Automatically Bulk Create Directories in Microsoft Windows

Tutorial Outcomes

Learn how to use XIA Automation to:

• Create directories and assign permissions to existing users or groups
• Create directories and assign permissions to users created in Active Directory by XIA Automation
• Apply sharing and security settings to directories

1. Create the Automation Profile

Create a new automation profile in the XIA Automation Administration Tools. Set the permissions as required.

2. Create the Directory Name Variable

Create a new String Variable so the end user can enter the directory name when they execute the profile. Ignore this step if you want a fixed value for your directory name.

3. Configure the Permissions selection

Either allow a user or group name to be entered manually by creating a String Variable, or allow the end user to select which user or group to apply directory sharing or security permissions to by creating a new Active Directory Search Variable. Ignore this step if you want a fixed value for your permissions.

Use the Search settings to, for example, specify which Organizational Unit to list Security Groups from:

The group for which the permissions will be applied can then be selected by the end user from a drop down when the profile is executed in the XIA Automation Server web interface:

4. Configure the Directory Creation Task

Create a new Directory Creation Task.

Configure the directory and share settings as required.

Assign the security permissions as required, for example, add the Active Directory Search Variable.

Alternatively, follow the steps in the create user accounts in Active Directory tutorial. The Create Directory Task can be added to the end of the Create Active Directory User automation profile and the unique username generated to create the user in Active Directory can be added to the directory permissions.

4. Create a Windows Directory

Execute the Automation Profile, either manually via the form input in the XIA Automation Server web interface , or in bulk via CSV, or automatically via file import.