> the SysAdmin does it).
True.
> 6.5. Could be pretty standard inside script, with a command
> line input for a
> date variable (or even a date calculation within the script).
Sure, and accomplished via ADSI again I'd think.
> 7. Would you need to use Exmerge, or does VBScript have
> access to Outlook's
> export function?
There might be methods other than exmerge... But since this script might do
bulk deletions (layoffs or downsizing) I'd think exmerge is the most
efficient.
> 8. Easily scripted (assuming administrative access exists).
> 9. Ditto. Although it does beg the question of what to do if the size
> exceeds a single CD. But then again, in your assumptions list
> you specified
> a non-crap CD burning software, so hopefully it'll span a
> couple of CDs.
> Otherwise some logic will have to be put in place to split things up
> somehow, or this becomes a manual task.
True... And if the CD software is really good, you might be able to e-mail
someone to tell them the status of the burn job (e.g. Burn 1 of 32
successful, remove the CD and insert the next one you minion".
> 10. Burn, baby, burn!
> 10.5 Good ol' sneakernet.
> 11. Could a delayed delivery message be scripted (or a
> calendar appointment)
> for the manager and the Exchange Admin?
I'd probably have a daily AT job for the script which checked a file
containing pending deletions (with a date key) and fired when the specified
deletion period had arrived. Allows you to manually remove a person in the
event they are rehired... Much harder to stop an e-mail which has already
been sent.
> 12. Self-explanatory.
> 13. & 14. At this point, doing these manually is no problem.
You could script it as well.... Perhaps notifying the admin 48 hours in
advance so they can review the deletions list.
> That's my (more or less non-programming) take on it. Anything
> in there that
> is totally wrong, or am I more or less on the right track?
I'm not much of a programmer either, but I think you've got the essential
bits and processes down. Anyone else have any comments or suggestions?
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