I would like to use DSC to check and correct Service resources as State = Running. The issue is that these services don't exist until I have manually run a software installer on the target node. I am already using DSC to prepare the node for installation of this software.
So in other words, I have a node where I do some configuration, then I have a manual software installation that DependsOn that configuration, and then I have a Service resource that DependsOn the manual software installation.
In theory, I could automate the software installation in a custom or Script resource, and then create the dependency chain I described, but in practice, I don't yet have the time to create that automation. (It's a long-term goal.) So instead, I want to apply the first part of the configuration, manually install the software, and then allow the last part of the configuration to apply.
What's the least bad way of making this happen? I know I could create two separate configurations for the "before" and "after" phase, but I think it would be better to have one configuration that could be enhanced with an automatic installation procedure later. Currently I'm considering using a Script resource that checks for some semaphore/file on disk and errors out in the SetScript, but I haven't yet done a proof-of-concept for this strategy.