Windows PowerShell Unleashed

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.

List of contents

Introduction     1
Part I     Introduction to PowerShell
 
1     Introduction to Shells     7
What Is a Shell?     7
Basic Shell Use     8
Basic Shell Scripts     11
A Shell History      15
Enter PowerShell     16
New Capabilities in PowerShell 2.0 CTP2     18
Summary     19
 
2     Basic PowerShell Concepts     21
Getting Started     21
PowerShell 1.0 RTW     22
PowerShell 2.0 CTP2     23
Before Installing PowerShell 2.0 CTP2     23
Downloading and Installing PowerShell 2.0     25
Understanding the Command-Line Interface (CLI)      28
Navigating the CLI     30
Tab Key Auto-Completion in PowerShell     30
Understanding Cmdlets     32
Common Parameters     33
Getting Help     34
Get-Help     34
Cmdlet Help Topics     36
Get-Command     36
Understanding Variables     39
Built-In Variables     40
Understanding Aliases     42
Discovering Alias Cmdlets     43
Creating Persistent Aliases     44
Creating Your First Script     45
Summary     47
 
3     Advanced PowerShell Concepts     49
Working with the .NET Framework     51
Using the New-Object Cmdlet     53
Understanding Assemblies     54
Understanding Reflection     56
Understanding the Pipeline     59
Powerful One-Liners     63
The Extended Type System (ETS)      65
Understanding the Add-Member Cmdlet     67
Understanding the types.ps1xml File     68
Working with Types     68
Type Accelerators     71
Summary     72
 
4     Other Key PowerShell Concepts     73
Formatting Output     73
The Formatting Cmdlets     74
PowerShell's Formatting under the Hood     74
Customizing Output Formats     75
Providers     79
Accessing Drives and Data     82
Mounting a Drive     85
Profiles     87
The All Users Profile     87
The All Users Host-Specific Profile     87
The Current User's Profile     88
The Current User's Host-Specific Profile     88
Scopes     88
The Global Scope     88
The Local Scope     89
The Script Scope     89
The Private Scope     90
Dot Sourcing     91
Library Files     91
Summary     97
 
5     Understanding PowerShell Security     99
PowerShell Default Security     100
Execution Policies     100
Restricted     100
AllSigned     101
RemoteSigned     101
Unrestricted     103
Setting the Execution Policy     103
Code Signing     105
What Is Code Signing?      106
Obtaining a Code-Signing Certificate     107
The PVK Digital Certificate Files Importer     112
Signing PowerShell Scripts     112
Verifying Digital Signatures     113
Signed Code Distribution     115
Enterprise Code Distribution     117
Public Code Distribution     117
PowerShell Security Best Practices     118
Digitally Sign PowerShell Scripts and Configuration Files     118
Never Set Execution Policies to Unrestricted     118
Try to Run Scripts with the Minimum Required Rights     118
PowerShell 2.0 CTP2 and Windows Remote Management (WinRM)      119
Configuring WinRM     119
Working with Windows Remote Shell (WinRS)      120
Configuring WinRM and WinRS Settings Through Group Policy     122
Summary     125
 
Part II     Using PowerShell
6     The PowerShell Language     129
Expressions and Operators     129
Expressions     130
Operators     130
Escape Sequences     143
Error Handling     145
Methods for Handling Errors in PowerShell     146
Managing Elements with Arrays     151
Creating Functions     157
Understanding Filters     163
Controlling Script Flow with Loops     164
Using Logic and Making Decisions     167
Building Scripts with Scriptblocks     170
Summary     172
 
7     PowerShell and Strings     173
System.String     173
[String] Type Accelerator     174
Select-String Cmdlet     175
Simple Operations     177
System.String Members     178
Contains Method     180
EndsWith Method     180
Insert Method     181
Remove Method     181
Replace Method     182
Split Method     182
StartsWith Method     182
SubString Method     183
ToLower Method     183
ToString Method     183
ToUpper Method     184
Trim Method     184
Length Property     185
Wildcards    
Comparison Operators     190
Regular Expressions     191
Match/NotMatch Comparison Operator     191
Replace Operators     192
[RegEx] Type Accelerator     193
2.0 CTP: Join and Split     194
Join Operator     194
Split Operator     195
Format Operator     195
Summary     196
 
8     PowerShell and the File System     197
Core Cmdlets     197
Navigating the File System     198
Get-Location Cmdlet     198
Set-Location Cmdlet     198
Push-Location Cmdlet     199
Pop-Location Cmdlet     199
Managing Drives     200
Adding a Drive     200
Removing a Drive     200
Removing a Drive     201
Managing Folders     201
Adding a Folder     201
Removing a Folder     202
Moving a Folder     202
Renaming a Folder     203
Testing for a Folder     204
Managing Files     205
Creating a File     205
Removing a File     205
Moving a File     206
Renaming a File     206
Getting the Content of a File     206
Setting the Content of a File     206
Appending Content to a File     207
Searching for Content in a File     207
Testing for a File     208
Working with XML Files     208
Creating an XML File     209
Appending an XML File     210
Modifying an XML File     211
Deleting from an XML File     212
Loading an XML File     212
Processing an XML File     213
Using Import-CliXml and Export-CliXml     213
Working with CSV Files     214
Writing to a CSV File     216
Scenario: Automating File System Management     216
Summary     225
 
9     PowerShell and Permissions     227
WSH and Permissions     227
SubInACL Functions     228
PowerShell and Permissions     231
PowerShell Functions     233
Summary     238
 
10     PowerShell and the Registry     239
Registry Management in PowerShell     239
Adding Other Hives     242
Registry Transactions     243
Getting Started     243
New Cmdlets     244
How It Works     245
Example: Starting and Committing a Transaction     245
Example: Starting and Undoing a Transaction     247
Example: Performing a Transaction That Has Errors     248
Simplifying Registry Management     249
The LibraryRegistry.ps1 Script     249
Using 2.0 CTP Features     262
Scenario Details     262
Running the Commands     263
Cleaning Up     264
Summary     265
 
11     PowerShell and WMI     267
Comparing WMI Usage Between WSH and PowerShell     269
Using WMI in WSH     269
Using WMI in PowerShell     271
Working with WMI     274
The PowerShell WMI Explorer     278
Understanding Providers     278
Understanding WQL     278
PowerShell 2.0 Changes     280
AuthenticationLevel and ImpersonationLevel     280
Set-WMIInstance Cmdlet     282
Invoke-WMIMethod Cmdlet     283
Remove-WMIObject Cmdlet     284
Scripting Scenario: MonitorMSVS.ps1     285
Summary     291
 
12     PowerShell Scripting Best Practices     293
PowerShell Configuration and Usage Recommendations     293
Digitally Sign PowerShell Scripts and Configuration Files     294
Never Set Execution Policies to Unrestricted     294
Try to Run Scripts with the Minimum Required Rights     294
Centrally Manage PowerShell Remoting Security Settings in Your Enterprise     295
Script Development     295
Treat Scripting Projects as Actual Projects     295
Use a Development Life Cycle Model     296
Design and Prototype Your Scripts by Using Pseudocode     297
Gather Script Requirements Effectively     297
Don't Develop Scripts in a Production Environment     297
Test, Test, Test     298
Keep Your Scripts Professional     298
Script Design     299
Put Configuration Information at the Beginning of Scripts     299
Use Comments     300
Avoid Hard-Coding Configuration Information     300
When Necessary, Use Variables in One Place     301
Provide Instructions     301
Perform Validity Checking on Required Parameters     302
Make Scripts and Functions Reusable     303
Use Descriptive Names Rather Than Aliases     303
Provide Status Information for Script Users     304
Use the WhatIf and Confirm Parameters     305
Standards for Scripting     306
This Book's Scripting Standards     307
PowerShell Community Scripting Standards     308
Summary     311
 
Part III     Managing Microsoft Technologies with PowerShell
13     PowerShell as a Management Interface     315
Getting Started     315
Definitions     316
The PowerShell SDK     316
Installation Instructions     317
Creating a Custom Cmdlet     320
Naming Conventions     320
Setting Up a Project     321
Writing the Code     322
Creating a Custom Snap-In     323
Creating Custom Parameters     327
Advanced Parameter Functionality     329
Arrays     329
Position     330
Mandatory     331
HelpMessage     331
Alias     332
Input Validation     332
ValidateLength     332
ValidateRange     333
ValidatePattern     333
ValidateSet     334
ValidateCount     334
Supporting Get-Help     335
Header     335
Name and Synopsis     335
Syntax     336
Detailed Description     337
Parameters     337
Input Type     338
Return Type     338
Notes     338
Related Links     339
Output     340
Runspaces     341
Scenario: Geocoding in MMC 3.0     344
Get-Coordinates Cmdlet     344
Get-Coordinates User Control     347
Get-Coordinates MMC     349
Summary     352
 
14     PowerShell and Active Directory     353
Understanding the Interfaces     353
Managing Active Directory Using WSH     355
Managing Active Directory Using PowerShell     356
Managing Objects     361
Binding     361
Working with Objects     363
Examples     365
Searching for Objects     367
SearchRoot     367
Filter     367
SearchScope     371
PageSize     371
SizeLimit     371
PropertiesToLoad     372
Putting It All Together     372
Scripting Scenario: ChangeLocalAdminPassword.ps1     373
Summary     386
 
15     PowerShell and Exchange Server 2007     387
Accessing the Exchange Management Shell (EMS)      388
Using the Exchange Management Shell     389
Working with Servers     390
Working with Storage Groups     391
Working with Databases     392
Working with Recipients     394
Scripting Scenario: GetDatabaseSizeReport.ps1     397
Scripting Scenario: GetEvent1221Info.ps1     406
Scripting Scenario: ProvisionExchangeUsers.ps1     416
Summary     423
 
16     PowerShell and System Center Operations Manager 2007     425
Operations Manager PowerShell Integration     425
The Command Shell     426
The Object Tree     427
Getting Help     431
Operations Manager 2007 PowerShell Scripts     432
Agent Cmdlets     432
get-Agent     432
install-agent     434
uninstall-agent     435
Task Cmdlets     436
get-Task     437
start-Task     438
get-TaskResult     439
Management Server Cmdlets     441
get-ManagementServer     441
set-ManagementServer     442
get-DefaultSetting     443
set-DefaultSetting     444
Default Setting Paths     445
Maintenance Mode Cmdlets     447
new-MaintenanceWindow     448
get-MaintenanceWindow     449
set-MaintenanceWindow     451
Comprehensive Operations Manager Cmdlet List     452
Get/Set Cmdlets     452
Add/Remove Cmdlets     454
Enable/Disable Cmdlets     455
Install/Uninstall Cmdlets     455
Various Cmdlets     455
Summary     456
 
17     PowerShell 2.0 Features     457
Remoting     458
Understanding Remoting     459
Executing Commands on a Remote Machine     460
Background Jobs     466
Graphical PowerShell     468
Script Cmdlets     469
Out-GridView Cmdlet     471
Script Internationalization     472
DATA Sections     473
Modules     475
Script Debugging     475
Summary     477
 
A     The PSShell.ps1 Script     479
Component One: Shell Replacement     480
Step One: Creating the PSShell Secure Kiosk GPO     481
Step Two: Configuring the Windows Shell Replacement Settings     481
Component Two: PSShell.exe     482
Component Three: PSShell.ps1     484
Putting It All Together     489
 
Index     491

About the author

With more than nine years of experience in the information technology sector, Tyson Kopczynski has become a specialist in Active Directory, Group Policy, Windows scripting, Windows Rights Management Services, PKI, and information technology security practices. Tyson has been a contributing author for such books as Microsoft Internet Security and Acceleration (ISA) Server 2004 Unleashed and Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Unleashed (R2 Edition). In addition, he has written detailed technical papers and guides covering various in-the-field technologies he works with extensively. As a consultant at Convergent Computing (CCO), Tyson has been able to work with the next generation of Microsoft technologies since their inception and played a key role in expanding scripting and development practices at CCO. Tyson also holds the SANS Security Essentials Certification (GSEC), Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE) Security certification, CompTIA Security+ certification, and SANS Certified Incident Handler (GCIH) certification.
 
Pete Handley has more than 15 years of experience in IT, including extensive knowledge of Active Directory, Microsoft Exchange, Novell GroupWise messaging, and Novell Directory Services. He has been a contributing author for Microsoft Exchange 2003 Unleashed, and Windows PowerShell Unleashed. Pete specializes in Visual Basic and PowerShell scripting and is a subject matter expert on the integration and migration of Novell technologies to Microsoft technologies. Pete holds the Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer 2003 (MCSE) certification, the Microsoft Certified Information Technology Professional (MCITP) certification, the Novell Certified Directory Engineer (CDE) certification, and the Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) certification.
 
Marco Shaw is an IT system analyst for a Canadian telecommunications company. He has been working in the IT industry for more than ten years, and he recently received a Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP) award for his involvement in the Windows PowerShell community. He is the assistant community director of the new PowerShell Community Web site at http://www.powershellcommunity.org. His primary blog site is http://marcoshaw.blogspot.com. Marco holds a RedHat Certified Engineer (RHCE) certification, Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP) certification, and a bachelor of science degree from the Université de Moncton in New Brunswick, Canada.
 

Summary

Focusing first on PowerShell basics, the authors show methods to help readers manage Windows Server 2008, Active Directory, and Exchange. For this edition, the authors have rewritten 50 percent of the material from the previous edition, and have added seven entirely new chapters.

Product details

• Authors: Pete Handley, Tyson Kopczynski, Marco Shaw
• Publisher: Pearson Academic
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 01.01.2008
• EAN: 9780672329883
• ISBN: 978-0-672-32988-3
• No. of pages: 528
• Weight: 800 g
• Series: Sams; Unleashed; Sams
• Subject: Natural sciences, medicine, IT, technology > IT, data processing > Operating systems, user interfaces