Files and Folders Overview

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Microsoft® Windows® 2000 Scripting Guide

Scripts can automate many tasks associated with file and folder management, tasks that system administrators must perform on a regular basis. You can simplify the daily routine of system administrators by creating and running scripts that do such things as:

  • Manage the folder structure to make files easy for users to locate.

  • Ensure that the proper versions of specific files are installed and updated when necessary.

  • Track files and folders, periodically culling files and folders that are no longer being used.

  • Move files and folders from one location to another as circumstances dictate.

  • Create and manage shared folders to provide access to files from anywhere within the organization.

Scripts are especially useful for organizations that must carry out file and folder management tasks simultaneously on multiple computers. For example, you can write scripts that copy the same set of templates to 100 different file servers, scripts that check the version of a particular .dll file on all your Domain Name System (DNS) servers, or scripts that delete outdated files from all your shared folders.

Aside from automating tasks, scripts can schedule these tasks to run off-hours, when the shuffling of files and folders does not inconvenience users, and when greater network bandwidth ensures that these tasks run as quickly as possible, without unduly affecting system resources.