
6434: Automating Windows Server 2008 Administration with Microsoft
Windows PowerShell
Three DayInstructor-led

Introduction
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.
Audience
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.
At Course Completion
After completing this course, students will be able to:
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
Before attending this course, students must have
Completed Course 6430, Managing and Maintaining Windows Server 2008
Servers, or have equivalent knowledge of administrative tasks.
In addition, it is recommended, but not required, that students have
completed:
Course 2433: Microsoft Visual Basic Scripting Edition and Microsoft
Windows Script Host Essentials, or have equivalent knowledge of
scripting and automation in Windows.
Course Outline
Module 1: 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.
Lessons
Introduction to Windows PowerShell
Installing Windows PowerShell in Windows Server 2008
Lab 1: Implementing Windows PowerShell
Installing Windows PowerShell
Customizing Windows PowerShell
After completing this module, students will be able to:
Describe the architecture, platforms, and prerequisites of the Windows
PowerShell environment
Install Windows PowerShell using the Windows Server 2008 Server
Manager
Module 2: 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.
Lessons
Overview of Objects
Working with Cmdlets
Tab Expansion, Aliases, and History
Using Variables and Types
Lab 1: Working with Windows PowerShell Cmdlets, Aliases, Objects, and
Variables
Learning Cmdlets and Defining Aliases
Holding the Output of a Cmdlet
After completing this module, students will be able to:
Explain the fundamental relationship between information and
operations that are bundled together into various classes of objects
Use the Windows PowerShell cmdlets Get-Command and Get-Help to obtain
information about other cmdlets and their parameters.
Use tab expansion, aliases, and history in Windows PowerShell to get
more done with less typing
Perform basic numeric and string operations using Windows PowerShell,
including holding temporary values in variables
Module 3: Building Pipelines for Assembly-Line Style Processing
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.
Lessons
Connecting the Pipeline
Using Arrays
Filtering and Iterating Through the Pipeline
Reordering Objects in a Pipeline
Lab 1: Implementing Pipelines in Windows PowerShell
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
After completing this module, students will be able to:
Connect the output of one cmdlet to the input of another cmdlet as a
method of building sequences of processing relationships toward a goal
Define arrays of data and hold cmdlet and pipeline results in an array
Filter objects that are flowing through a pipeline by using cmdlets
such as Where-Object
Reorder objects and choose specific properties to filter objects that
are coming down a pipeline by using the Sort-Object cmdlet and
Select-Object cmdlets
Module 4: Managing Processes and Formatting Cmdlet Output
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.
Lessons
Controlling Tasks and Processes in Microsoft Windows PowerShell
Presenting Information with Specific Formatting
Lab 1: Controlling Output Formatting and Process Control with Windows
PowerShell
Implementing Basic Formatting Control
Formatting with the -f operator
Implementing Advanced Formatting
After completing this module, students will be able to:
Monitor and control services and processes running on Windows
operating systems
Present information with specific formatting through the use of
formatting operators and cmdlets
Module 5: Implementing Scripts to Perform a Sequence of Operations
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.
Lessons
Writing Windows PowerShell Scripts
Security in Windows PowerShell
Scripting Life-Cycle Methodologies
Customizing Windows PowerShell with Profiles
Lab 1: Implementing Scripts in Windows PowerShell
Writing and Running a Script
Customizing Profiles
After completing this module, students will be able to:
Design, write, and test sequences of operations and cmdlets using
sequences, variables, and pipelines
Establish security with adequate execution policy and script signing
Use elements of style which are conducive to maintainable scripts and
functions
Customize profile files and describe the scope of profile files
Module 6: Implementing Flow Control and Functions
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.
Lessons
Controlling the Flow of Execution Within Scripts
Iteration Flow Control
Developing and Using Functions
Lab 1: Implementing Functions and Flow Control in Windows PowerShell
Writing and Running a Script
Adding Flow Control in a Script
Creating Functions
Customizing Profiles
After completing this module, students will be able to:
Use Windows PowerShell flow control language features to implement
choices in scripts
Use Windows PowerShell flow control language features to implement
repetition in scripts
Define functions to encapsulate a sequence of operations
Module 7: 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.
Lessons
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
Lab 1: Working with Files, the Registry, and Certificate Stores
Searching for Certain Files
Modifying Registry Entries
Generating Reports
Generating Reports on the Security Log
Comparing Files
After completing this module, students will be able to:
Use providers and cmdlets to access folders and files
Use providers and cmdlets to access registry keys and values, as well
as public key certificate stores and certificates
Filter the set of files, values, or certificates with which to work,
based on patterns in their attributes or content
Implement filtering techniques when using the Get-EventLog cmdlet
Move aliases and objects from Windows PowerShell memory (that is, RAM)
in and out of files
Module 8: 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.
Lessons
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
Lab 1: Managing Disk Volumes with Windows PowerShell
Using WMI Classes in Windows PowerShell
Managing Disk Volumes in Windows PowerShell
Configuring Terminal Server Properties
After completing this module, students will be able to:
Explain the role of WMI in the administration of various Windows
facilities
Manage disk volumes using Windows PowerShell
Manage volume shadow copies using Windows PowerShell
Manage shared folders using Windows PowerShell
Configure Terminal Server via WMI in Windows PowerShell
Module 9: 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.
Lessons
Administering Domains and Forests Using .NET Objects
Managing User Accounts and Groups Using COM Objects
Managing Relationships Between Users and Groups
Lab 1: Administering Active Directory with Windows PowerShell
Using COM Objects
Managing Active Directory Domain and Forest Properties
Maintaining Active Directory with ADSI
Maintaining Relationships in Active Directory with ADSI
After completing this module, students will be able to:
Administer Active Directory domain and forest roles and functionality
using Windows PowerShell with .NET objects
Manage Active Directorybased user accounts and groups using the ADSI
in Windows PowerShell
Manage relationships between user accounts and groups in Active
Directory
Module 10: Administering Group Policy in 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.
Lessons
Managing GPOs Using the GPMC COM Interface
Using XML with Group Policy
Managing Group Policy Settings
Reporting Group Policy
Lab 1: Administering Group Policy in Microsoft Windows PowerShell
Using COM Objects in Windows PowerShell
Generating Group Policy Change Reports
Copying Group Policy Settings
After completing this module, students will be able to:
Manage GPOs in an Active Directory environment using Windows
PowerShell
Explain the role of XML in Windows PowerShell
Maintain registry settings and administrative templates for Group
Policy in Windows PowerShell
Generate reports of Group Policy in Windows PowerShell
Module 11: Managing Internet Information Services 7.0
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.
Lessons
Comparing IIS 7.0 Windows PowerShell Management Interfaces
Administering IIS 7.0 with Windows PowerShell
Lab 1: Managing Web Sites in IIS with Windows PowerShell
Managing IIS 7.0 Properties
Reporting IIS Statistics
After completing this module, students will be able to:
Examine IIS 7.0 Windows PowerShell Interfaces
Administer IIS 7.0 with Windows PowerShell