PowerShell Vs. MagicShell

It's true, MagicShell does harden on contact with ice cream. However, can MagicShell automate Windows administrative tasks in an intuative and powerful way, or interact with .NET objects using built-in methods? Not a chance buddy. MagicShell may be delicious, but it certainly can't help you administrate Exchange 2007.

Seriously, though. I've been playing around with Microsoft PowerShell for a while now, and I'm really beginning to find it addictive. It takes all the old, familiar commands we're used to in the DOS-prompt, as well as a rather impressive number of Unix-based commands from the Bash shell. The real beauty of PowerShell, though, is the ability to automate tasks using a scripting language designed for the .NET framework, which means you're doing a lot more than just running simple scripts and firing up executables. You're handling .NET objects, using the data structures that come with PowerShell, as well as ones you write yourself, in order to run methods within those objects. Think of it as an object-oriented command-line environment.

Of course, I'm very impressed with the layout, the design, and the syntax for running cmdlets. Everything has a root verb, such as "get", "delete", etc., connected by a hyphen to an object you want to manipulate. (Hint, use "get-alias <command>" with almost any of your favorite Bash or Cmd.exe common commands, and you'll be shown what the corresponding PowerShell syntax is to perform the same function.)

Alright, enough blabbing about features. I haven't even scratched the surface yet, myself. Even if you never plan on administrating Exchange 2007, which is currently the only Microsoft technology which specifically calls for PowerShell for administration, I think just about everyone can get something out of giving this new environment a test-run.

Download PowerShell 1.0, then check out the "What Can I Do with PowerShell?" page for some tutorials and discussions on what PowerShell really is, and what it can do.

And once you're good and addicted, pick up Windows(R) PowerShell Unleashed or Microsoft Windows PowerShell(TM) Step By Step to start really learning the syntax and scripting you can do with PowerShell. Both of these books look really good, I was scanning through them at the bookstore tonight. Having trouble deciding which one to get, though.

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Comments

royal

From what I have seen, Powershell seems pretty good so far. I attended the Powershell live webcast series months ago when they were first introducing the beta. I agree with you that it's great that it starts with a verb. Get-help is a good starter as well. I played around with Powershell a lot when I was at a client a couple months ago configuring an Exchange 2007 box for them. I got some nice exposure to it since I had to use Powershell a lot to configure ActiveSync, POP3s, IMAP4s, Outlook Anywhere, OWA, etc... Of course these are 1 line commands for the most part. It still seems from the limited experience I have had with Powershell, it seems like a great replacement for VBScript. I'd love to pick up a book and read up on it, but I still have so much other stuff to read, I just don't have time for Powershell.

Slowhand

I hear you on the time-constraints, royal. Between CCNA studying, MCSE studying, and trying desperately to get back to my C# projects, I feel like another book would be the straw that breaks my back. Still, though, PowerShell's a lot of fun to play with, and it's going to play a huge role with administrating Windows Server 2008 Server Core, so I'm probably picking up the MS Press Step by Step book to get some practice in before the launch of the new server. And hey, if nothing else, it's good practice to simply put away Cmd.exe and start using the PowerShell prompt for the regular ol' tasks you do on the command-line anyway.

royal

Yep, that's why I'd love to learn it a bit more. But here's my current list to do so you understand why I feel like I don't have time for Powershell:

Security+
70-298
70-285
Exchange 2007 Exams (3 exams)
Server 2008 Exams (3 exams for upgrade and the 2 MCITP exams perhaps)
CCNA

In addition to that, there's a couple of miscellaneous books I want to read. I have a book on DNS that is waiting, a book on PKI/Certificates, a book on DMZ security, etc....

Slowhand

I feel ya, buddy. You'll probably get some good exposure with the Server 2008 exams, not to mention the Exchange 2007 material. Good luck on those tests. Just remember, if you don't hit the vein with IV-needle, you'll end up spilling the coffee.

sprkymrk

I've got this one:

Windows PowerShell in Action

It's written by Bruce Payette, one of the founding members of the Windows PowerShell team, co-designer of the PowerShell language and the principal author of the PowerShell language implementation.

I have barely started it, but it looks really well written.

It's not as tasty as Magic Shell though...

Slowhand

Found another resource for anyone that's interested. Microsoft has a section of their Events & Webcasts area dedicated to PowerShell, known as Scripting with Windows PowerShell. There's a lot about scripting, there are a couple of labs, as well as a five-part webcast series which gives a complete rundown and introduction to PowerShell's features and capabilities.

JDMurray

sprkymrk wrote:

I've got this one:

Windows PowerShell in Action

O'Reilly is on the PowerShell bandwagon too: http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/9780596528492/

Slowhand

JDMurray wrote:

O'Reilly is on the PowerShell bandwagon too: http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/9780596528492/

Was bound to happen sooner or later. I like O'Reilly's stuff for Linux and Unix, but I haven't been very impressed with their cert-specific and non-*NIX books.