Windows (R) PowerShell Unleashed

A new edition of this title is available, ISBN-10: 0672329883 ISBN-13: 9780672329883 PowerShell is one of the most exciting new products to come out of Microsoft in a long time. It is both a new scripting language and a command-line shell. People who have seen the demos have been extremely impressed by the power it brings to admins to automate and customize their regular tasks. PowerShell will be used as the basis for all Windows administrative scripting in the future, starting with Exchange 2007 and Vista. IT Pros have been hungering for whatever PowerShell information they can get their hands on. This book first focuses on PowerShell basics, how it relates to existing Windows scripting practices, and how your existing knowledge can be translated into PowerShell knowledge. After gaining insight into PowerShell, you are presented with transferable PowerShell scripting examples. The goal of presenting these examples is to outline methods of using PowerShell to manage Windows Server, Active Directory, and Exchange Server 2007 that have not been explained or touched upon by other sources. DETAILED INFORMATION ON HOW TO... Understand PowerShell's basics and background Script using PowerShell Transfer existing Windows scripting skills to PowerShell Analyze how PowerShell can be used to solve real-world problems Manage the Windows File System, the Windows registry, Active Directory, and Exchange using PowerShell Manage Systems using WMI and PowerShell Customize PowerShell to meet your needs Script using best practices. Digitally sign your PowerShell scripts Introduction Part I Introduction to PowerShell 1 Introduction to Shells and PowerShell 2 PowerShell Basics 3 PowerShell: A More In-Depth Look 4 Code Signing 5 PowerShell Scripting Best Practices Part II Translating Your Existing Knowledge into PowerShell 6 PowerShell and the File System 7 PowerShell and the Registry 8 PowerShell and WMI 9 PowerShell and Active Directory Part III Using PowerShell to Meet Your Automation Needs 10 Using PowerShell in the Real-World Index This is the eBook version of the printed book. If the print book includes a CD-ROM, this content is not included within the eBook version. PowerShell gives Windows administrators immense power to automate and customize virtually any administrative task–saving time, increasing productivity, and giving you unprecedented flexibility. PowerShell 2.0 adds important new features that offer even greater control over Windows environments. Windows PowerShell Unleashed will not only give you deep mastery over PowerShell but also a greater understanding of the features being introduced in PowerShell 2.0–and show you how to use it to solve your challenges in your production environment. The authors begin by systematically illuminating PowerShell's core concepts and techniques, helping you leverage whatever Windows scripting experience you may already have. Next, using complete, easy-to-adapt examples, they show how to use PowerShell to manage file systems, permissions, the Registry, WMI objects, Active Directory, Exchange Server, and many other elements of the Windows environment. More than half of this edition's material and examples have been completely rewritten for PowerShell 2.0, and the authors have added seven entirely new chapters–covering security, PowerShell application development, Systems Center Operations Manager 2007, and much more. Whatever Windows systems you manage, Windows PowerShell Unleashed contains the scripts and techniques you need to manage them far more effectively. Install, configure, and customize PowerShell 2.0 and master its command line interface Discover proven best practices for PowerShell scripting Make the most of PowerShell cmdlets–especially the new cmdlets included in PowerShell 2.0 Leverage PowerShell's deep.NET Framework integration Secure your scripts using code signing, execution policies, and PowerShell's built-in security Use custom script functions to manage permissions more efficiently Control the registry locally and remotely and use PowerShell's powerful new registry transactions Use PowerShell as a management interface Automate Exchange Server 2007 administrative tasks Automate the management of Microsoft's new System Center Operations Manager 2007 Preview the forthcoming Graphical PowerShell scripting environment Understand how to manage Active Directory using PowerShell Master using PowerShell with WMI Learn PowerShell 2.0 remoting Download all examples and source code presented in this book from informit.com/title/9780672329883. Windows® PowerShell Unleashed......Page 1 Table of Contents......Page 5 Introduction......Page 14 Part I: Introduction to PowerShell......Page 18 What Is a Shell?......Page 20 A Shell History......Page 27 Enter PowerShell......Page 29 Summary......Page 30 Getting Started......Page 32 Accessing PowerShell......Page 34 Understanding the Command-Line Interface (CLI)......Page 35 Understanding cmdlets......Page 46 Useful cmdlets......Page 48 Expressions......Page 53 Understanding Variables......Page 54 Understanding Aliases......Page 58 Escape Sequences......Page 62 Understanding Scopes......Page 63 Your First Script......Page 66 Summary......Page 69 Object Based......Page 70 Understanding Providers......Page 85 Understanding Errors......Page 91 Error Handling......Page 93 PowerShell Profiles......Page 97 Understanding Security......Page 98 Summary......Page 104 Introduction......Page 106 What Is Code Signing?......Page 107 Obtaining a Code-Signing Certificate......Page 108 Signing PowerShell Scripts......Page 113 Verifying Digital Signatures......Page 114 Signed Code Distribution......Page 115 Summary......Page 119 Script Development......Page 120 Script Design......Page 123 Script Security......Page 130 Standards for Scripting......Page 131 Summary......Page 133 Part II: Translating Your Existing Knowledge into PowerShell......Page 136 File System Management in WSH and PowerShell......Page 138 Working with Permissions......Page 141 From VBScript to PowerShell......Page 149 Summary......Page 168 Registry Management in WSH and PowerShell......Page 170 From VBScript to PowerShell......Page 174 Summary......Page 194 Comparing WMI Usage Between WSH and PowerShell......Page 196 From VBScript to PowerShell......Page 204 Summary......Page 216 Comparing ADSI Usage Between WSH and PowerShell......Page 218 From VBScript to PowerShell......Page 225 Summary......Page 245 Part III: Using PowerShell to Meet Your Automation Needs......Page 246 The PSShell.ps1 Script......Page 248 The ChangeLocalAdminPassword.ps1 Script......Page 259 Summary......Page 272 The Exchange ManagementShell (EMS)......Page 274 The GetDatabaseSizeReport.ps1 Script......Page 279 The GetEvent1221Info.ps1 Script......Page 288 The ProvisionExchangeUsers.ps1 Script......Page 298 Summary......Page 305 A......Page 308 C......Page 309 E......Page 311 F......Page 312 I......Page 313 N......Page 314 P......Page 315 R......Page 316 S......Page 317 T......Page 318 W-X-Y-Z......Page 319 A new edition of this title is available, ISBN-10: 0672329883 ISBN-13: 9780672329883 PowerShell is one of the most exciting new products to come out of Microsoft in a long time. It is both a new scripting language and a command-line shell. People who have seen the demos have been extremely impressed by the power it brings to admins to automate and customize their regular tasks. PowerShell will be used as the basis for all Windows administrative scripting in the future, starting with Exchange 2007 and Vista. IT Pros have been hungering for whatever PowerShell information they can get their hands on. This book first focuses on PowerShell basics, how it relates to existing Windows scripting practices, and how your existing knowledge can be translated into PowerShell knowledge. After gaining insight into PowerShell, you are presented with transferable PowerShell scripting examples. The goal of presenting these examples is to outline methods of using PowerShell to manage Windows Server, Active Directory, and Exchange Server 2007 that have not been explained or touched upon by other sources. **__DETAILED INFORMATION ON HOW TO...__*** Understand PowerShell's basics and background * Script using PowerShell * Transfer existing Windows scripting skills to PowerShell * Analyze how PowerShell can be used to solve real-world problems * Manage the Windows File System, the Windows registry, Active Directory, and Exchange using PowerShell * Manage Systems using WMI and PowerShell * Customize PowerShell to meet your needs * Script using best practices. * Digitally sign your PowerShell scripts Introduction Part I Introduction to PowerShell 1 Introduction to Shells and PowerShell 2 PowerShell Basics 3 PowerShell: A More In-Depth Look 4 Code Signing 5 PowerShell Scripting Best Practices Part II Translating Your Existing Knowledge into PowerShell 6 PowerShell and the File System 7 PowerShell and the Registry 8 PowerShell and WMI 9 PowerShell and Active Directory Part III Using PowerShell to Meet Your Automation Needs 10 Using PowerShell in the Real-World Index "Windows PowerShell Unleashed first focuses on PowerShell basics, how it relates to existing Windows scripting practices, and how your existing knowledge can be translated into PowerShell knowledge. After gaining insight into PowerShell, the author presents transferable PowerShell scripting examples. He outlines PowerShell examples and methods to help you manage Windows Server, Active Directory, and Exchange Server 2007, through examples that have not been explained or touched upon by other sources."--Jacket