A new version of this course, Automating Administration with Windows PowerShell v3.0 (M10961), is now available.

In this course, you will gain the knowledge and skills to utilize Windows PowerShell for administering and automating administration of Windows-based servers. You'll cover cmdlets, script structure, and language syntax, and you will learn the best practices for working with Windows PowerShell.

This course incorporates materials from the Official Microsoft Learning Product 10325: Automating Administration with Windows PowerShell 2.0.

Global Knowledge Exclusive!

Continue developing your skills after class with 24/7 access to our live remote labs for six months, providing you with valuable extra time for hands-on practice.

What You'll Learn

• How Windows PowerShell works
• Use Windows PowerShell as an interactive, command-line shell
• Use Core Windows PowerShell cmdlets for everyday purpose
• Customize the output using Windows PowerShell Formatting Subsystem
• What Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) is and how it can be used from Windows PowerShell
• Manage Active Directory objects using Windows PowerShell cmdlets
• Write basic Windows PowerShell scripts that execute batches of commands
• Work with Windows PowerShell's background jobs and remote administration functionality
• Master the scripting language of Windows PowerShell
• Automate Windows Server 2008 R2 Administration using Windows PowerShell
• Best practices for working with Windows PowerShell

Who Needs to Attend

IT professionals experienced in general Windows Server and Windows Client administration, including Active Directory administration. No prior experience with any version of Windows PowerShell or any scripting language is assumed.

Prerequisites

• Experience with Windows networking technologies and implementation
• Experience with Windows Server administration, maintenance, and troubleshooting
• Experience with Active Directory technologies and implementation, including Group Policy
• Experience with Windows Server 2008 web application server technologies and implementation

Or

• Configuring, Managing, and Maintaining Server 2008 R2 (M6419)
• Configuring and Troubleshooting Windows Server 2008 Active Directory Domain Services (M6425)

Follow-On Courses

• Managing Windows Environments with Group Policy (M50255)
• Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager 2007 (M6451)

Course Outline

1. Fundamentals for Using Windows PowerShell v2.0

• Windows PowerShell Technology Background and Overview
• Windows PowerShell as an Interactive Command-Line Shell
• Using the Windows PowerShell Pipeline

2. Understanding and Using the Formatting System

• The Formatting System
• Using the Formatting System

3. Core Windows PowerShell Cmdlets

• Core Cmdlets for Everyday Use
• Comparison Operators, Pipeline Filtering, and Object Enumeration
• Advanced Pipeline Techniques

4. Windows Management Instrumentation Overview

• Using Windows Management Instrumentation

5. Automating Active Directory Administration

• Active Directory Automation Overview
• Managing Users and Groups
• Managing Computers and Other Directory Objects

6. Windows PowerShell Scripts

• Script Security
• Basic Scripts
• Parameterized Scripts

7. Background Jobs and Remote Administration

• Working with Background Jobs

8. Advanced Windows PowerShell Tips and Tricks

• Using Profiles
• Re-Using Scripts and Functions
• Writing Comment-Based Help

9. Automating Windows Server 2008 R2 Administration

• Windows Server 2008 R2 Modules Overview
• Server Manager Cmdlets Overview
• Group Policy Cmdlets Overview
• Troubleshooting Pack Overview
• Best Practices Analyzer Cmdlets Overview
• IIS Cmdlets Overview

10. Reviewing and Reusing Windows PowerShell Scripts

• Example Script Overview
• Scripts

11. Writing Your Own Windows PowerShell Scripts

• Variables, Arrays, Escaping, and More Operators
• What is Scope?
• Scripting Constructs
• Error Trapping and Handling
• Debugging Techniques
• Modularization

Labs

Lab 1A: Using Windows PowerShell as an Interactive Command-Line Shell

• Searching for text files
• Browsing the registry
• Discovering additional commands and viewing help
• Adding additional commands to your session
• Formatting output

Lab 1B: Using the Windows PowerShell Pipeline

• Stopping and restarting a Windows service
• Exploring objects returned by PowerShell commands
• Processing PowerShell output

Lab 2: Using the Formatting Subsystem

• Displaying calculated properties
• Displaying a limited number of columns
• Displaying all properties and values of objects
• Viewing objects via HTML
• Displaying a limited number of properties
• Displaying objects using different formatting
• Displaying a sorted list of objects

Lab 3A: Using the Core Cmdlets

• Sorting and selecting objects
• Retrieving a number of objects and saving to a file
• Comparing objects using XML
• Saving objects to a CSV file
• Measuring a collection of objects

Lab 3B: Filtering and Enumerating Objects in the Pipeline

• Comparing numbers (integer objects)
• Comparing string objects
• Retrieving processes from a computer
• Retrieving services from a computer
• Iterating through a list of objects

Lab 3C: Using Pipeline Parameter Binding

• Using advanced pipeline features
• Working with multiple computers
• Stopping a list of processes
• Binding properties to parameters

Lab 4: Using WMI in Windows PowerShell

• Building computer inventory
• Discovering the WMI classes and namespaces
• Generating a logical disk report for all computers
• Listing local users and groups

Lab 5A: Managing Users and Groups

• Retrieving a filtered list of users from Active Directory
• Resetting user passwords and address information
• Disabling users that belong to a specific group

Lab 5B: Managing Computers and Other Directory Objects

• Listing all computers that appear to be running a specific operating system according to Active Directory information
• Creating a report showing all Windows Server 2008 R2 servers
• Managing fine-grained password policies in Active Directory
• Discovering Organizational Units that are not protected against accidental deletion

Lab 6: Writing Windows PowerShell Scripts

• Executing scripts
• Using positional script parameters
• Using named script parameters

Lab 7: Advanced PowerShell Tips and Tricks

• Writing a profile script
• Creating a script module
• Adding help information to a function

Lab 8A: Using the Server Manager Cmdlets

• Listing all currently installed features
• Comparing objects
• Installing a new server feature
• Exporting current configuration to XML

Lab 8B: Using the Group Policy Cmdlets

• Listing all the Group Policy Objects in the domain
• Creating a text-based report
• Creating an HTML report
• Backing up all Group Policy Objects

Lab 8C: Using the Troubleshooting Pack Cmdlets

• Importing the Troubleshooting Pack module
• Solving an end-user problem interactively
• Solving a problem using answer files

Lab 8D: Using the Best Practice Analyzer Cmdlets

• Importing the Best Practice module
• Viewing existing models
• Running a Best Practices scan

Lab 8E: Using the IIS Cmdlets

• Importing the IIS module
• Creating a new web site
• Backing up IIS
• Modifying web site bindings
• Using the IIS PSDrive
• Restoring an IIS Configuration

Lab 9A: Using Variables and Arrays

• Creating variables and interact with them
• Arrays and hashtables
• Using single- and double-quoted strings and the backtick
• Using arrays and array lists
• Using 'Contains', 'like', and 'equals' operators

Lab 9B: Using Scripting Constructs

• Processing and validating input
• Working with For, While, For Each, and Switch
• Exploiting the power of the one-liner

Lab 9C: Error Trapping and Handling

• Retrieving error information
• Handling errors
• Integrating error handling

Lab 9D: Debugging a Script

• Debugging from the Windows PowerShell console
• Debugging using the Windows PowerShell ISE

Lab 9E: Modularization

• Generating an inventory audit report