Windows PowerShell® 2.0 Bible

CHAPTER 1

Introduction to Windows PowerShell

IN THIS CHAPTER

Managing Windows — the challenges of the past

Introducing Windows PowerShell

Understanding key Windows PowerShell concepts

Discovering by leveraging the community

Formatting with Windows PowerShell

Automating administrative functions with scripting

Extending Windows PowerShell with snap-ins and modules

Installing Windows PowerShell

Customizing Windows PowerShell with Profiles

Windows PowerShell is Microsoft's strategic administrative task automation platform. It began life over 10 years ago and has now become mainstream. Before looking at all of the wonderful things that Windows PowerShell can do, this chapter starts by looking at how we got here, and then examining what Windows PowerShell is. This includes a brief overview of the language and syntax of Windows PowerShell.

Cross-Reference

The contents of this chapter mainly refer to Windows PowerShell Version 1. Version 2 added some great new features, and those are described more in Chapter 2, “What's New in Windows PowerShell V2.” The features described in this chapter are all contained within Version 2, so everything you learn in this chapter is fully usable in Version 2.

Managing Windows — The Challenges of the Past

The path to Windows PowerShell has been a long but steady one that really started with the launch of the IBM PC in 1981. Since then management of systems ...