Windows PowerShell Self-Training Resources

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The list below is provided for those who wish to become familiar with Microsoft PowerShell 2.0. These resources are all available online and free of charge.  

Top Level Site for PowerShell: https://www.microsoft.com/powershell

 Windows PowerShell Training

 Windows PowerShell Getting Started Guide

  • Scripting with Windows PowerShell
  • Windows PowerShell Owner’s Manual
    • Getting Started with Windows PowerShell
    • Customizing the Windows PowerShell Console
    • Windows PowerShell Shortcut Keys
    • Piping and the Pipeline
    • Running Windows PowerShell Scripts
    • The Windows PowerShell Profile
    • Windows PowerShell Aliases
  • Windows PowerShell User’s Guide
    • Windows PowerShell Basics
    • Object Pipeline
    • Windows PowerShell Navigation
    • Working with Objects
    • Using Windows PowerShell for Administration
    • Introducing the Windows PowerShell ISE
    • Appendix 1 – Compatibility Aliases
    • Appendix 2 – Creating a Custom Windows PowerShell Shortcut
  • Windows PowerShell Webcasts/Podcasts (a list of 76 different PowerShell presentations in multiple formats – to see the entire list select “MORE” on right-hand side opposite the heading that reads “IT Professionals (76)”)
    • Introduction to Windows PowerShell
    • Using Windows PowerShell 2.0
    • Windows PowerShell Basics for IT Professionals (2-part series)
    • TechEd 2011 Birds-of-a-Feather (Sessions 04): PowerShell: Best Practices From The Field
    • Managing Web Infrastructure Systems with Windows PowerShell 2.0
    • How Do I:
      • PowerShell – The Basics
      • PowerShell Variables
      • PowerShell Scripts and the Command Line
      • PowerShell and WMI
      • Creating Output with PowerShell
      • PowerShell – Object Manipulation
      • Pipelining
  • TheVBScript-to-Windows PowerShell Conversion Guide

 

PowerShell Podcasts

These audios offer Windows PowerShell tips, news and interviews that you can listen to at your convenience.

 

Useful PowerShell Blogs

This is a sampling of some of the blogs that are being written on the subject of Windows PowerShell. Some of these are independent blogs and their contents are not reviewed or controlled by Microsoft. 

 PowerShell Scripts

This section represents links to actual PowerShell scripts that have been developed for review and reuse. These scripts are intended to keep administrators from having to “start from scratch” when developing scripts. While they will almost certainly require some modification, the intent is to give admins a starting point to learn how to do various tasks related to PowerShell in their own environments.

 WARNING: YOU SHOULD NEVER RUN A SCRIPT IN PRODUCTION IF YOU AREN’T 100% CERTAIN OF WHAT IT WILL DO. ALL SCRIPTS SHOULD BE THOROUGHLY UNDERSTOOD AND TESTED IN A NON-PRODUCTION ENVIRONMENT PRIOR TO BEING USED IN PRODUCTION. THIS HELPS ENSURE THAT PRODUCTION PROBLEMS DO NOT OCCUR AS A RESULT OF RUNNING SCRIPTS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN TESTED AND VALIDATED BEFOREHAND.

PowerShell Forum

This forum is a place where administrators can ask question, read discussions among technical professionals, and engage with the online PowerShell community.

PowerShell Tools 

PowerShell Books 

The following is a partial list of books that have proven useful as PowerShell resources, both to the new admin and the experienced developer. This is not intended as a complete list of PowerShell books, but is intended only as a sample for the admin looking to start building his or her library. 

 

Additional PowerShell Resources

A variety of external resources offered to the PowerShell community in the form of blogs, sample scripts, wikis, forums, etc. 

 

PowerShell v3 (beta)  

These resources are specifically designed to help prepare for the newest version of PowerShell to be released in the near future.