Prerequisites

Technical requirements

For Microsoft365DSC to function, you need to arrange the following components:

PowerShell version

Microsoft365DSC is supported for PowerShell version 5.1 and 7.1. Support for newer versions of PowerShell is not yet offered since these have now decoupled the DSC engine into its own separate module and require additional work from the team. It is however on the roadmap as a priority item for the later part of Calendar Year of 2022.

Tooling

To get the best experience running Microsoft365DSC cmdlets, it is recommended that you use the Windows Terminal. All screenshots provided in this article are using the Windows Terminal. This tool allows you to quickly switch between PowerShell versions and provide better support for icons and symbols that are used throughout Microsoft365DSC’s experience.

Permissions

In order to connect to Microsoft 365, you need to make sure you have valid credentials (user or application credentials) with the correct permissions to the Microsoft 365 service. Microsoft365DSC offers several methods of authentication, depending on the used resources. Unfortunately, we are depending on the supported authentication methods used by the various PowerShell modules that are used.

Make sure you review the Authentication and Permissions article for more information on the available authentication methods and how to configure all required permissions.

Experience and skills

Before you start using Microsoft365DSC, it is important that you also have the proper experience and skills on administering Microsoft 365. Microsoft365DSC is a powerful solution that can greatly streamline Microsoft 365 administration. But with great power comes great responsibility:

If you don't know what exactly you are doing, using Microsoft365DSC you can also cause some serious damage.

That is why it is important that you have the correct experience and skills. To use this module properly you should be very familiar with:

Additionally it can be helpful, depending on the planned use of Microsoft365DSC, to have a good understanding of:

Training resources

You can review the following training resources and certifications, for learning more about the above topics:

PowerShell Desired State Configuration

Microsoft 365 Administration