We are in a precarious position in writing about DSC. In order to explain any one concept, we tend to have to explain a couple more before we get to it. We are going to start out here with some terms and examples of configuration files, DSC settings, and workflow models, but for the most part, the words and actions used will not be clear at first. They are explained in the chapters ahead in greater detail. Remember the previous chapter? Don't panic! If you find yourself getting confused about why something is important, it may become clear as we move from the explanation to putting it into practice. So, for now, look at them and get a feel for the flow of operations, and then come back to them as we touch each step in the operations process in later chapters.

DSC enables you to ensure that the components of your server environment have the correct state and configuration. It enables declarative, autonomous, and idempotent deployment, as well as configuration and conformance of standards...