Course 50025A: Three days; Instructor-Led

Introduction

Elements of this syllabus are subject to change.

This three-day hands-on 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.

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Audience

This course is intended for IT pros.

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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.

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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.

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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

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