This Cookbook by Windows PowerShell team developer Lee Holmes provides hundreds of tested scripts that you can use right away to get Microsoft's new tool working for you. More than 150 recipes, combined with a concise task-based introduction to the Windows PowerShell scripting language and environment, make it the perfect look-up guide when you encounter a thorny problem, or need a quick solution. The ideal companion to any tutorial or reference, this book meets the needs of system administrators at any level. Microsoft has revolutionized the world of system management and command-line shells with its release of Windows PowerShell, and Lee Holmes gives you practical tools and inside advice that will make you a more productive user and administrator. You will be able to solve everything from automating routine tasks, working with files, event logs and other forms of structured data, to managing the users and resources of complex Windows networks. Each recipe includes a focused piece of code plus discussion of how and why it works, so that you can apply the solution to similar tasks. You get an array of recipes covering PowerShell fundamentals, common tasks, and administrator tasks, including:

• Pipelines, variables, objects, looping and flow control, strings and unstructured text, calculations and math

• Simple files; structured files; Internet-enabled scripts; code reuse; lists, arrays and hashtables; user feedback; error management; environmental awareness; script signing; and more

• Files and directories, registry manipulation, comparing data, event logs, process cmdlets, service cmdlets, Active Directory, enterprise computer management, and more

Those who administer Microsoft's Exchange 2007 and System Center Operations Manager (formerly MOM) will also benefit from this book, with separate chapters devoted to these servers. All Windows administrators will appreciate the appendices that include a PowerShell language quick reference, and a reference to the .NET, WMI and COM objects that PowerShell scripters will use often. With working scripts, tutorials, and references all in one volume, Windows PowerShell Cookbook will turbocharge the productivity of any Windows administrator.

Amazon.com® Reader Reviews (Ranked by Helpfulness)

Average Amazon.com® Rating:  Based on 10 Ratings

Good powershell resource - not good for Exchange 2007 or MOM - 2008-01-08
Reviewer Rating:
Windows PowerShell Cookbook: for Windows, Exchange 2007, and MOM V3

I bought this book for two reasons. 1) to get up to speed on powershell and various use cases. 2) to get up to speed on powershell with respect to Exchange specific tasks and MOM specific tasks.

With respect to #1, it is an adequate book and I would give it 4 stars. With respect to #2, it is a dismal failure and I would be generous by giving it two stars. There are roughly 5 pages on both Exchange and MOM. You are better off using the help files or online docs.

Summary statement: This is a good generic powershell book but is poor in its attempt to provide an adequate resource for the Exchange 2007 and MOM sections.

Terrific Reference - 2008-10-15
Reviewer Rating:
I've never read this book. It is after all a "cookbook".

What I can say is that many times I've turned to this book when I needed some clue to solve a practical problem. Somehow I've always found what I needed. I just browse the table of contents for a likely section, go there, and find something that looks like what I'm trying to do.

Contrast this with Bruce Payette's Windows PowerShell in Action. That's a great book to read through and get an in-depth understanding of PowerShell. It is horrible for finding practical answers.

Note that I'm a software engineer and not an administrator. I have no idea how sections on Exchange and MOM are.

Recommended.

Wanted more on writing cmdlets, but pretty good anyway - 2008-02-20
Reviewer Rating:
I got this book to learn Powershell, but I'm most interested in writing Cmdlets. The first chapter is a great overview of what PowerShell can do, and the subsequent ones are what you'd expect (more detail, good examples, well chosen topics).

I really wanted more on extending Powershell, but it's more meant as a user's guide, and it does a good job at that. I liked that when he shows how to do extend Powershell, he does it with csc instead of visual studio -- to show that you can easily do it with a simple editor if you don't have VS.

Brilliant Work - 2009-03-14
Reviewer Rating:
This is a brilliant work by a brilliant software engineer. Lee should publish at least one book per year. My book shelf will be full of his works. To learn Powershell, just plop the book in front of you and type!

Feel The Power Of Microsoft Scripting!!! - 2008-05-15
Reviewer Rating:
With 'Windows PowerShell Cookbook: for Windows, Exchange 2007, and MOM V3' learn how the old way of writing scripts for Windows is in the past and it's better that way!

PowerShell (released in 2006) is quite simply a new way of shell scripting for Windows that takes the old command way of doing things and injecting it with super steroids. By leveraging the power of .NET and giving the user a good way to use it via the command line, PowerShell is the end result. Everything that administrators or power users ever did before or wanted to do in Windows can now be done faster and better than before and this is the perfect guide to help you do the things that you never thought were possible before.

Chapter Overview

01. Intro to Windows PowerShell
02. Pipelines
03. Variables and Objects
04. Looping and Flow Control
05. Strings and Unstructured Text
06. Calculations and Math
07. Simple Files
08. Structured Files
09. Internet-Enabled Scripts
10. Code Reuse
11. Lists, Arrays, Hashtables
12. User Interaction
13. Tracing and Error Management
14. Environmental Awareness
15. Extending Windows PowerShell
16. Security and Script Signing
17. Files and Directories
18. Windows Registry
19. Comparing Data
20. Event Logs
21. Processes
22. System Services
23. Active Directory
24. Enterprise Computer Management
25. Manage and Exchange 2007 Server
26. Manage an Operations Manager 2007 Server
A. PowerShell Language and Environment
B. Regular Expression Reference
C. PowerShell Automatic Variables
D. Standard PowerShell Verbs
E. Selected .NET Classes and Their Uses
F. WMI Reference
G. Selected COM Objects and Their Uses
H. .NET String Formatting
I. .NET DateTime Formatting

With around 270 recipes, this is a full reference. If you use PowerShell or are and admin that needs to learn it you would be wise to pick this book up and start using it, it's a great resource to have by your side.

***** RECOMMENDED

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