Subscribe via RSSOk. I decided it’s time I finally weigh in on this with more than 140 characters. I’m sure you’ve seen, in forums, Twitter and other social media comparisons between Windows PowerShell and some other shell of choice. Typically the “other” shell is LInux based and the comparison is thrown down as a challenge, “Which is…
PowerShell for Developers
I’ll be presenting before the CNY Developers Group on May 5, 2010. The topic of my talk will be an introduction to Windows PowerShell 2.0 aimed at a developer audience. I’ll talk about PowerShell as a management shell, its architecture, some scripting basics and how PowerShell relates to .NET and developers. If you are in…
PowerCLI Get-VMToolsVersion
I recently was able to upgrade my VMware server so that I can now fully use the PowerCLI tool set. This is fantastic PowerShell goodness that I hope to use and write about much more in the future. Part of my upgrade process includes upgrading the VMToools install on the virtual machines. But what wasn’t…
Hey, are you awake?
As many of you know, one of the things I’m doing these days is helping run The Experts Community web site. As such I need to make sure it is up and running. I also like to make sure my blog and a few other sites are responding to HTTP requests. To meet this need…
Remote PowerShell Performance Comparison
Fellow Windows PowerShell MVP Marco Shaw clued me in on a Microsoft blog post that did a terrific job of comparing, from a performance perspective the different PowerShell 2.0 techniques you can use when managing remote computers. The results are pretty much as I would expect.
Cool Custom Consoles
Ok, maybe this isn’t as slick as something from West Coast Customs but maybe you’d like to add a little style to your PowerShell session. I’m talking about the (by now) staid blue console. Perhaps you don’t like blue or the color contrast isn’t too your liking. Here are some things to try if you…
PowerShell Quick Start on Server Core R2
The great thing about the Server Core flavor that ships with Windows Server 2008 R2 is that it finally supports Windows PowerShell. I’ve talked about this before. However, I think I neglected some of the finer points in getting started. You can (and should) run PowerShell on your R2 Core servers. More than likely you…
R.I.P. Mr. Roboto
I have some sad news to share today. The March 2010 Mr. Roboto column is to be the last. It seems that REDMOND is revamping somewhat and my column is being retired. But it has been a long run, and to be honest, the column has run its course. I’ve been doing the column for…
Test Connection Troubles
In this week’s Prof. PowerShell column, I have an article on using the Test-Connection in Windows PowerShell. I thought it was pretty straightforward, but I didn’t take problems into account. I received an email asking what to do about error messages. For example, what if you have a computername in the list that can’t be…
New File Shortcut
I’ve been looking at the File Server Resource Manager (FSRM) feature in Windows Server 2008 R2 a lot lately. One very nice part of FSRM is the ability to schedule typical file management tasks. One of the examples from the Microsoft storage team is to create a custom task to move old files to another…
TechMentor Orlando 2010 Decks and Demos
I had a great time in Orlando at the TechMentor conference. The crowd was enthusiastic and asked good questions. As promised, here are my slide decks and demos. My sessions tend to be heavy on demonstration so I can’t promise you’ll get a ton of value from the decks alone. You’ll simply have to attend…
PowerShell in the Enterprise
A new whitepaper I wrote for Quest Software has finally made it’s public appearance: PowerShell in the Enterprise: Best Practices and Recommendations. The paper discusses some best practices for using PowerShell in an enterprise environment. Essentially, getting the most from your PowerShell “investment”, especially when you might have multiple PowerShell-based administrators. Although certainly the suggestions…
TechMentor Orlando 2010
I’m busy polishing my presentations and demos for next week’s Techmentor conference in sunny Orlando, Fl. I’ve been presenting at Techmentor for a number of years now and it is a great show for administrators searching for answers to the problems and challenges they face today. You get intimate sessions with industry experts like Don…
PowerShell Picasso
You have probably heard the story (or legend) about Pablo Picasso and his napkin drawing. A guy goes up to Picasso in a cafe and asks for an autograph or something. Picasso sketches out something in a minute or so. He turns to the guy and says, “That will be $10,000".” The guy is stunned…
Blog Transistion Complete
I think the transition to the new hosting is complete. Hopefully you’ll notice a little faster response. If you have problems drop me a DM on Twitter.