Windows PowerShell 3.0 Step by Step - Cdn.oreilly.com - O'Reilly

CHAPTER 1
Overview of
Windows PowerShell 3.0
after completing this chapter, you will be able to:
■■ Understand basic use and capabilities of Windows PowerShell.
■■ Install Windows PowerShell.
■■ Use basic command-line utilities inside Windows PowerShell.
■■ Use Windows PowerShell help.
■■ Run basic Windows PowerShell cmdlets.
■■ Get help on basic Windows PowerShell cmdlets.
■■ Configure Windows PowerShell to run scripts.
The release of Microsoft Windows PowerShell 3.0 marks a significant advance for the Windows
network administrator. Combining the power of a full-fledged scripting language with access to
command-line utilities, Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI), and even VBScript, Windows
PowerShell provides the power and ease of use that have been missing from the Windows platform
since the beginning of time. As part of the Microsoft Common Engineering Criteria, Windows
PowerShell is quickly becoming the management solution for the Windows platform. IT professionals
using the Windows Server 2012 core installation must come to grips with Windows PowerShell sooner
rather than later.
Understanding Windows PowerShell
Perhaps the biggest obstacle for a Windows network administrator in migrating to Windows
PowerShell 3.0 is understanding what PowerShell actually is. In some respects, it is a replacement
for the venerable CMD (command) shell. In fact, on Windows Server 2012 running in core mode, it is
possible to replace the CMD shell with Windows PowerShell so that when the server boots up, it uses
Windows PowerShell as the interface. As shown here, after Windows PowerShell launches, you can use
cd to change the working directory, and then use dir to produce a directory listing in exactly the same
way you would perform these tasks from the CMD shell.
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