PowerCLI 6.5 reference poster

If, like me you are using PowerShell to build and automate everything, the millions of PowerShell commands swimming around in your head can make you go stir crazy.

While listening to the VMware vExpert Community Podcast from 8/2/2017 I heard Kyle Ruddy announce that the PowerCLI 6.5 R1 Poster had been released.

Head over to the PowerCLI blog to grab yourself a copy.

PSRemoting Domain Controllers - Least Privilege access

Remoting Domain Controllers can speed up SysAdmin operations and enable SysAdmins to schedule automation tasks, lets be honest thats why we like Powershell so much.  Being able to remote a domain controller requires elevated permissions and based on the Principle of least privilege we don't want to configure scheduled tasks using Domain Admin credentials.

Update Lync LineURI with Active Directory Phone Number

In this series of Blog posts I will explain how we can use the Lync Powershell Modules to help automate some Bulk Lync user tasks. While most of these task can be completed using PowerShell Remoting using the OCSPowershell provider endpoint provided by the Lync server, some of the error forwarding through the proxy doesn't work as expected. In this case we can utilise the Lync Management Shell locally on our administration console.

Mass enabling Enterprise wide options in Lync can be laborious using the Control Panel, bulk changes can be best achieved using the Lync Management Shell. The Management Shell is a PowerShell session with the Lync Modules Imported at Runtime.

This is the second post in this Series detailing some tooling to help bulk enable an organisations Lync Users.

Installing Lync Modules on Administrative Consoles

In this series of Blog posts I will explain how we can use the Lync Powershell Modules to help automate some Bulk Lync user tasks. While most of these task can be completed using PowerShell Remoting using the OCSPowershell provider endpoint provided by the Lync server, some of the error forwarding through the proxy doesn't work as expected. In this case we can utilise the Lync Management Shell locally on our administration console.

Install PowerShell Tools for Visual Studio Express

I spotted an image on the Web where someone was using Visual Studio to build and debug PowerShell scripts. What a great Idea I thought, the power of PowerShell coupled with Visual Studios ALM tools would be great. I also spend loads of time in the ISE and VS and end up tabbing back and forth between them.

Adam Driscoll (PowerShell MVP) has published has PowerShell Tools on Visual Studio Gallery and I thought I would give it a go.

At work I use VS2013 Pro, and it all installed fine through the Extension and Upgrades manager, but when I got home and fired up VS2013 Express I couldn't find it in the Gallery Search, so  I thought it wasn't supported on the Express version and that was that. But I thought I would download it and try to install it and find out what didn't work.

When the installer failed I was prompted to view the Log File - the place where all the good stuff is :)

The log file offered up some juicy info:

Required .NET 4.5

Supported Products :
Microsoft.VisualStudio.IntegratedShell
Version : [12.0]
Microsoft.VisualStudio.IntegratedShell
Version : [14.0]
Microsoft.VisualStudio.Pro
Version : [12.0]
Microsoft.VisualStudio.Pro
Version : [14.0]
.
.
.
Found installed product - Microsoft Visual Studio Express 2013 for Windows Desktop
Found installed product - Global Location


Ah, so Express isn't supported, but wait.... the Integrated Shell is.

Now I did come across the integrated shell when I started to use it for Source Control for my PowerShell scripts hooked up to TFS Online....... So lets install Microsoft Visual Studio Integrated Shell

Due to some dependencies we have a three step process to go through.

1. Download and Install the Microsoft Visual Studio 2013 Shell (Isolated) Redistributable Package
2. Download and Install the Microsoft Visual Studio 2013 Shell (Integrated) Redistributable Package
3. Download and Run VSIX installer

Select Microsoft Visual Studio 2013 Shell (Integrated)

We are up and running.... Adam Driscoll's PowerShell Tools extension running without VS Pro.

Thank you Adam for your contribution, its made my day that little bit better!

Windows Server 2003 doesn't have Win32_Products CLass by default

I'm in the process of writing a prerequisite checking script to deploy PowerShell to all our server and I came across a little annoying error that prevented me from using the Win32_Product Class to check if the .NET Framework was installed on remote machine.

After coming across this Windows Management Infrastructure Blog I discovered an additional gotcha where the Win32_Product class must be added to Windows Server 2003. This can be achieved by adding the "WMI Windows Installer Provider" Windows component under Management and Monitoring tools in Add/Remove Windows Components.

Thanks to Steve Paruszkiewicz [MSFT] for pointing this one out.

PowerShell Scripts and Version Control

If like me, you are constantly creating and updating your PS scripts and modules, your probably thinking "How do I protect my scripts from loss or damage".

Well thanks to Microsoft Scripting Guy, Ed Wilson, we now have the knowledge to check our Scripts into TFS.

Microsoft PFE Stefan Stanger has written up his presentation notes in a Blog format with a full tutorial on how to check-in your scripts to TFS Source Control

Hey, Scripting Guy Blog

These Blog post are non of my work, I have just discovered them and thought I would share them with you.

get-scripting Blog

I'm always on the look out for more information and blogs/how-to articles around PowerShell and I happen to come accross the get-scripting blog.

The two Presenters post every couple of months some tips, ideas and experiences they come across, and upload a podcast which can be subscribed to via iTunes, so if you a newby looking at PS for the first time or are looking to expand your knowledge, add this blog and podcast to your reading list.

get-scripting Blog

Getting Started with PowerShell 3.0 on MVA

 I have just completed the 'Getting Started with PowerShell 3.0' Jump Start course on the Microsoft Virtual Academy.
These are the recordings of the live event from 18th July 2013 presented by Jeffrey Snover, the inventor of PowerShell, and Jason Helmick, Senior Technologist at Concentrated Technology.