How would I query Active Directory and or LDAP to retrieve the current users computer name?

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Dave Kreskowiak · Accepted Answer · 2015-01-06T17:13:00

Solution 1

You can't do what you want because AD doesn't track the machine the user is physically logged into.

Where I work, we use a VBScript that is executed on every workstation, by SCCM and reporting back to SCCM Inventory, who is logged into that machine at the time. Over time, the SCCM database builds up a picture of who "owns" the machines based on who's logged into it the most.

Posted 6-Jan-15 17:13pm

Dave Kreskowiak

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[no name] 7-Jan-15 8:24am

We have a similar solution where I am currently working however I don't believe the login script makes action on the SCCM Inventory every time a user logs in. Is there a way to built in the SCCM queries into a VB Application form while referencing the SCCM side of IIS- Where we can query and build reports. ?

Dave Kreskowiak 7-Jan-15 8:34am

If you have an actual login script, you don't need SCCM at all. The login script can get the machine name and currently logged in user quite easily and push that data to a database itself.

We use SCCM because we have a ton of remote users who are not connected to the enterprise network when the login to the machine and may not connect for quite a long time. The SCCM client on the machine takes care of running the job even without network connectivity.

[no name] 7-Jan-15 14:53pm

Is there a way to make the below into a vb form? This is how we are currently accessing the sccm through our intranet here. An instead of showing the netbios name of it on another application like IE to only show it in a read only textbox in the VB form?

Computer Name Search
</title>
<script TYPE="text/javascript">

window.onload = function() {
document.getElementById("un_id").focus();
};

function setURL(){
var username = document.getElementById("un_id").value;
var sjdurl = "http://servername/SMSReporting_MHM/Report.asp?ReportID=12&variable="+username;

popup = window.open(sjdurl,"popup");

}

</script>
</head>
<body>
<br>
<div>
<label for="un_id"></label>
Enter: %25EDIPI%25<br>
<input type="Text" id="un_id" maxlength="45" size="45"/><br>
<input type='submit' >
</div>
</body>
</html>

Dave Kreskowiak 7-Jan-15 16:53pm

You could but since you're navigating to a web report, you'd have to include the WebBrowser control in the ToolBox in your form.

The rest of your question doesn't make sense. Yes, you can get the machine name the app is running on from the Environment class in VB.NET and display it in a label. I say this as I really don't know what you're trying to ask here.

[no name] 8-Jan-15 0:21am

I found an application that does please see my other posted questions. Maybe you could help.

Dave Kreskowiak 8-Jan-15 10:15am

Yeah, you found an application but do you know how it really works??

Again, Active Directory does NOT track (on its own) where a user logged in from.

You have to put put this information into the User object using a login script or some other tool. The users must also have permissions to modify some field in their own user object (usually referred to as the SELF user in Security) and put the name of the workstation in an unused field. You can then query on that field.

The problem is that if a user is on a laptop and logs in while not connected to the network, you don't get the information loaded into the user object.

If the user moves from a wired network to Wifi or the other way around, the IP address does not get updated in DNS fast enough to be of any use.

The data that you put in the user object also does not get removed when the user logs out or when the machine shuts down. The information you see in the User object does not tell you who is CURRENTLY logged in.

You have to find out how that tool works before you try duplicating its features. Don't make the mistake of assuming that it's getting some data from some magical hidden place in Active Directory. No such place exists.

[no name] 8-Jan-15 12:05pm

Thanks for all your help Dave, I feel like you have been the most helpful to me on this site so far. I was only trying to figure out how this tool/application is doing what it is able to do? I am thinking that i could query the username some how with WMIC and then find the computer doing the same. What do you think?

Dave Kreskowiak 8-Jan-15 12:56pm

OK, query WMI on which machine to get what?