New-ADObject

Reference

Module:: ActiveDirectory

Creates an Active Directory object.

Syntax

New-ADObject
   [-WhatIf]
   [-Confirm]
   [-AuthType <ADAuthType>]
   [-Credential <PSCredential>]
   [-Description <String>]
   [-DisplayName <String>]
   [-Instance <ADObject>]
   [-Name] <String>
   [-OtherAttributes <Hashtable>]
   [-PassThru]
   [-Path <String>]
   [-ProtectedFromAccidentalDeletion <Boolean>]
   [-Server <String>]
   [-Type] <String>
   [<CommonParameters>]

Description

The New-ADObject cmdlet creates an Active Directory object such as a new organizational unit (OU) or new user account. You can use this cmdlet to create any type of Active Directory object. Many object properties are defined by setting cmdlet parameters. Properties that are not set by cmdlet parameters can be set by using the OtherAttributes parameter.

You must set the Name and Type parameters to create a new Active Directory object. The Name specifies the name of the new object. The Type parameter specifies the Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) display name of the Active Directory schema class that represents the type of object you want to create. Examples of Type values include computer, group, OU, and user.

The Path parameter specifies the container where the object is created. If you do not specify the Path parameter, the cmdlet creates an object in the default naming context container for Active Directory objects in the domain.

The following methods explain different ways to create an object by using this cmdlet.

Method 1: Use the New-ADObject cmdlet, specify the required parameters, and set any additional property values by using the cmdlet parameters.

Method 2: Use a template to create the new object. To do this, create a new Active Directory object or retrieve a copy of an existing Active Directory object and set the Instance parameter to this object. The object provided to the Instance parameter is used as a template for the new object. You can override property values from the template by setting cmdlet parameters. For more information, see the Instance parameter description for this cmdlet.

Method 3: Use the Import-Csv cmdlet with the New-ADObject cmdlet to create multiple Active Directory objects. To do this, use the Import-CSV cmdlet to create the custom objects from a comma-separated value (CSV) file that contains a list of object properties. Then pass these objects through the pipeline to the New-ADObject cmdlet to create the Active Directory objects.

Examples

Example 1: Create a subnet object

PS C:\> New-ADObject -Name "192.168.1.0/26" -Type "subnet" -Description "192.168.1.0/255.255.255.192" -OtherAttributes @{location="Building A";siteObject="CN=HQ,CN=Sites,CN=Configuration,DC=FABRIKAM,DC=COM"} -Path "CN=Subnets,CN=Sites,CN=Configuration,DC=FABRIKAM,DC=COM"

This command creates a subnet object in the HQ site with the described attributes.

Example 2: Create a subnet object by template

PS C:\> $SubnetTemplate = Get-ADObject -Identity "CN=192.168.1.0/26,CN=Subnets,CN=Sites,CN=Configuration,DC=Fabrikam,DC=com" -Properties description,location
PS C:\> New-ADObject -Instance $SubnetTemplate -Name "192.168.1.0/28" -Type "subnet" -Path "CN=Subnets,CN=Sites,CN=Configuration,DC=FABRIKAM,DC=COM"

This example creates a new subnet object, using a different subnet object as a template.

Example 3: Create a contact object

PS C:\> New-ADObject -Name "SaraDavisContact" -Type "contact" -ProtectedFromAccidentalDeletion $True -OtherAttributes @{'msDS-SourceObjectDN'="CN=FabrikamContacts,DC=CONTOSO,DC=COM"}

This command creates a new contact object, sets the msDS-SourceObjectDN property and protects the object from accidental deletion.

Example 4: Create a container object

PS C:\> New-ADObject -Name "Apps" -Type "container" -Path "DC=AppNC" -Server "FABRIKAM-SRV1:60000"

This command creates a new container object named Apps in an AD LDS instance.

Parameters

-AuthType

Specifies the authentication method to use. The acceptable values for this parameter are:

Negotiate or 0
Basic or 1

The default authentication method is Negotiate.

A Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) connection is required for the Basic authentication method.

Type:	ADAuthType
Accepted values:	Negotiate, Basic
Position:	Named
Default value:	None
Required:	False
Accept pipeline input:	False
Accept wildcard characters:	False

-Confirm

Prompts you for confirmation before running the cmdlet.

Type:	SwitchParameter
Aliases:	cf
Position:	Named
Default value:	False
Required:	False
Accept pipeline input:	False
Accept wildcard characters:	False

-Credential

Specifies the user account credentials to use to perform this task. The default credentials are the credentials of the currently logged on user unless the cmdlet is run from an Active Directory module for Windows PowerShell provider drive. If the cmdlet is run from such a provider drive, the account associated with the drive is the default.

To specify this parameter, you can type a user name, such as User1 or Domain01\User01 or you can specify a PSCredential object. If you specify a user name for this parameter, the cmdlet prompts for a password.

You can also create a PSCredential object by using a script or by using the Get-Credential cmdlet. You can then set the Credential parameter to the PSCredential object.

If the acting credentials do not have directory-level permission to perform the task, Active Directory module for Windows PowerShell returns a terminating error.

Type:	PSCredential
Position:	Named
Default value:	None
Required:	False
Accept pipeline input:	False
Accept wildcard characters:	False

-Description

Specifies a description of the object. This parameter sets the value of the Description property for the object. The LDAP display name (ldapDisplayName) for this property is description.

Type:	String
Position:	Named
Default value:	None
Required:	False
Accept pipeline input:	True
Accept wildcard characters:	False

-DisplayName

Specifies the display name of the object. This parameter sets the DisplayName property of the object. The LDAP display name (ldapDisplayName) for this property is displayName.

Type:	String
Position:	Named
Default value:	None
Required:	False
Accept pipeline input:	True
Accept wildcard characters:	False

-Instance

Specifies an instance of an Active Directory object to use as a template for a new Active Directory object.

You can use an instance of an existing Active Directory object as a template or you can construct a new Active Directory object by using the Windows PowerShell command line or by using a script.

Method 1: Use an existing Active Directory object as a template for a new object. To retrieve an instance of an existing Active Directory object, use a cmdlet such as Get-ADObject. Then provide this object to the Instance parameter of the New-ADObject cmdlet to create a new Active Directory object. You can override property values of the new object by setting the appropriate parameters.

Method 2: Create a new ADObject and set the property values by using the Windows PowerShell command line interface. Then pass this object to the Instance parameter of the New-ADObject cmdlet to create the new Active Directory object.

Note: Specified attributes are not validated, so attempting to set attributes that do not exist or cannot be set raises an error.

Type:	ADObject
Position:	Named
Default value:	None
Required:	False
Accept pipeline input:	False
Accept wildcard characters:	False

-Name

Specifies the name of the object. This parameter sets the Name property of the Active Directory object. The LDAP display name (ldapDisplayName) of this property is name.

Type:	String
Position:	1
Default value:	None
Required:	True
Accept pipeline input:	True
Accept wildcard characters:	False

-OtherAttributes

Specifies object attribute values for attributes that are not represented by cmdlet parameters. You can set one or more parameters at the same time with this parameter. If an attribute takes more than one value, you can assign multiple values. To identify an attribute, specify the LDAP display name (ldapDisplayName) defined for it in the Active Directory schema.

To specify a single value for an attribute:

-OtherAttributes @{'AttributeLDAPDisplayName'=value}

To specify multiple values for an attribute:

-OtherAttributes @{'AttributeLDAPDisplayName'=value1,value2,...}

To specify values for multiple attributes:

-OtherAttributes @{'Attribute1LDAPDisplayName'=value; 'Attribute2LDAPDisplayName'=value1,value2;...}

Type:	Hashtable
Position:	Named
Default value:	None
Required:	False
Accept pipeline input:	False
Accept wildcard characters:	False

-PassThru

Returns an object representing the item with which you are working. By default, this cmdlet does not generate any output.

Type:	SwitchParameter
Position:	Named
Default value:	None
Required:	False
Accept pipeline input:	False
Accept wildcard characters:	False

-Path

Specifies the X.500 path of the OU or container where the new object is created.

In many cases, a default value is used for the Path parameter if no value is specified. The rules for determining the default value are given below. Note that rules listed first are evaluated first and when a default value can be determined, no further rules are evaluated.

In AD DS environments, a default value for Path will be set in the following cases:

If the cmdlet is run from an Active Directory PowerShell provider drive, the parameter is set to the current path of the provider drive.
If the cmdlet has a default path, this is used. For example: in New-ADUser, the Path parameter defaults to the Users container.
If none of the previous cases apply, the default value of Path is set to the default partition or naming context of the target domain.

In AD LDS environments, a default value for Path is set in the following cases:

If the cmdlet is run from an Active Directory module for PowerShell provider drive, the parameter is set to the current path of the provider drive.
If the cmdlet has a default path, this is used. For example: in New-ADUser, the Path parameter defaults to the Users container.
If the target AD LDS instance has a default naming context, the default value of Path is set to the default naming context. To specify a default naming context for an AD LDS environment, set the msDS-defaultNamingContext property of the Active Directory directory service agent object (nTDSDSA) for the AD LDS instance.
If none of the previous cases apply, the Path parameter does not take any default value.

Note: The Active Directory Provider cmdlets, such as New-Item, Remove-Item, Remove-ItemProperty, Rename-Item, and Set-ItemProperty, also contain a Path property. However, for the Active Directory Provider cmdlets, the Path parameter identifies the path of the actual object rather than the container.

Type:	String
Position:	Named
Default value:	None
Required:	False
Accept pipeline input:	True
Accept wildcard characters:	False

-ProtectedFromAccidentalDeletion

Specifies whether to prevent the object from being deleted. When this property is set to true, you cannot delete the corresponding object without changing the value of the property. The acceptable values for this parameter are:

$False or 0
$True or 1

Type:	Boolean
Position:	Named
Default value:	None
Required:	False
Accept pipeline input:	True
Accept wildcard characters:	False

-Server

Specifies the Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) instance to connect to, by providing one of the following values for a corresponding domain name or directory server. The service may be any of the following: Active Directory Lightweight Directory Services (AD LDS), AD DS, or Active Directory snapshot instance.

Specify the AD DS instance in one of the following ways:

Domain name values:

Fully qualified domain name
NetBIOS name

Directory server values:

Fully qualified directory server name
NetBIOS name
Fully qualified directory server name and port

The default value for this parameter is determined by one of the following methods in the order that they are listed:

By using the Server value from objects passed through the pipeline
By using the server information associated with the AD DS Windows PowerShell provider drive, when the cmdlet runs in that drive
By using the domain of the computer running Windows PowerShell

Type:	String
Position:	Named
Default value:	None
Required:	False
Accept pipeline input:	False
Accept wildcard characters:	False

-Type

Specifies the type of object to create. Set the Type parameter to the LDAP display name of the Active Directory schema class that represents the type of object that you want to create. Examples of type values include user, computer, and group.

Type:	String
Position:	2
Default value:	None
Required:	True
Accept pipeline input:	True
Accept wildcard characters:	False

-WhatIf

Shows what would happen if the cmdlet runs. The cmdlet is not run.

Type:	SwitchParameter
Aliases:	wi
Position:	Named
Default value:	False
Required:	False
Accept pipeline input:	False
Accept wildcard characters:	False

Inputs

None or Microsoft.ActiveDirectory.Management.ADObject

An Active Directory object that is a template for the new object is received by the Instance parameter.

Derived types, such as the following, are also accepted:

Microsoft.ActiveDirectory.Management.ADPartition
Microsoft.ActiveDirectory.Management.ADFineGrainedPasswordPolicy
Microsoft.ActiveDirectory.Management.ADGroup
Microsoft.ActiveDirectory.Management.ADUser
Microsoft.ActiveDirectory.Management.ADComputer

Outputs

None or Microsoft.ActiveDirectory.Management.ADObject

Returns the new Active Directory object when the PassThru parameter is specified. By default, this cmdlet does not generate any output.

Notes

This cmdlet does not work with an Active Directory snapshot.
This cmdlet does not work with a read-only domain controller.

Share via

New-ADObject

Syntax

Description

Examples

Example 1: Create a subnet object

Example 2: Create a subnet object by template

Example 3: Create a contact object

Example 4: Create a container object

Parameters

-AuthType

-Confirm

-Credential

-Description

-DisplayName

-Instance

-Name

-OtherAttributes

-PassThru

-Path

-ProtectedFromAccidentalDeletion

-Server

-Type

-WhatIf

Inputs

Outputs

Notes

Feedback

Additional resources

Share via

New-ADObject

Syntax

Description

Examples

Example 1: Create a subnet object

Example 2: Create a subnet object by template

Example 3: Create a contact object

Example 4: Create a container object

Parameters

-AuthType

-Confirm

-Credential

-Description

-DisplayName

-Instance

-Name

-OtherAttributes

-PassThru

-Path

-ProtectedFromAccidentalDeletion

-Server

-Type

-WhatIf

Inputs

Outputs

Notes

Related Links

Feedback

Additional resources