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Import a specific version of an installed resource

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Applies To: Windows PowerShell 5.0

In PowerShell 5.0, separate versions of DSC resources can be installed on a computer side by side. A resource module can store separate versions of a resource in version named folders.

Installing separate resource versions side by side

You can use the MinimumVersion, MaximumVersion, and RequiredVersion parameters of the Install-Module cmdlet to specify which version of a module to install. Calling Install-Module without specifying a version installs the most recent version.

For example, there are multiple versions of the xFailOverCluster module, each of which contains an xCluster resource. Calling Install-Module without specifying the version number installs the most recent version of the module.

PS> Install-Module xFailOverCluster
PS> Get-DscResource xCluster

ImplementedAs   Name          ModuleName           Version    Properties
-------------   ----          ----------           -------    ----------
PowerShell      xCluster      xFailOverCluster     1.2.0.0    {DomainAdministratorCredential, ...

To install a specific version of a module, specify a RequiredVersion of 1.1.0.0. This installs the specified version side by side with the installed version.

PS> Install-Module xFailOverCluster -RequiredVersion 1.1

Now, you see both version of the module listed when you use Get-DSCResource.

PS> Get-DscResource xCluster

ImplementedAs   Name          ModuleName            Version    Properties
-------------   ----          ----------            -------    ----------
PowerShell      xCluster      xFailOverCluster      1.1        {DomainAdministratorCredential, Name, ...
PowerShell      xCluster      xFailOverCluster      1.2.0.0    {DomainAdministratorCredential, Name, ...

Specifying a resource version in a configuration

If you have separate resource versions installed on a computer, you must specify the version of that resource when you use it in a configuration. You do this by specifying the ModuleVersion parameter of the Import-DscResource keyword. If you fail to specify the version of a resource module of a resource of which you have more than one version installed, the configuration generates an error.

The following configuration shows how to specify the version of the resource to call:

configuration VersionTest
{
    Import-DscResource -ModuleName xFailOverCluster -ModuleVersion 1.1

    Node 'localhost'
    {
       xCluster ClusterTest
       {
            Name                          = 'TestCluster'
            StaticIPAddress               = '10.0.0.3'
            DomainAdministratorCredential = Get-Credential
        }
     }
}

The ModuleVersion parameter of Import-DscResource is not available in PowerShell 4.0. In PowerShell 4.0, you can specify a module version by passing a module specification object to the ModuleName parameter of Import-DscResource. A module specification object is a hash table that contains ModuleName and RequiredVersion keys. For example:

configuration VersionTest
{
    Import-DscResource -ModuleName (@{ModuleName='xFailOverCluster'; RequiredVersion='1.1'} )

    Node 'localhost'
    {
       xCluster ClusterTest
       {
            Name                          = 'TestCluster'
            StaticIPAddress               = '10.0.0.3'
            DomainAdministratorCredential = Get-Credential
        }
     }
}

This will also work in PowerShell 5.0, but it is recommended that you use the ModuleVersion parameter.

See also