50025 - Windows PowerShell for Administrators

Summary

This three-day hands-on instructor-led class will introduce administrators to the new Windows command-line shell, Windows PowerShell. Windows PowerShell offers both a command-line interface as well as a scripting environment. With connectivity to Microsoft products such as Microsoft Exchange Server 2007, Microsoft System Center Operations Manager (MOM 2007), and many more, Windows PowerShell provides a consistent interface to more easily control system administration and accelerate automation. It runs on Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2), Windows Server 2003, Windows Vista, and Windows Server 2008.

Audience
This course is intended for IT pros.

 
At Course Completion
After completing this course, students will be able to:

• Use Windows PowerShell commands and navigate the Command Line Interface (CLI).
• Use pipelines and scripts.
• Manipulate data using variables and arrays.
• Create, execute, and sign scripts for security.
• Use script flow control statements.
 
Prerequisites
Before attending this course, students must have:

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

Course Outline

Module 1: Introduction to Windows PowerShell - the Basics

This module explains the basics of Windows PowerShell, the different commands available, and how to navigate using the Command Line Interface (CLI).

Lessons

Lesson 1: What Is Windows PowerShell?

• What Is Windows PowerShell?
• Installation
• Starting Windows PowerShell
• PowerShell Commands
• Shell Function Commands
• Script Commands
• Native Commands
• Command Line Interface (CLI) Navigation

Lesson 2: Windows PowerShell Cmdlets

Lesson 3: Wlindows PowerShell Snap-Ins

Lesson 4: Windows PowerShell Navigation

• Drives
• Aliases
• Parameters
• Help
• Variables

Lesson 5: Windows PowerShell Profiles

• Creating a Profile

Module 2: The Windows PowerShell Pipeline, Scripts, and Syntax

This module covers pipelines, scripts, and the syntax needed to run commands on Windows PowerShell.

Lessons

Lesson 1: Pipelines

Lesson 2: Scripts

• Properties and Methods
• Object Sorting

Lesson 3: Syntax, Special Characters, and Operators

• Quotes
• Output Redirection
• Command Continuation
• Special Characters
• Operator Precedence
• Operators Galore

Module 3: Variables and Data Types, Variable Scopes, and Arrays

This module covers variables and data types, how to scope variables, and how to approach arrays.

Lessons

Lesson 1: Variables and Data Types

• More Data Types
• Variables with Variables!
• Environment Variables
• Get-Variable
• Set-Variable
• New-Variable
• Clear-Variable
• Remove-Variable

Lesson 2: Variable Scopes

Lesson 3: Arrays

• Associative Arrays

Module 4: Security

This module covers script execution, Group Policy, script signing, and certificate creation for security.

Lessons

Lesson 1: Script Execution

• Running a Script
• Execution Policy
• Group Policy for Execution

Lesson 2: Script Signing

• Local Certificate Authority Creation
• Signing Certificate Creation
• Signing Scripts Using Certificates
• Secure String Creation
• Whatif

Lesson 3: Requesting Credentials and Using Secure Strings

Module 5: Script Flow Control Statements

This module covers the Foreach and For statements, the While/Do and While/Do Until statements, branching, and other script flow control statements.

Lessons

Lesson 1: Foreach and For

• Foreach
• For

Lesson 2: While/Do While/Do Until

• While
• Do While
• Do Until

Lesson 3: Branching with IF and SWITCH

• IF
• Switch

Lesson 4: Break/Continue

• Break
• Continue

Module 6: Formatting

In this module, students will learn formatting in Windows PowerShell, including cmdlets, and how to export results.

Lessons

Lesson 1: Using Format-cmdlets

• Format-List (FL)
• Format-Table
• Format-Wide
• Format-Custom
• Groupby
• Group-Object
• Session Colors

Lesson 2: Using Sort-Object, Where-Object

• Sort-Object
• Where-Object

Lesson 3: Exporting Results to Files

• CSV
• XML
• HTML

Module 7: Regular Expressions

This module explains how to use Regular Expression characters.

Lessons

Lesson 1: Understanding Regular Expression Characters

Lesson 2: Using Regular Expressions

• Select-String

Module 8: Functions

This module covers functions, how to use filters, and arguments. Students will learn how to pass arguments into a script.

Lessons

Lesson 1: Functions, Filters, and Arguments

• Functions
• Filters
• Function Management

Lesson 2: Scripting with Functions and Parameters

• Passing Arguments into a Script

Module 9: Error Handling

This module covers error handling and script debugging.

Lessons

Lesson 1: Error Handling

Lesson 2: Script Debugging

Module 10: Advanced Scripting for Administrators

In this module, students will learn how to manipulate files and folders, modify registry data, retrieve event log information, and understand timer jobs.

Lessons

Lesson 1: Manipulating Files and Folders

Lesson 2: Modifying Registry Data

Lesson 3: Retrieving Event Log Information

Lesson 4: Understanding ADSI and Windows PowerShell

Lesson 5: Using the New-Object cmdlet

Lesson 6: Understanding Timer Jobs