Code fixes - 2026.01 (#537)

This pull request introduces improvements to remote session handling,
logging, and output formatting in the SDN diagnostics and health
validation scripts. The main changes include enforcing credential
requirements for remote sessions, adding transcript logging, and
standardizing output visuals.

**Remote session validation and credential handling:**
- Added checks in both `Start-SdnDataCollection` and
`Debug-SdnFabricInfrastructure` to ensure that when running in a remote
session without CredSSP enabled, the user must supply the `-Credential`
parameter to avoid double-hop authentication issues. If not, the
functions throw a `NotSupportedException`.
[[1]](diffhunk://#diff-490865628c61b2e97c50f45b37d7086647c70b2444cbfb9c60cc8c682801356eR757-R767)
[[2]](diffhunk://#diff-15898640fc68e07afa836ad8d93af4f22a4442978d9c233f39d48d44d85cfb60R403-R416)
- Set a default value for the `$Credential` parameter in
`Show-SdnGatewayUtilization` to prevent null credential issues.

**Logging and transcript improvements:**
- Introduced transcript logging at the start of data collection and
health validation processes, and ensured transcripts are stopped
appropriately to capture command output for troubleshooting.
[[1]](diffhunk://#diff-490865628c61b2e97c50f45b37d7086647c70b2444cbfb9c60cc8c682801356eR835)
[[2]](diffhunk://#diff-490865628c61b2e97c50f45b37d7086647c70b2444cbfb9c60cc8c682801356eR1160)
[[3]](diffhunk://#diff-15898640fc68e07afa836ad8d93af4f22a4442978d9c233f39d48d44d85cfb60L411-L415)

**Output and formatting enhancements:**
- Updated bar chart characters in `Show-SdnGatewayUtilization` from
Unicode blocks (`█`, `░`) to ASCII characters (`=`, `.`) for improved
compatibility and readability.
[[1]](diffhunk://#diff-490865628c61b2e97c50f45b37d7086647c70b2444cbfb9c60cc8c682801356eL1464-R1477)
[[2]](diffhunk://#diff-490865628c61b2e97c50f45b37d7086647c70b2444cbfb9c60cc8c682801356eL1482-R1495)
[[3]](diffhunk://#diff-490865628c61b2e97c50f45b37d7086647c70b2444cbfb9c60cc8c682801356eL1493-R1506)
- Improved remediation message formatting in
`Test-SdnCertificateMultiple` by adding indentation for better clarity.

**Minor logic adjustments:**
- Moved the network controller confirmation check in
`Debug-SdnFabricInfrastructure` to occur only after remote session
validation, ensuring proper sequencing.
[[1]](diffhunk://#diff-15898640fc68e07afa836ad8d93af4f22a4442978d9c233f39d48d44d85cfb60R403-R416)
[[2]](diffhunk://#diff-15898640fc68e07afa836ad8d93af4f22a4442978d9c233f39d48d44d85cfb60L411-L415)
[[3]](diffhunk://#diff-15898640fc68e07afa836ad8d93af4f22a4442978d9c233f39d48d44d85cfb60R433)

# Change type
- [x] Bug fix (non-breaking change)
- [ ] Code style update (formatting, local variables)
- [ ] New Feature (non-breaking change that adds new functionality
without impacting existing)
- [ ] Breaking change (fix or feature that may cause functionality
impact)
- [ ] Other

# Checklist:
- [x] My code follows the style and contribution guidelines of this
project.
- [x] I have tested and validated my code changes.

Author: arudell

src/SdnDiagnostics.psm1

@@ -754,6 +754,17 @@ function Start-SdnDataCollection {
         [bool]$ConvertETW = $true
     )
 
+    # if we are running in a remote session, we need to do some extra validation
+    if ($PSSenderInfo) {
+        # if we are running in a remote session and CredSSP is not enabled, then we need to ensure that
+        # the user has supplied -Credential to avoid double-hop authentication issues
+        if (-not (Get-WSManCredSSPState)) {
+            if ($Credential -ieq [System.Management.Automation.PSCredential]::Empty -or $null -ieq $Credential) {
+                throw New-Object System.NotSupportedException("Start-SdnDataCollection cannot be run in a remote session without supplying -Credential.")
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
     $ErrorActionPreference = 'Continue'
     $dataCollectionNodes = [System.Collections.ArrayList]::new() # need an arrayList so we can remove objects from this list
 
@@ -821,7 +832,8 @@ function Start-SdnDataCollection {
         [System.IO.FileInfo]$OutputDirectory = Join-Path -Path $OutputDirectory.FullName -ChildPath $childPath
         [System.IO.FileInfo]$workingDirectory = (Get-WorkingDirectory)
         [System.IO.FileInfo]$tempDirectory = "$(Get-WorkingDirectory)\Temp"
-
+        $null = Start-Transcript -Path (Join-Path -Path $OutputDirectory.FullName -ChildPath 'DataCollection_Transcript.txt') -ErrorAction Stop
+        
         # setup the directory location where files will be saved to
         "Starting SDN Data Collection" | Trace-Output
 
@@ -1145,6 +1157,7 @@ function Start-SdnDataCollection {
         }
     }
 
+    $null = Stop-Transcript -ErrorAction Ignore
     return $dataCollectionObject
 }
 
@@ -1255,7 +1268,7 @@ function Show-SdnGatewayUtilization {
         [Parameter(Mandatory = $false)]
         [System.Management.Automation.PSCredential]
         [System.Management.Automation.Credential()]
-        $Credential
+        $Credential = [System.Management.Automation.PSCredential]::Empty
     )
 
     $ncRestParams = @{
@@ -1461,7 +1474,7 @@ function Show-SdnGatewayUtilization {
                     $barLength = 40
                     $filledLength = [int][Math]::Round(($utilizationPercent / 100) * $barLength)
                     $emptyLength = $barLength - $filledLength
-                    $bar = ("█" * $filledLength) + ("░" * $emptyLength)
+                    $bar = ("=" * $filledLength) + ("." * $emptyLength)
 
                     # Determine color based on utilization thresholds
                     $barColor = if ($utilizationPercent -ge 90) { 'Red' }
@@ -1479,7 +1492,7 @@ function Show-SdnGatewayUtilization {
                     "`t`tCPU Utilization (sampled at {0}):" -f $gateway.CpuMetrics.Timestamp.ToString('yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss') | Write-Host -ForegroundColor Cyan
 
                     foreach ($cpu in $gateway.CpuMetrics.Processors | Sort-Object -Property ProcessorId) {
-                        $cpuBar = '█' * [int]($cpu.Utilization / 2.5)  # Scale to ~40 chars max
+                        $cpuBar = '=' * [int]($cpu.Utilization / 2.5)  # Scale to ~40 chars max
                         $cpuColor = if ($cpu.Utilization -ge 90) { 'Red' }
                                     elseif ($cpu.Utilization -ge 75) { 'Yellow' }
                                     else { 'Green' }
@@ -1490,7 +1503,7 @@ function Show-SdnGatewayUtilization {
                     }
 
                     # Display average
-                    $avgBar = '█' * [int]($gateway.CpuMetrics.AverageUtilization / 2.5)
+                    $avgBar = '=' * [int]($gateway.CpuMetrics.AverageUtilization / 2.5)
                     $avgColor = if ($gateway.CpuMetrics.AverageUtilization -ge 90) { 'Red' }
                                 elseif ($gateway.CpuMetrics.AverageUtilization -ge 75) { 'Yellow' }
                                 else { 'Green' }

src/modules/SdnDiag.Health.psm1

@@ -400,6 +400,20 @@ function Debug-SdnFabricInfrastructure {
         [switch]$SkipSummaryDisplay
     )
 
+    # if we are running in a remote session, we need to do some extra validation
+    if ($PSSenderInfo) {
+        # if we are running in a remote session and CredSSP is not enabled, then we need to ensure that
+        # the user has supplied -Credential to avoid double-hop authentication issues
+        if (-not (Get-WSManCredSSPState)) {
+            if ($Credential -ieq [System.Management.Automation.PSCredential]::Empty -or $null -ieq $Credential) {
+                throw New-Object System.NotSupportedException("Debug-SdnFabricInfrastructure cannot be run in a remote session without supplying -Credential.")
+            }
+        }
+    }
+    if (Test-ComputerNameIsLocal -ComputerName $NetworkController) {
+        Confirm-IsNetworkController
+    }
+
     $script:SdnDiagnostics_Health.Cache = $null
     $aggregateHealthReport = @()
     $dateTimeNow = Get-Date -Format 'yyyyMMdd-HHmmss'
@@ -408,11 +422,6 @@ function Debug-SdnFabricInfrastructure {
     $transcriptDirectory = Get-WorkingDirectory
     $transcriptPath = "{0}\SdnFabricHealthReport_{1}.txt" -f $transcriptDirectory, $dateTimeNow
     $null = Start-Transcript -Path $transcriptPath -Force
-    "Starting SDN Fabric Infrastructure health validation at {0}" -f $dateTimeNowFormatted | Trace-Output -Level:Information
-
-    if (Test-ComputerNameIsLocal -ComputerName $NetworkController) {
-        Confirm-IsNetworkController
-    }
 
     if ($PSBoundParameters.ContainsKey('NcRestCertificate')) {
         $restCredParam = @{ NcRestCertificate = $NcRestCertificate }
@@ -421,6 +430,7 @@ function Debug-SdnFabricInfrastructure {
         $restCredParam = @{ NcRestCredential = $NcRestCredential }
     }
 
+    "Starting SDN Fabric Infrastructure health validation at {0}" -f $dateTimeNowFormatted | Trace-Output -Level:Information
     $environmentInfo = Get-SdnInfrastructureInfo -NetworkController $NetworkController -Credential $Credential @restCredParam
     if ($null -eq $environmentInfo) {
         throw New-Object System.NullReferenceException("Unable to retrieve environment details")
@@ -1170,7 +1180,7 @@ function Test-SdnCertificateMultiple {
             }
 
             $sdnHealthTest.Result = 'WARNING'
-            $sdnHealthTest.Remediation = "Examine and cleanup the certificates if no longer needed:`r`n{0}" -f ($certDetails -join "`r`n")
+            $sdnHealthTest.Remediation = "Examine and cleanup the certificates if no longer needed:`r`n`t{0}" -f ($certDetails -join "`r`n`t")
         }
     }
     catch {