6434 - Automating Windows Server 2008 Administration with Microsoft Windows PowerShell

This three-day instructor-led course provides students with the knowledge and skills to utilize Windows PowerShell for administering and automating administration of Windows Server 2008. The course focuses on cmdlets, script structure and flow control, language syntax, and implementation details of scripting administrative tasks using COM, WMI, and .NET foundations.

This course is intended for Windows administrators interested in automating Windows Server 2008 administration tasks, as well as those people looking for a full-featured interactive command-line environment for Windows operating systems. Windows end users or developers who need to understand what is involved in Windows administration or command-line environments may also find this course helpful.

Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Install and launch Windows PowerShell
• Work with basic objects in Windows PowerShell, including using cmdlets, data types, variables, and fundamental object-based information models
• Implement sequences of operations by putting them together into a pipeline
• Control the formatting of the resultant set of objects that are emitted at the end of a pipeline
• Implement sequences of operations by putting them together into a script
• Implement flow control within scripts and define functions and filters to help modularize complex scripts
• Manipulate files and registry values
• Manage disk storage volumes, shadow copies, shared folders, and Terminal Server using WMI in Windows PowerShell
• Administer and maintain Active Directory directory services using Windows PowerShell
• Maintain Group Policy using Windows PowerShell
• Maintain Web services and applications using Windows PowerShell

Module 1: Introduction to Microsoft Windows PowerShell

This module explains how to name, declare, assign values to, and use variables. It also describes how to store data in an array.

Lessons

• Introduction to Windows PowerShell
• Installing Windows PowerShell in Windows Server 2008

Lab 1: Implementing Windows PowerShell

• Installing Windows PowerShell
• Customizing Windows PowerShell

After completing this module, students will be able to:

• Describe the architecture, platforms, and prerequisites of the Windows PowerShell environment
• Install Windows PowerShell using the Windows Server 2008 Server Manager

Module 2: Overview of Microsoft Windows PowerShell

This module explains basic concepts in Windows PowerShell, including objects, variables, cmdlets, and pipelines. It describes how to invoke available cmdlets and aliases, assign aliases. The module also includes demonstrations of tab expansion and basic operators.

Lessons

• Overview of Objects
• Working with Cmdlets
• Tab Expansion, Aliases, and History
• Using Variables and Types

Lab 1: Working with Windows PowerShell Cmdlets, Aliases, Objects, and Variables

• Learning Cmdlets and Defining Aliases
• Holding the Output of a Cmdlet

After completing this module, students will be able to:

• Explain the fundamental relationship between information and operations that are bundled together into various classes of objects
• Use the Windows PowerShell cmdlets Get-Command and Get-Help to obtain information about other cmdlets and their parameters.
• Use tab expansion, aliases, and history in Windows PowerShell to get more done with less typing
• Perform basic numeric and string operations using Windows PowerShell, including holding temporary values in variables

Module 3: Building Pipelines for Assembly-Line Style Processing

This module explains basic concepts in Windows PowerShell, including objects, variables, cmdlets, and pipelines. It describes how to invoke available cmdlets and aliases, assign aliases. The module also includes demonstrations of tab expansion and basic operators.

Lessons

• Connecting the Pipeline
• Using Arrays
• Filtering and Iterating Through the Pipeline
• Reordering Objects in a Pipeline

Lab 1: Implementing Pipelines in Windows PowerShell

• Evaluating Process Properties Using the Get-Member Cmdlet
• Calculating Process Memory Usage
• Using Associative Array Variables
• Sorting and Selecting Elements from a Resultant Set of Data

After completing this module, students will be able to:

• Connect the output of one cmdlet to the input of another cmdlet as a method of building sequences of processing relationships toward a goal
• Define arrays of data and hold cmdlet and pipeline results in an array
• Filter objects that are flowing through a pipeline by using cmdlets such as Where-Object
• Reorder objects and choose specific properties to filter objects that are coming down a pipeline by using the Sort-Object cmdlet and Select-Object cmdlets

Module 4: Managing Processes and Formatting Cmdlet Output

This module explains basic concepts in Windows PowerShell, including objects, variables, cmdlets, and pipelines. It describes how to invoke available cmdlets and aliases, assign aliases. The module also includes demonstrations of tab expansion and basic operators.

Lessons

• Controlling Tasks and Processes in Microsoft Windows PowerShell
• Presenting Information with Specific Formatting

Lab 1: Controlling Output Formatting and Process Control with Windows PowerShell

• Implementing Basic Formatting Control
• Formatting with the -f operator
• Implementing Advanced Formatting

After completing this module, students will be able to:

• Monitor and control services and processes running on Windows operating systems
• Present information with specific formatting through the use of formatting operators and cmdlets

Module 5: Implementing Scripts to Perform a Sequence of Operations

This module explains basic concepts in Windows PowerShell, including objects, variables, cmdlets, and pipelines. It describes how to invoke available cmdlets and aliases, assign aliases. The module also includes demonstrations of tab expansion and basic operators.

Lessons

• Writing Windows PowerShell Scripts
• Security in Windows PowerShell
• Scripting Life-Cycle Methodologies
• Customizing Windows PowerShell with Profiles

Lab 1: Implementing Scripts in Windows PowerShell

• Writing and Running a Script
• Customizing Profiles

Before attending this course, students must have:

• Completed Course 6430, Managing and Maintaining Windows Server 2008 Servers, or have equivalent knowledge of administrative tasks.

In addition, it is recommended (but not required) that students have completed:

• Course 2433: Microsoft Visual Basic Scripting Edition and Microsoft Windows Script Host Essentials, or have equivalent knowledge of scripting and automation in Windows.