PowerShell 101

Total Running Time: 83 min

The word "scripting" probably makes a lot of IT admins cringe, but it's not that scary or difficult to learn. Scripting is just a set of instructions written in terms that computers can understand. The instructions tell the computer how to do something, such as how to perform a task.

Just like there are different languages people speak and understand, there are different languages computers speak and understand. Windows PowerShell is one of the newest scripting languages. It was designed from scratch rather than adapted from an existing scripting language, so it has a lot of features that IT admins will appreciate. For example, like spelling in the English language, the naming conventions in many scripting languages are inconsistent. PowerShell avoids such inconsistencies, making it much easier to learn and use.

PowerShell provides far more power and flexibility than traditional Windows command shells, such as cmd.exe. To help you take advantage of that power, here are six introductory lessons that explain how to use PowerShell to perform various tasks. Whether you're new to PowerShell or just want to brush up on the basics, you'll find this series informative.

Session 1: Using Simple Commands

Session 2: Beads on a String