Summary

10961 Automating Administration with Windows PowerShell

This course provides students with the fundamental knowledge and skills to use Windows PowerShell for administering and automating administration of Windows servers. This course provides students the skills to identify and build the command they require to perform a specific task. In addition, students learn how to build scripts to accomplish advanced tasks such as automating repetitive tasks and generating reports. This course provides prerequisite skills supporting a broad range of Microsoft products, including Windows Server, Windows Client, Microsoft Exchange Server, Microsoft SharePoint Server, Microsoft SQL Server, System Center, and more. In keeping with that goal, this course will not focus on any one of those products, although Windows Server, which is the common platform for all of those products, will serve as the example for the techniques this course teaches.

Introduction

Who Should Attend
This course is intended for IT Professionals who are already experienced in general Windows Server and Windows Client administration, and who want to learn more about using Windows PowerShell for administration. No prior experience with any version of Windows PowerShell, or any scripting language, is assumed. This course is also suitable for IT Professionals already experienced in server administration, including Exchange Server, SharePoint Server, SQL Server, System Center, and others.

Course Objectives
After completing this course, students will be able to:
– Describe the functionality of Windows PowerShell and use it to run and find basic commands
– Identify and run cmdlets for server administration
– Work with Windows PowerShell pipeline
– Describe the techniques Windows PowerShell pipeline uses
– Use PSProviders and PSDrives to work with other forms of storage
– Query system information by using WMI and CIM
– Work with variables, arrays, and hash tables
– Write basic scripts in Windows PowerShell
– Write advanced scripts in Windows PowerShell
– Administer remote computers
– Use background jobs and scheduled jobs
– Use advanced Windows PowerShell techniques

Prerequisites
This course is not intended to be a scripting or programming course, and includes only basic coverage of scripting and programming topics. Students are not expected to have prior scripting or programming experience, and are not expected to have prior Windows PowerShell experience.

Next Course Recommendations
– 10962 Advanced Automated Administration with Windows PowerShell
– 20341 Core Solutions of Microsoft Exchange Server 2013

Outline

  • GETTING STARTED WITH WINDOWS POWERSHELL

    • Overview and Background
    • Understanding command syntax
    • Finding commands
    • Lab : Configuring Windows PowerShell
    • Lab : Finding and Running Basic Commands
  • CMDLETS FOR ADMINISTRATION

    • Active Directory administration cmdlets
    • Network configuration cmdlets
    • Other server administration cmdlets
    • Lab : Windows Administration
  • WORKING WITH THE WINDOWS POWERSHELL PIPELINE

    • Understanding the Pipeline
    • Selecting, Sorting, and Measuring Objects
    • Filtering Objects Out of the Pipeline
    • Enumerating Objects in the Pipeline
    • Sending pipeline data as output
    • Lab : Using the Pipeline
    • Lab : Filtering Objects
    • Lab : Enumerating Objects
    • Lab : Sending output to a file
  • UNDERSTANDING HOW THE PIPELINE WORKS

    • Passing the pipeline data
    • Advanced considerations for pipeline data
    • Lab : Working with Pipeline Parameter Binding
  • USING PSPROVIDERS AND PSDRIVES

    • Using PSProviders
    • Using PSDrives
    • Lab : Using PSProviders and PSDrives
  • QUERYING MANAGEMENT INFORMATION BY USING WMI AND CIM

    • Understanding WMI and CIM
    • Querying Data with WMI and CIM
    • Making changes with WMI/CIM
    • Lab : Working with WMI and CIM
  • WORKING WITH VARIABLES, ARRAYS, AND HASH TABLES

    • Using variables
    • Manipulating variables
    • Manipulating arrays and hash tables
    • Lab : Working with variables
  • BASIC SCRIPTING

    • Introduction to scripting
    • Scripting constructs
    • Importing data from files
    • Lab : Basic scripting
  • ADVANCED SCRIPTING

    • Accepting user input
    • Overview of script documentation
    • Troubleshooting and error handling
    • Functions and modules
    • Lab : Accepting data from users
    • Lab : Implementing functions and modules
  • ADMINISTERING REMOTE COMPUTERS

    • Using basic Windows PowerShell remoting
    • Using advanced Windows PowerShell remoting techniques
    • Using PSSessions
    • Lab : Using basic remoting
    • Lab : Using PSSessions
  • USING BACKGROUND JOBS AND SCHEDULED JOBS

    • Using Background Jobs
    • Using Scheduled Jobs
    • Lab : Using Background Jobs and Scheduled Jobs
  • USING ADVANCED WINDOWS POWERSHELL TECHNIQUES

    • Creating profile scripts
    • Using advanced techniques
    • Lab : Practicing advanced techniques
    • Lab : Practicing script development (optional)

Course Schedule

*Indicates a course that spans over multiple days.

**Indicates a course that is only a half day.