Automating Windows Server 2008 Administration with Microsoft Windows PowerShell

Target Audience
This course provides students with the knowledge and skills to utilize Windows PowerShell for administering and automating administration of Windows Server 2008. It is intended for Windows administrators interested in automating Windows Server 2008 administration tasks.

Pre-Requisites
Before attending this course, students must have the following pre-requisites:Attended Course 6430: Planning and Administering 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.

Purpose
After completing 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, Terminal Services and IIS properties using WMI in Windows PowerShell; administer and maintain Active Directory directory services and IIS 7.0 Web sites using Windows PowerShell; maintain Group Policy using Windows PowerShell.

Course outline

1. Introduction to Microsoft Windows PowerShell
2. Overview of Microsoft Windows PowerShell
3. Building Pipelines for Assembly-Line Style Processing
4. Managing Processes and Formatting Cmdlet Output
5. Introduction to Scripting with Microsoft Windows PowerShell
6. Implementing Flow Control and Functions
7. Working with Files, the Registry, and Certificate Stores
8. Managing the Windows Operating System Using Microsoft Windows PowerShell and WMI
9. Administering Active Directory with Microsoft Windows PowerShell
10. Administering Group Policy in Microsoft Windows PowerShell Using COM
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Module 1:Introduction to Microsoft Windows PowerShell

• This module explains how to check your system for prerequisites for Windows PowerShell, use Server Manager to install Windows PowerShell architecture, confirm installation, and use Windows PowerShell commands to customize the Windows PowerShell environment.
• Introduction to Windows PowerShell
• Installing Windows PowerShell in Windows Server 2008
• Lab: Implementing Windows PowerShell

• 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.
• Overview of Objects
• Working with Cmdlets
• Tab Expansion, Aliases, and History
• Using Variables and Types
• Lab: Working with Windows PowerShell Cmdlets, Aliases, Objects, and Variables

• 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 how to use a pipeline to connect the output of one cmdlet to the input of another, reorder objects, and filter objects based on specific properties.
• Using Pipelines
• Using Arrays
• Filtering and Iterating Through the Pipeline
• Reordering Objects in a Pipeline
• Lab: Implementing Pipelines in Windows PowerShell

• 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 how to choose a format in which to present data that is appropriate to the data set, format specific process properties, such as memory usage or CPU time, and use custom formatting.
• Managing Windows Processes with Microsoft Windows PowerShell
• Formatting Cmdlet Output
• Lab: Output Formatting and Process Control with Windows PowerShell

• 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:Introduction to Scripting with Microsoft Windows PowerShell

• This module explains how to write and modify scripts to perform a sequence of cmdlets.
• Writing Windows PowerShell Scripts
• Script Parameters
• Security in Windows PowerShell
• Customizing Windows PowerShell with Profiles
• Lab: Implementing Scripts in Windows PowerShell

• Design, write, and test sequences of operations and cmdlets using sequences, variables, and pipelines.
  
• Use parameters to pass additional data to a script in a structured way.
  
• Establish security with adequate execution policy and script signing.
  
• Customize profile files and describe the scope of profile files.
  

Module 6:Implementing Flow Control and Functions

• This module explains how to move scripts into functions and add functions to profiles.
• Controlling the Flow of Execution Within Scripts
• Iteration Flow Control
• Developing and Using Functions
• Lab: Implementing Functions and Flow Control in Windows PowerShell

• Use Windows PowerShell flow control language features to implement choices in scripts.
  
• Use Windows PowerShell flow control language features to implement repetition in scripts.
  
• Define functions to encapsulate a sequence of operations.
  

Module 7:Working with Files, the Registry, and Certificate Stores

• This module explains how to write scripts that perform specific tasks, such as searching files for particular text and modifying all matching files, or searching the event logs for events that match specific criteria.
• Using Data Stores
• Using Providers
• Filtering and Selecting with Regular Expressions
• Implementing Event Log Management
• Persisting Objects in Files
• Lab: Working with Files, the Registry, and Certificate Stores

• Use providers and cmdlets to access folders and files.
  
• Use providers and cmdlets to access registry keys and values, and public key certificate stores and certificates.
  
• Filter the set of files, values, or certificates with which to work, based on patterns in their attributes or content.
  
• Implement filtering techniques when using the Get-EventLog cmdlet.
  
• Move aliases and objects from Windows PowerShell memory in and out of files.
  

Module 8:Managing the Windows Operating System Using Microsoft Windows PowerShell and WMI

• This module explains how to use WMI to access system features, enumerate, defragment, and mount disk volumes in Windows PowerShell.
• Introduction to WMI and WMI Objects
• Managing Disks and Disk Volumes Using Windows PowerShell with WMI
• Managing Shadow Copies Using Windows PowerShell with WMI
• Managing Shared Folders with Windows PowerShell
• Managing Terminal Services with WMI
• Managing IIS 7.0 with WMI
• Lab: Managing the Windows Operating System with Windows PowerShell and WMI

• Use Get-WMIObject to retrieve WMI data from a local or remote system.
  
• Perform some common administrative tasks using Windows PowerShell and WMI.
  
• Manage volume shadow copies using Windows PowerShell.
  
• Manage shared folders using Windows PowerShell.
  
• Configure Terminal Services via WMI in Windows PowerShell.
  
• Administer IIS 7.0 with Windows PowerShell.
  

Module 9:Administering Active Directory with Microsoft Windows PowerShell

• This module explains how to write scripts to perform Active Directory administration tasks such as changing the domain functional level, moving FSMO roles, and creating and modifying objects such as groups and user accounts.
• Administering Domains and Forests Using .NET Objects
• Managing User Accounts and Groups Using ADSI
• Managing Relationships Between Users and Groups
• Web Administration Using IIS 7.0
• Lab: Administering Active Directory with Windows PowerShell

• Administer Active Directory domain and forest roles and functionality using Windows PowerShell with .NET objects.
  
• Manage Active Directory-based user accounts and groups using the ADSI in Windows PowerShell.
  
• Manage relationships between user accounts and groups in Active Directory.
  
• Administer IIS 7.0 with Windows PowerShell.
  

Module 10:Administering Group Policy in Microsoft Windows PowerShell Using COM

• This module explains how to write scripts to perform Active Directory administration tasks such as changing the domain functional level, moving FSMO roles, and creating and modifying objects such as groups and user accounts.
• Managing GPOs Using the GPMC COM Interface
• Managing Group Policy Objects
• Reporting Group Policy
• Lab: Administering Group Policy in Microsoft Windows PowerShell

• Manage GPOs in an Active Directory environment using Windows PowerShell.
  
• Search, back up, and restore Group Policy Objects (GPOs) using Windows PowerShell.
  
• Generate reports of Group Policy in Windows PowerShell.
  

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