# Get-ADOptionalFeature: inventory adoptional feature with before-and-after evidence > Use Get-ADOptionalFeature to review this narrow operational decision without extending the source beyond its stated scope. - Canonical URL: https://update.dsesecurity.com/updates/get-adoptionalfeature-inventory-adoptional-feature-with-before-and-after-evidence/ - Publisher: Detection Systems & Engineering (DSE Security) - Author: DSE Security Editorial Team - Published: 2026-08-27T17:04:37+00:00 - Modified: 2026-08-27T17:18:33+00:00 - Last reviewed by DSE: 2026-08-27 - Resource type: Guide - DSE priority: Advisory - Topics: Cybersecurity, Microsoft 365 & Identity, Networks & Infrastructure - Reading time: 3 minutes ## What you need to know Use Get-ADOptionalFeature to review this narrow operational decision without extending the source beyond its stated scope. ## Potentially affected Teams, systems, services, or facilities within the stated scope of Get-ADOptionalFeature ## DSE recommendation Compare the observed state with the cited official source, document applicability and exceptions, and test any approved change with rollback safeguards. ## Article Use this document to connect an official requirement or behavior to observable evidence: Get-ADOptionalFeature: inventory adoptional feature with before-and-after evidence. Only the official source and traced locations below supply facts. Confirm applicability before acting. ## Source fact: The official [Get-ADOptionalFeature](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/activedirectory/get-adoptionalfeature?view=windowsserver2025-ps) from Microsoft supports the following bounded statements: - At DESCRIPTION, Microsoft states: “The Get-ADOptionalFeature cmdlet gets an optional feature or performs a search to retrieve multiple optional features from an Active Directory.” The research record locates this support at DESCRIPTION. - At DESCRIPTION, Microsoft states: “The Identity parameter specifies the Active Directory optional feature that you want to get.” The research record locates this support at DESCRIPTION. The source support ends with the statements listed above. Use them to examine Active Directory objects, search bases, domain controllers, delegated roles, cmdlet parameters, and the DNS paths used to locate directory services in the applicable environment, not to imply a wider guarantee. ## What the source does not establish The cited page and retained statements do not establish the current state of any DSE or customer environment, prove that the documented configuration is applicable, or authorize a production change. Confirm supported versions, dependencies, and the current live source before use. No current deployment state or change approval follows from the source alone. Validate Active Directory replication, Windows DNS, domain-controller location, time, network reachability, privileges, and protected credentials, and treat examples or options as conditional inputs rather than defaults. ## Applicability questions - For source statement 1 at DESCRIPTION, which observable configuration, record, or test can confirm applicability here? - For source statement 2 at DESCRIPTION, which observable configuration, record, or test can confirm applicability here? - What inventory proves which parts of Active Directory objects, search bases, domain controllers, delegated roles, cmdlet parameters, and the DNS paths used to locate directory services are in and out of scope? - Which condition in Active Directory replication, Windows DNS, domain-controller location, time, network reachability, privileges, and protected credentials must be healthy before evidence is trustworthy? - What result would disprove the working assumption and return the issue to the owner? ## DSE recommendation: DSE recommends using the cited source as the evidence anchor for this decision. Make the source, asset scope, owner, and expected outcome explicit in the review record. Record the source location, examined part of Active Directory objects, search bases, domain controllers, delegated roles, cmdlet parameters, and the DNS paths used to locate directory services, observed and expected states, owner, and reason for deviation. Translate the conclusion into change control only after documenting dependencies, impact, test method, expected signals, failure signals, and restoration steps. Include Active Directory replication, Windows DNS, domain-controller location, time, network reachability, privileges, and protected credentials, while excluding secrets and sensitive personal or topology data from ordinary tickets. ## Verification and evidence Tie each conclusion back to DESCRIPTION; DESCRIPTION and to observable material such as sanitized command transcripts, parameter records, directory exports, authorization records, DNS locator tests, and before-and-after state. Preserve provenance and stable identifiers without copying secrets into the evidence set. Label this evidence set DSE-20260827-169 so observations, approvals, exceptions, and later rechecks cannot be substituted from another source review. Close the review only when the evidence, exception handling, resulting action, and after-state are linked. Schedule a new review after material technical, organizational, incident, or source changes; today’s observation is not a continuing guarantee. ## Official references - [Get-ADOptionalFeature](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/activedirectory/get-adoptionalfeature?view=windowsserver2025-ps) — Microsoft ## Primary reference - Name: Get-ADOptionalFeature - Authority: Microsoft Learn - URL: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/activedirectory/get-adoptionalfeature?view=windowsserver2025-ps - Source publication date: Not stated by the source ## Citation and use Preferred citation: “Get-ADOptionalFeature: inventory adoptional feature with before-and-after evidence,” DSE Security, https://update.dsesecurity.com/updates/get-adoptionalfeature-inventory-adoptional-feature-with-before-and-after-evidence/ Publishing principles: https://update.dsesecurity.com/updates/dse-updates-editorial-methodology/ Usage and citation policy: https://update.dsesecurity.com/usage/ Copyright © 2026 Detection Systems & Engineering. 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