How to Start Full Synchronization using powershell in SharePoint 2010

In this article we will be seeing how to Start Full Synchronization to import the user profile in SharePoint 2010.

Once you have Configured Synchronization connections in the User Profile Service Application you need to run the "Start Full Synchronization" to import the user profiles. This can be done through UI, programmatically and using powershell commands. Here we will be starting the Full Synchronization using powershell.

PowerShell script:

#------- Get-SPServiceContext

function Get-SPServiceContext([Microsoft.SharePoint.Administration.SPServiceApplication]$profileApp)
{
    if($profileApp -eq $null)
    {
        #----- Get first User Profile Service Application
        $profileApp = @(Get-SPServiceApplication | ? { $_.TypeName -eq "User Profile Service Application" })[0]
    } 
return [Microsoft.SharePoint.SPServiceContext]::GetContext(
        $profileApp.ServiceApplicationProxyGroup,
        [Microsoft.SharePoint.SPSiteSubscriptionIdentifier]::Default)
}

$serviceContext= Get-SPServiceContext
$configManager = New-Object Microsoft.Office.Server.UserProfiles.UserProfileConfigManager($serviceContext)
if($configManager.IsSynchronizationRunning() -eq $false)
{
$configManager.StartSynchronization($true)
Write-Host "Started Synchronizing"
}
else
{
Write-Host "Already Synchronizing"
}

#--------- Alternate way
$siteUrl="http://serverName:4695/"
$site= New-Object  Microsoft.SharePoint.SPSite($siteUrl)
$serviceContext = [Microsoft.SharePoint.SPServiceContext]::GetContext($site)
$configManager = New-Object Microsoft.Office.Server.UserProfiles.UserProfileConfigManager($serviceContext)
if($configManager.IsSynchronizationRunning() -eq $false)
{
$configManager.StartSynchronization($true)
Write-Host "Started Synchronizing"
}
else
{
Write-Host "Already Synchronizing"
}

Go the SharePoint Central Administration => Application Management => Manage Service Applications =>User Profile Service.

You could see the Profile Synchronization Status has been changed to Synchronizing.