6434: Automating Windows Server 2008 Administration with Microsoft Windows PowerShell

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3 Day Course

Course Description

This three-day instructor-led course provides students with the knowledge and skills to utilize Windows PowerShell for administering and automating administration of Windows Server 2008. The course focuses on cmdlets, script structure and flow control, language syntax, and implementation details of scripting administrative tasks using COM, WMI, and .NET foundations.

Performance-based objectives

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, and Terminal Server using WMI in Windows PowerShell
Administer and maintain Active Directory directory services using Windows PowerShell
Maintain Group Policy using Windows PowerShell
Maintain Web services and applications using Windows PowerShell

Prerequisites

This course is intended for Windows administrators interested in automating Windows Server 2008 administration tasks, as well as those people looking for a full-featured interactive command-line environment for Windows operating systems. Windows end users or developers who need to understand what is involved in Windows administration or command-line environments may also find this course helpful. Before attending this course, students must have the following experience:

Completed Course 6430, Managing and Maintaining Windows Server 2008 Servers, or have equivalent knowledge of administrative tasks.
Course 2433: Microsoft Visual Basic Scripting Edition and Microsoft Windows Script Host Essentials, or have equivalent knowledge of scripting and automation in Windows.

Course Content

Introduction to Microsoft Windows PowerShell

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

Introduction to Windows PowerShell
Installing Windows PowerShell in Windows Server 2008
- Installing Windows PowerShell
- Customizing Windows PowerShell

Overview of Microsoft Windows PowerShell

This module explains basic concepts in Windows PowerShell, including objects, variables, cmdlets, and pipelines. It describes how to invoke available cmdlets and aliases, assign aliases. The module also includes demonstrations of tab expansion and basic operators.

Overview of Objects
Working with Cmdlets
Tab Expansion, Aliases, and History
Using Variables and Types
- Learning Cmdlets and Defining Aliases
- Holding the Output of a Cmdlet

Building Pipelines for Assembly-Line Style Processing

Connecting the Pipeline
Using Arrays
Filtering and Iterating Through the Pipeline
Reordering Objects in a Pipeline
- Evaluating Process Properties Using the Get-Member Cmdlet
- Calculating Process Memory Usage
- Using Associative Array Variables
- Sorting and Selecting Elements from a Resultant Set of Data

Managing Processes and Formatting Cmdlet Output

Controlling Tasks and Processes in Microsoft Windows PowerShell
Presenting Information with Specific Formatting
- Implementing Basic Formatting Control
- Formatting with the -f operator
- Implementing Advanced Formatting

Implementing Scripts to Perform a Sequence of Operations

Writing Windows PowerShell Scripts
Security in Windows PowerShell
Scripting Life-Cycle Methodologies
Customizing Windows PowerShell with Profiles
- Writing and Running a Script
- Customizing Profiles

Implementing Flow Control and Functions

Controlling the Flow of Execution Within Scripts
Iteration Flow Control
Developing and Using Functions
- Writing and Running a Script
- Adding Flow Control in a Script
- Creating Functions
- Customizing Profiles

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. It also describes how to access data stores, the file store, the registry, certificate stores, and other stores, use wildcards and regular expressions, and import and export aliases and objects.

Using Cmdlets to Access Data Stores
Using Providers to Access the Registry and Certificate Store
Filtering and Selecting with Regular Expressions
Implementing Event Log Management
Moving Objects In and Out of Files
- Searching for Certain Files
- Modifying Registry Entries
- Generating Reports
Generating Reports on the Security Log
Comparing Files

Using Microsoft Windows PowerShell with WMI

This module explains how to use WMI to access system features, enumerate, defragment, and mount disk volumes in Windows PowerShell. Listing and configuring volume shadow copies, listing and creating shared folders with WMI, and configuring Terminal Server are also discussed.

Introduction to WMI Objects
Managing Disk Volumes Using Windows PowerShell with WMI
Managing Shadow Copies Using Windows PowerShell with WMI
Managing Shared Folders with Windows PowerShell
Configuring Terminal Server Using Windows PowerShell with WMI
- Using WMI Classes in Windows PowerShell
- Managing Disk Volumes in Windows PowerShell
- Configuring Terminal Server Properties

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. Managing relationships between user accounts and groups is also demonstrated.

Administering Domains and Forests Using .NET Objects
Managing User Accounts and Groups Using COM Objects
Managing Relationships Between Users and Groups
- Using COM Objects
- Managing Active Directory Domain and Forest Properties
- Maintaining Active Directory with ADSI
- Maintaining Relationships in Active Directory with ADSI

Administering Group Policy in Microsoft Windows PowerShell

Managing GPOs Using the GPMC COM Interface
Using XML with Group Policy
Managing Group Policy Settings
Reporting Group Policy
- Using COM Objects in Windows PowerShell
- Generating Group Policy Change Reports
- Copying Group Policy Settings

This module explains how to write scripts to manage IIS 7.0 properties and report IIS statistics. It also describes how to create and manage Web sites.

Comparing IIS 7.0 Windows PowerShell Management Interfaces
Administering IIS 7.0 with Windows PowerShell
- Managing IIS 7.0 Properties
- Reporting IIS Statistics

For more information on Microsoft Server 2008
Please contact Rhuann Heimann at 618-523-4893 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

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