Windows PowerShell Cookbook: for Windows, Exchange 2007, and MOM V3 (Paperback)

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Editorial Reviews

Product Description

This Cookbook by Windows PowerShell team developer Lee Holmes provides hundreds of tested scripts that you can use right away to get Microsoft's new tool working for you. More than 150 recipes, combined with a concise task-based introduction to the Windows PowerShell scripting language and environment, make it the perfect look-up guide when you encounter a thorny problem, or need a quick solution. The ideal companion to any tutorial or reference, this book meets the needs of system administrators at any level.

Microsoft has revolutionized the world of system management and command-line shells with its release of Windows PowerShell, and Lee Holmes gives you practical tools and inside advice that will make you a more productive user and administrator. You will be able to solve everything from automating routine tasks, working with files, event logs and other forms of structured data, to managing the users and resources of complex Windows networks. Each recipe includes a focused piece of code plus discussion of how and why it works, so that you can apply the solution to similar tasks.

You get an array of recipes covering PowerShell fundamentals, common tasks, and administrator tasks, including:

• Pipelines, variables, objects, looping and flow control, strings and unstructured text, calculations and math



• Simple files; structured files; Internet-enabled scripts; code reuse; lists, arrays and hashtables; user feedback; error management; environmental awareness; script signing; and more



• Files and directories, registry manipulation, comparing data, event logs, process cmdlets, service cmdlets, Active Directory, enterprise computer management, and more

Those who administer Microsoft's Exchange 2007 and System Center Operations Manager (formerly MOM) will also benefit from this book, with separate chapters devoted to these servers. All Windows administrators will appreciate the appendices that include a PowerShell language quick reference, and a reference to the .NET, WMI and COM objects that PowerShell scripters will use often.

With working scripts, tutorials, and references all in one volume, Windows PowerShell Cookbook will turbocharge the productivity of any Windows administrator.

About the Author

Lee is a developer on the Microsoft Windows PowerShell team, and already spends quite a bit of his time explaining the technology to their customers through his blog (http://www.leeholmes.com/blog/). His vast experience with Windows PowerShell allows him to integrate both the "how" and the "why" into discussions. In addition, his integration with the administration community (via our newsgroups, mailing lists, and blogging community) gives him a great deal of insight into their needs. He currently resides in Washington.

Product Details

• Paperback: 584 pages
• Publisher: O'Reilly Media, Inc.; 1 edition (October 23, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0596528493
• ISBN-13: 978-0596528492
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 7 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #43,323 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good powershell resource - not good for Exchange 2007 or MOM, January 8, 2008

By	D. Lema (Northeast) - See all my reviews

Windows PowerShell Cookbook: for Windows, Exchange 2007, and MOM V3

I bought this book for two reasons. 1) to get up to speed on powershell and various use cases. 2) to get up to speed on powershell with respect to Exchange specific tasks and MOM specific tasks.

With respect to #1, it is an adequate book and I would give it 4 stars. With respect to #2, it is a dismal failure and I would be generous by giving it two stars. There are roughly 5 pages on both Exchange and MOM. You are better off using the help files or online docs.

Summary statement: This is a good generic powershell book but is poor in its attempt to provide an adequate resource for the Exchange 2007 and MOM sections.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A fantastic resource for PowerShell users, December 21, 2007

By	Sara Q. Laviolette (Grand Coteau, LA) - See all my reviews

This PowerShell book is one of three that I own. As with most other O'reilly cookbooks, I recommend PowerShell Cookbook as not a beginner's guide (for that I recommend Wrox's Professional PowerShell) but as a reference for those who are somewhat familiar with the language and looking for solutions to everyday and not-so-everyday tasks. Even so, I did use this book to learn PowerShell so if you have the budget for only one book, I'd suggest buying this one. If you have the budget for two, also go for Wrox's Professional PowerShell. If you have the budget for three, add Bruce Payette's incredible "PowerShell in Action" to your collection to learn not only how but why.

Windows PowerShell Cookbook makes it apparent that the author, Lee Holmes, is an accomplished and articulate coder as his solutions are often quite elegant. Because of this, I would also recommend this book for those looking to sharpen their scripting style.

As with much 1.0 software, PowerShell is missing a few things -- most notably deep Active Directory integration. I look forward to PowerShell 2.0 and with it, the second edition of this book.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Terrific Reference, October 15, 2008

By	Dennis L. Hughes "Windows Programmer/Architect" (Austin, TX USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I've never read this book. It is after all a "cookbook".

What I can say is that many times I've turned to this book when I needed some clue to solve a practical problem. Somehow I've always found what I needed. I just browse the table of contents for a likely section, go there, and find something that looks like what I'm trying to do.

Contrast this with Bruce Payette's Windows PowerShell in Action. That's a great book to read through and get an in-depth understanding of PowerShell. It is horrible for finding practical answers.

Note that I'm a software engineer and not an administrator. I have no idea how sections on Exchange and MOM are.

Recommended.