Welcome to part 1 of 3 of The Solving A guide to PowerShell. Click here for Part 2 and Part 3.

Windows PowerShell is a vast subject, the aim of this guide is to provide system administrators a simple, usable guide to the fundamentals of PowerShell. We will also demonstrate scripts and commands which can be used in typical day-to-day tasks. This guide will give you the basic steps to get you started, it will teach you the core skills needed to open the door to PowerShell and object oriented scripting.

What is PowerShell?

Windows PowerShell is a command line shell, a scripting language and an automated task framework from Microsoft. It is based on .NET framework and is great at automating batch jobs and system tasks. PowerShell is available on both Windows and Linux platforms, and has been integrated into Microsoft operating systems since Windows Server 2003 R2. Today, PowerShell is installed by default on all Microsoft Server releases, and all professional versions of their modern desktop operating systems. Additionally you can download it direct from the Microsoft website if required. (more…)