# Windows Guides

The following sections provide information on managing Windows hosts with Ansible.

Because Windows is a non-POSIX-compliant operating system, there are differences between how Ansible interacts with them and the way Windows works. These guides will highlight some of the differences between Linux/Unix hosts and hosts running Windows.

- Setting up a Windows Host
  - Host Requirements
  - WinRM Setup
- Windows Remote Management
  - What is WinRM?
  - Authentication Options
  - Non-Administrator Accounts
  - WinRM Encryption
  - Inventory Options
  - IPv6 Addresses
  - HTTPS Certificate Validation
  - Limitations
- Using Ansible and Windows
  - Use Cases
  - Path Formatting for Windows
  - Limitations
  - Developing Windows Modules
- Desired State Configuration
  - What is Desired State Configuration?
  - Host Requirements
  - Why Use DSC?
  - How to Use DSC?
  - Custom DSC Resources
  - Examples
- Windows Frequently Asked Questions
  - Does Ansible work with Windows XP or Server 2003?
  - Can I Manage Windows Nano Server?
  - Can Ansible run on Windows?
  - Can I use SSH keys to authenticate?
  - Why can I run a command locally that does not work under Ansible?
  - This program won’t install with Ansible
  - What modules are available?
  - Can I run Python modules?
  - Can I connect over SSH?
  - Why is connecting to the host via ssh failing?
  - Why are my credentials are being rejected?
  - Why am I getting an error SSL CERTIFICATE_VERIFY_FAILED?