Introduction to PowerShell

• Identifying opportunities for automation
• Analysing shortcomings of existing automation solutions
• Combining the functionality of a shell and scripting language
• Expanding the scope of managed objects with the .NET Framework

PowerShell Fundamentals

Assessing the PowerShell console

• Administering local and remote computers
• Capitalising on PowerShell help
• Navigating PowerShell drives

Configuring PowerShell

• Preventing execution of malicious code with an enhanced security policy
• Optimising the user environment through profiles

Invoking functionality through cmdlets

• Streamlining scripts with simplified syntax
• Improving productivity and maintainability through consistent command structure

Managing input and output

• Displaying complex data using Out-GridView
• Obtaining input from multiple file formats
• Formatting output for clarity
• Redirecting output to alternate locations

Manipulating PowerShell object instances

• Reading and writing object properties
• Driving object behaviour with method operators

Controlling Script Execution

Constructing the object pipeline

• Pipelining objects to streamline administrative tasks
• Isolating objects through filtering

Implementing flow control

• Enumerating objects via foreach-object loops
• Employing comparison operators and the Switch statement
• Creating modular code using functions
• Increasing the power of expressions with wildcard operators

Unleashing the power of .NET objects

• Working with .NET properties and methods
• Retrieving object information through reflection

Configuring Systems with Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI)

Exploiting WMI objects

• Instantiating WMI objects
• Conducting hardware and software inventories

Automating computer management with WMI object instances

• Assigning properties to control computer configuration
• Invoking methods to perform system administration
• Harnessing powerful WMI Query Language (WQL) queries

Leveraging the Active Directory PSProvider

Accessing Active Directory objects

• Creating users, computer and groups
• Efficiently altering and deleting existing objects
• Manipulating group membership

Administering local machines with the WinNT provider

• Accessing local SAM databases
• Tweaking local users and groups

Optimising Scripts

Troubleshooting your scripts

• Handling runtime errors
• Debugging your problem code
• Enabling strict-mode processing of variables

Designing and deploying production scripts

• Building script logic
• Enabling code reuse with script modules
• Capturing module details with script manifests

Administering Microsoft Servers

• Configuring Exchange servers
• Automating user mailbox creation
• Creating virtual machines on Hyper-V servers
• Configuring Virtual CPUs, Virtual Memory and Virtual Hard Drives