Datasheet

WHAT’S NEW IN POWERSHELL 2.0? 7
What Is PowerShell, and Why Do You Need It?
CHAPTER 1
 e formatting for commands that use the .NET Framework, COM objects, and WMI
are slightly di erent from other scripting technologies, but in general those com-
mands are simpler in PowerShell. If you are not familiar with scripting techniques,
the base set of cmdlets is easy to learn, as you’ll see throughout this book. PowerShell
provides an intuitive scripting language speci cally designed for day-to-day adminis-
trative of servers.
Cmdlets really showcase the intuitive nature of PowerShell. Cmdlets have a verb-
noun structure, so they are somewhat self-describing. For example, here is a simple
cmdlet that returns the current system date and time:
Get-Date
Your results will look similar to Figure 1.3.
FIGURE 1.3 A simple cmdlet
 e cmdlets can also get more complex. In this book, you will start with the build-
ing blocks and get more in depth. Cmdlets can be used independently or scripted
together to create a powerful automation application. Lastly, the language also
provides a self-service help system, allowing you to learn the language quickly.
Chapter 3 will show you how to get help by using the Get-Help cmdlet.
What’s New in PowerShell 2.0?
With the launch of PowerShell 2.0, Microso began to take a deeper look into this
language. With PowerShell being built into operating systems, IT administrators
took notice. You may have been asking this question: “How can I leverage PowerShell
in my environment, and where do I start?”
Microso wanted to make PowerShell 2.0 more enterprise-friendly so IT adminis-
trators everywhere could run, learn, and share PowerShell easily from within the
GUI. PowerShell also had to be made to run safely and securely.
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