Windows PowerShell 2 For Dummies [Paperback]

Steve Seguis (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0470371986 | ISBN-13: 978-0470371985 | Publication Date: August 10, 2009 | Edition: 1

Prepare for the future of Microsoft automation with this no-nonsense guide

Windows PowerShell 2 is the scripting language that enables automation within the Windows operating system. Packed with powerful new features, this latest version is complex, and Windows PowerShell 2 For Dummies is the perfect guide to help system administrators get up to speed.

Written by a Microsoft MVP with direct access to the program managers and developers, this book covers every new feature of Windows PowerShell 2 in a friendly, easy-to-follow format.

• Windows PowerShell 2 is the updated scripting language that enables system administrators to automate Windows operating systems
• System administrators with limited scripting experience will find this book helps them learn the fundamentals of Windows PowerShell 2 quickly and easily
• Translates the jargon and complex syntax of Windows PowerShell 2
• Covers script debugging improvements, the ability to invoke commands remotely, and the new user interface
• Uses real-world applications to clarify the theory, fundamentals, and techniques of the scripting language
• Written by a Microsoft MVP with direct access to the developers of Windows PowerShell 2

Windows PowerShell 2 For Dummies makes this tool easily accessible to administrators of every experience level.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Get the power to use Windows PowerShell 2 on any Windows system — right here!

You've heard about Windows PowerShell 2, the Windows scripting environment that's changing how we think about Windows scripting. This fun and friendly guide gives you a solid understanding of what it is and how to use it, with plenty of real-world examples so you can put the information to good use right away. Your boss will think you're a genius!

• View from the top — get an overview of Windows PowerShell 2 and examine the syntax, structure, and core functionality

• Look deeper — manipulate strings, work with data structures like arrays and hashtables, and use Windows Management Instrumentation

• The need for speed — see how Windows PowerShell speeds things up by letting you run commands on a remote computer or run multiple commands at once

• In the real world — learn to apply scripts to specific needs

• It does more — use Windows PowerShell 2 to manage network configurations, gather hardware info, connect to printers, and more

Open the book and find:

• Tips for personalizing PowerShell

• All about cmdlets

• How to use Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI)

• Things to watch for in value conversions

• How to internationalize a script

• Debugging tools and how to use them

• Network configuration tips

• Ten common mistakes to avoid

• How to take advantage of this new feature in Windows 7

Visit the companion Web site at www.dummies.com/go/powershell2fd to find code files for the code listings used in the book and a bonus chapter about exception handling.

About the Author

Steve Seguis is a Microsoft Windows systems engineer with more than 12 years of experience managing small- to large-scale Windows environments. He was a Microsoft MVP for Windows Server - Admin Frameworks from 2004–2007, and is a contributing technical editor for Windows IT Pro.

Product Details

• Paperback: 412 pages
• Publisher: For Dummies; 1 edition (August 10, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0470371986
• ISBN-13: 978-0470371985
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #211,568 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

30 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Major problem with this book, January 11, 2010

By 

J. Dahl (USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Windows PowerShell 2 For Dummies (Paperback)

If you have Windows 7 then you have powershell version 2.0. This book is written for version 2.0 CTP3 which is a Community Technology Preview. Which means it is beta and now OLD.

The problem started on page 29 listing commands in version 2.0 CTP3 that do not exist in the production version that comes with Windows 7. The commands arnt' slightly different they are wildly different.

[...] doesn't list any corrections so don't bother with this book.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good introduction to a relatively new Windows environment scripting tool, November 25, 2009

By 

Jerry Saperstein (Evanston, IL USA) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Windows PowerShell 2 For Dummies (Paperback)

Windows PowerShell has been slows to catch on in the Windows community. There are good reasons for this. Scripting is of interest to a relatively limited community of network administrators and a few others who want total control of the computing environment. A number of other adequate tools, including Microsoft VBScript, WHS and third-party tools existed that handled daily problems quite nicely. PowerShell relies upon .NET and a lot of people still aren't entirely trustful of that environment.

Slowly but surely, PowerShell is developing a following and Release 2 should accelerate that trend.

Author Steve Seguis does an excellent job of backgrounding PowerShell, freeing admitting its Unix/Linux heritage where incredibly rich and powerful scripting tools are available and providing an overview of PowerShell's place within the Windows universe.

Getting down to brass tacks, Seguis walks the reader through using PowerShell in a clear, direct manner. Lots of examples of how to accomplish relatively simple and, more importantly, familiar administration tasks with PowerShell 2. Using familiar tasks is important since it makes PowerShell, which is radically different than most other Windows scripting vehicles, easier to comprehend. However, doing this means it is up to the user to expand their use of PowerShell in different ways, a small price to pay I guess for a relatively painless learning experience.

Overall, this is good little book. Anyone familiar with scripting languages and Windows system administration will have little difficulty learning PowerShell 2 with its help.

Jerry

4.0 out of 5 stars Book Review, May 25, 2011

By 

PSdummy - See all my reviews

This review is from: Windows PowerShell 2 For Dummies (Paperback)

book name = ps2 for dummies but do not overlook this book. i found it very helpful because for someone pressed for time, this book got me up to speed on powershell and ready for the more advanced books about the subject. thanks.