> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://charles-bryant.gitbook.io/automating-the-microsoft-stack/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://charles-bryant.gitbook.io/automating-the-microsoft-stack/infrastructure/dsc/resources.md). # Resources Resources are the real work horses in DSC. A resource is really a PowerShell module that provides some functionality to your DSC configurations. ## Install Resources To install resources you basically have to make it available in a directory that is known to PowerShell, in other words, defined in the PSModulePath environment variable. ### Update PSModulePath You can add your custom resource directory to the PSModulePath by invoking the script below or manual editing the variable. ``` $currentModulePath = [Environment]::GetEnvironmentVariable("PSModulePath", "Machine") $customModulePath = "C:\_DSC\DSCResources" $newModulePath = $currentModulePath + ";" + $customModulePath [Environment]::SetEnvironmentVariable("PSModulePath", $newModulePath, "Machine") ``` I complicated this script a bit so it is more self evident on what is happening (code as documentation). ## Custom Resources You can create a custom resource to provide functionality not already available in other resources. For example I create an pneInitialize resource to provide common server configuration for all of the nodes in an environment. I prefix with pne which is a custom prefix for the environment I created this resouce for. You will see common prefixes like x, for experimental an c, for community. A DSC Resource contains * Module (psm1) * Data (psd1) optional * Schema (schema.mof) ## Deploy Resources