I’ve recently been experimenting with Desired State Configuration (DSC) which I must say I love! I’m also very excited on the future of DSC and where it might be heading.

One evening though I decided to take my DSC script and move it over to a freshly created Windows Server 2012R2 server where I promptly noticed the Import-DSCResource didn’t exist. I was using the Import-DSCResource to enable myself to use the extra DSC modules supplied in Microsoft’s DSC Resource Kit, namely the xWebAdminitration module. I was however stumped as my Import-DscResource command worked on my Windows 8.1 machine yet didn’t on my Server 2012R2 instance. After a spending a while researching the topic I came across KB2883200 update by Microsoft which was classed as a general availability rollup.

Reading the summary of the rollup, it made no mention of Powershell or namely Import-DscResource, yet without this crucial update installed you are unable to use the Import-DscResource keyword. Below is the error I received when running a DSC script without the update installed.

PS C:Windowssystem32> C:UsersAdministratorDesktopImport-DSCResource-Example.ps1
At C:UsersAdministratorDesktopUntitled1.ps1:5 char:50
+     Import-DscResource -Module xWebAdministration
+                                                  ~
The Import-Module dynamic keyword requires names of the modules to import. The syntax of Import-Module dynamic keyword
is: "Import-Module [-Name] <ModuleNames>".
At C:UsersAdministratorDesktopUntitled1.ps1:4 char:1
+ {
+ ~
Missing closing '}' in statement block.
At C:UsersAdministratorDesktopUntitled1.ps1:107 char:1
+ }
+ ~
Unexpected token '}' in expression or statement.
    + CategoryInfo          : ParserError: (:) [], ParentContainsErrorRecordException
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : ImportModuleNeedParams

Hopefully this will save someone else out there in the community the time I spent on researching and diagnosing this issue I experienced! Microsoft support article - http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2883200/en-us KB2883200 DownloadCentre link - http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=40774

** Update **
You will also want to read my later post on Why Cant I Use Import DSCResource.