Winter Scripting Games: Profiles in Perfection
Stefan Suesser
As part of the 2008 Winter Scripting Games the Script Center is profiling competitors who recorded a perfect score in the 2007 Scripting Games. Here, in his own words, is a little something about Stefan Suesser, who received perfect scores in both the VBScript and Windows PowerShell Advanced divisions.
Check out more Profiles in Perfection from the 2007 Scripting Games.
Stefan Suesser
Born in 1969, I have been working as an Infrastructure Architect for Computacenter Germany, Europe's leading independent vendor of IT infrastructure services, for almost 10 years now. My main duty is planning and implementing new technologies from several vendors, including Microsoft, VMware, Citrix and HP. Highlights include the Joint Development Programs for Windows XP and Windows Server 2003, in which we were one of the first companies to upgrade their infrastructure, adopting these new products before they even launched. Currently, we are taking part in the Windows Server 2008 RDP program, upgrading our domain structure to the new server system and introducing new technologies like NAP and TS Gateway servers.
Working solely in large enterprise IT environments, scripting is a way to get even the largest and most-complex tasks done. I have been scripting since my first computer days, using batch files and little programs written in Turbo Pacal at first, then turning to Kix. I started using VBScript in 1999, and I still remember how impressed I was about the capabilities that administrators get with this technology. One of my first larger scripting solutions was called "SMS Light," and used WMI and an object-oriented database to collect hardware and software inventories from our Windows systems. Since those days I believe that there is hardly any problem that cannot be solved by using scripts. Over the years, I have created hundreds of smaller and larger scripting solutions, like an offline patching solution or an Active Directory synchronization procedure that imports user data from our Data Warehouse. My newest projects manage backups and AD snapshots on Windows Server 2008. In the meanwhile, my solutions include nearly all the technologies that can be used in scripts, including WMI, ADSI, ADO, HTA, Office and XML.
I live in Germany, near Cologne, with my wife Monika and my cute little sons Tom and David. Besides writing scripts and dealing with new technologies I like riding my motorbike; doing sports of all kind; hiking and climbing, and supporting the dance shows of my wife with my own comedy gigs.
My scripting tips for others are:
| • | Make heavy use of the Internet, especially the Script Center – chances are high that there is already a solution for your problem |
| • | Learn in the real world!!! Besides reading a book or tutorial about scripting, you will learn the most when you actually solve a real world problem, especially one that includes a couple of different technologies you have to deal with |
| • | Always structure your script using subroutines and functions. This will make reusing your code and troubleshooting the script much easier |
| • | Stick to your own naming convention to easily reuse your own code |
| • | WMI is your friend for a lot of challenges! Make yourself familiar with tools like Scriptomatic, Wbemtest or WMI CIM Studio (a free Microsoft tool from the WMI Tools package) |
| • | Try to learn advanced topics, like disconnected recordsets or XML – they will take your scripts to the next level |
| • | Comment your scripts! After some time has passed, you might forget why you did things the way you did them. Keep your valuable thoughts in comments |
