The quick start guide for an advanced enterprise PowerShell framework About This Book * Introduces industry-proven techniques that improve script efficiency and reliability * Example-rich guide based on real-world scenarios * Facilitates building a script that can fully scan a Windows server and identify components Who This Book Is For This book is for IT professionals and Windows administrators who would like to gain intensive, hands-on knowledge and skills on PowerShell without spending hours and hours in learning. If you have been struggling to find the time to gain proficiency and confidence with PowerShell and everyday scripting tasks What You Will Learn * Create an advanced PowerShell scripting template that provides repeatable code to jumpstart all of your scripting projects * Learn how to securely encrypt and store usernames, passwords, and other sensitive data in PowerShell scripts and answer files * Understand how to optimize the performance of scripts to help process large datasets quickly and avoid time-consuming mistakes * Develop a script to scan for non-standard Windows Server configurations and identify service accounts used on Windows Servers * Gather a large list of data from a Windows server without locally or remotely logging in interactively In Detail Enterprise PowerShell Scripting Bootcamp explains how to create your own repeatable PowerShell scripting framework. This framework contains script logging methodologies, answer file interactions, and string encryption and decryption strategies. This book focuses on evaluating individual components to identify the system's function, role, and unique characteristics. To do this, you will leverage built-in CMDlets and Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) to explore Windows services, Windows processes, Windows features, scheduled tasks, and disk statistics. You will also create custom functions to perform a deep search for specific strings in files and evaluate installed software through executable properties. We will then discuss different scripting techniques to improve the efficiency of scripts. By leveraging several small changes to your code, you can increase the execution performance by over 130%. By the end of this book, you will be able to tie all of the concepts together in a PowerShell-based Windows server scanning script. This discovery script will be able to scan a Windows server to identify a multitude of components. Style and approach This book is all about fast and intensive learning. This means, we don't waste time in helping readers get started. The new content is about leveraging highly-effective examples to build new things, help solving problems in newer and unseen ways, and providing an enterprise-ready platform to create PowerShell Scripts.

Learn the art of configuring, deploying, managing and securing Windows 10 for your enterprise. About This Book * Enhance your enterprise administration skills to manage Windows 10 Redstone 3 * Get acquainted with configuring Azure Active Directory for enabling cloud-based services and Remote Server Admin Tools for managing Windows Server * Provide enterprise-level security with ease using the built-in data loss prevention of Windows 10 Who This Book Is For If you are a system administrator who has been given the responsibility of administering and managing Windows 10 Redstone 3, then this book is for you. If you have deployed and managed previous versions of Windows, it would be an added advantage. What You Will Learn * Understand the remote access capabilities * Use third-party tools to deploy Windows 10 * Customize image and user Interface experience * Implement assigned access rights * Configure remote administration * Manage Windows 10 security * Work with Azure AD and Intune management In Detail Microsoft's launch of Windows 10 is a step toward satisfying the enterprise administrator's needs for management and user experience customization. This book provides the enterprise administrator with the knowledge needed to fully utilize the advanced feature set of Windows 10 Enterprise. This practical guide shows Windows 10 from an administrator's point of view. You'll focus on areas such as installation and configuration techniques based on your enterprise requirements, various deployment scenarios and management strategies, and setting up and managing admin and other user accounts. You'll see how to configure Remote Server Administration Tools to remotely manage Windows Server and Azure Active Directory. Lastly, you will learn modern Mobile Device Management for effective BYOD and how to enable enhanced data protection, system hardening, and enterprise-level security with the new Windows 10 in order to prevent data breaches and impede attacks. By the end of this book, you will know the key technologies and capabilities in Windows 10 and will confidently be able to manage and deploy these features in your organization. Style and approach This step-by-step guide will show you how to configure, deploy, manage, and secure the all new Windows 10 Redstone 3 for your enterprise.

Learn to leverage the power of PowerCLI to automate your VMware vSphere environment with ease About This Book * This is first book on the market that will enlighten you on the latest version of PowerCLI and how to implement it * Effectively manage virtual machines, networks, and reports with the latest features of PowerCLI * A comprehensive and practical book on automating VMware vSphere Who This Book Is For This book is ideal for you if you want to learn how to automate your VMware vSphere or vCloud infrastructure by getting the most out of PowerCLI. It's assumed that you have some experience in administrating a vSphere or vCloud environment. Knowledge of Microsoft's Windows PowerShell is not a prerequisite. What You Will Learn * Explore PowerShell and PowerCLI cmdlets and their output objects * See how to manage virtual machines and work with virtual networks * Manage vCloud Director from PowerCLI * Use Site Recovery Manager from PowerCLI to create a disaster recovery solution * Manage NSX and vRealize Automation using REST API with PowerCLI * Create and configure vSphere HA and DRS clusters * Use vSphere Update Manager with PowerCLI to create patch baselines and scan hosts * Explore reporting techniques to retrieve log files In Detail VMware vSphere PowerCLI, a free extension to Microsoft Windows PowerShell, enables you to automate the management of a VMware vSphere or vCloud environment. This book will show you how to automate your tasks and make your job easier. Starting with an introduction to the basics of PowerCLI, the book will teach you how to manage your vSphere and vCloud infrastructure from the command line. To help you manage a vSphere host overall, you will learn how to manage vSphere ESXi hosts, host profiles, host services, host firewall, and deploy and upgrade ESXi hosts using Image Builder and Auto Deploy. The next chapter will not only teach you how to create datastore and datastore clusters, but you'll also work with profile-driven and policy-based storage to manage your storage. To create a disaster recovery solution and retrieve information from vRealize Operations, you will learn how to use Site Recovery Manager and vRealize Operations respectively. Towards the end, you'll see how to use the REST APIs from PowerShell to manage NSX and vRealize Automation and create patch baselines, scan hosts against the baselines for missing patches, and re-mediate hosts. By the end of the book, you will be capable of using the best tool to automate the management and configuration of VMware vSphere. Style and approach This comprehensive book will teach system administrators everything about PowerCLI 6 and how to utilize it to automate VMware vSphere.

A comprehensive and practical guide to Windows Server 2016 About This Book * In-depth coverage of new features of Windows Server 2016 * Gain the necessary skills and knowledge to design and implement Microsoft Server 2016 in enterprise environment * Know how you can support your medium to large enterprise and leverage your experience in administering Microsoft Server 2016, * A practical guide to administering Windows server 2016 Who This Book Is For The book is targeted at System Administrators and IT professionals who would like to design and deploy Windows Server 2016 (physical and logical) Enterprise infrastructure. Previous experience of Windows Server operating systems and familiarity with networking concepts is assumed. System administrators who are upgrading or migrating to Windows Server 2016 would also find this book useful. What You Will Learn * Familiarize yourself with Windows Server 2016 ideology, the core of most datacenters running today * New functions and benefits provided only by the new Windows Server 2016 * Get comfortable working with Nanoserver * Secure your network with new technologies in Server 2016 * Harden your Windows Servers to help keep those bad guys out! * Using new built-in integration for Docker with this latest release of Windows Server 2016 * Virtualize your datacenter with Hyper-V In Detail Windows Server 2016 is the server operating system developed by Microsoft as part of the Windows NT family of operating systems, developed concurrently with Windows 10. With Windows Server 2016, Microsoft has gotten us thinking outside of the box for what it means to be a system administration, and comes with some interesting new capabilities. These are exciting times to be or to become a server administrator! This book covers all aspects of administration level tasks and activities required to gain expertise in Microsoft Windows Server 2016. You will begin by getting familiar and comfortable navigating around in the interface. Next, you will learn to install and manage Windows Server 2016 and discover some tips for adapting to the new server management ideology that is all about centralized monitoring and configuration. You will deep dive into core Microsoft infrastructure technologies that the majority of companies are going to run on Server 2016. Core technologies such as Active Directory, DNS, DHCP, Certificate Services, File Services, and more. We will talk about networking in this new operating system, giving you a networking toolset that is useful for everyday troubleshooting and maintenance. Also discussed is the idea of Software Defined Networking. You will later walk through different aspects of certificate administration in Windows Server 2016. Three important and crucial areas to cover in the Remote Access role -- DirectAccess, VPN, and the Web Application Proxy -- are also covered. You will then move into security functions and benefits that are available in Windows Server 2016. Also covered is the brand new and all-important Nano Server! We will incorporate PowerShell as a central platform for performing many of the functions that are discussed in this book, including a chapter dedicated to the new PowerShell 5.0. Additionally, you will learn about the new built-in integration for Docker with this latest release of Windows Server 2016. The book ends with a discussion and information on virtualizing your datacenter with Hyper-V. By the end of this book, you will have all the ammunition required to start planning for and implementing Windows Server 2016. Style and approach This book offers a practical and wide coverage of all features of brand new Microsoft Server 2016 along with tips on daily administration tasks.

Saute your way through more than 100 hands-on recipes designed to prepare any server administrator to work with Windows Server 2016 About This Book * Get the first book on the market to unleash the power of Windows Server 2016, which improves the lives of thousands of enterprise users * Be the first to leverage the advent of Containers and Nano Server on Windows Server 2016, which utilizes the resources efficiently and increases productivity. * This practical, recipe-based approach helps you to delivering global-scale cloud services into your infrastructure using Windows Server 2016 Who This Book Is For This book is for system administrators and IT professionals with experience in Windows Server 2012 R2 environments who are looking to acquire the skills and knowledge necessary to manage and maintain the core infrastructure required for a Windows Server 2016 environment. What You Will Learn * Build the infrastructure required for a successful Windows network * Navigate the new Server 2016 interface efficiently * Implement solid networking and security practices into your Windows Server environment * Design your own PKI and start issuing certificates today * Explore the brand-new Nano Server functionality * Enable nested virtualization on Hyper-V and Server * Connect your remote laptops back to the corporate network using Microsoft's own remote access technologies, including DirectAccess * Provide a centralized point for users to access applications and data by configuring Remote Desktop Services * Compose optimal Group Policies * Facilitate task automation with PowerShell 5.0 scripting In Detail This hands-on Cookbook is stuffed full of practical recipes that will help you handle the essential administrative tasks in Windows Server 2016. You'll start by familiarizing yourself with the look and feel of Windows Server 2016, and will then learn how to navigate through some daily tasks using the graphical interface. You will see how to compose optimal Group Policies and facilitate task automation with PowerShell 5.0 scripting. We will also take a look at the functions available to provide remote network access to your traveling users, and explore the much anticipated Nano Server and Hyper-V built-in integration support that is brand new in Windows Server 2016. By the end of this book, you will know how to take your Windows Server 2016-powered server and turn it into any common infrastructure role that might be required in your company. Style and approach The book follows a recipe-based approach that starts with an introduction and the installation of Windows Server 2016, then dives into the powerful features, and then ends with the concept of security.

Buy this book for yourself, a friend, a relative, and anyone else who needs help mastering Active Directory.

Learning Active Directory administration doesn't have to be a frustrating experience, you can learn everything you need to manage Active Directory effectively by reading this book. To learn how to manage Active Directory, you need practical hands-on advice from an expert who understands what it is like to just start out. By working step by step through essential tasks, you can learn to: Install forests, domain trees, and child domains Add and remove writable domain controllers and deploy read-only controllers Configure, maintain, and troubleshoot global catalog servers Maintain directory and data integrity using operations masters Evaluate sites, subnets, and replication before expanding a network Establish a trust relationship between domains and between forests Maintain and recover Active Directory Domain Services Employ essential tools and command-line utilities

This book is designed for anyone who wants to learn how to manage Active Directory, including those who manage or support computers running Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2008 R2. Inside, you'll find comprehensive overviews, step-by-step procedures, frequently used tasks, documented examples, and much more. One of the goals is to keep the content so concise that the book remains compact and easy to navigate while at the same time ensuring that the book is packed with as much information as possible--making it a valuable resource.

Efficiently administer and maintain your development environment with Windows PowerShell About This Book * Explore scripting and automation techniques with Windows PowerShell * Gain concrete knowledge of Windows PowerShell scripting to perform professional level scripting * Discover the benefits of the Configuration Management Platform with this step-by-step guide that includes real-world scripting examples Who This Book Is For If you are an IT professional or developer who has worked on the .Net platform and you want to learn automation using Windows PowerShell, then this book is for you. This self-start guide takes you from the basics and gradually moves to an intermediate level to show you how to perform professional scripting. What You Will Learn * Understand the concepts of building PowerShell scripts and the basics of programming * Manage the LYNC, Exchange, and SharePoint platforms * Create a Pull server using a SMB file share and HTTP and HTTPS * Use .NET classes in Windows PowerShell and C# to manage Exchange Online * Use PowerShell in C# to manage Exchange Online and work with .NET classes in PowerShell * Automate LYNC clients, consuming Client Server Object Models to administrate SharePoint Online In Detail Windows PowerShell 5.0 for .NET Developers is your self-start guide to performing automation using Windows PowerShell. This book will help you to understand the PowerShell syntax and grammar and will also teach you techniques to remove the rough edges of manual deployments. Packed with PowerShell scripts and sample C# codes to automate tasks, it also includes real-world scenarios such as administrating office servers to help you save time and perform deployments swiftly and efficiently. The book begins with the Windows PowerShell basics, explores the significant features of Windows Management Framework 5.0, covers the basic concepts of Desired State Configuration and the importance of idempotent deployments. By the end of the book, you will have a good understanding of Windows PowerShell's features and will be able to automate your tasks and manage configuration effectively. Style and approach This is an easy-to-follow step-by-step guide with text-enabled screenshots. Each topic is explained with codes and examples. It also includes multiple approaches for a number of tasks to let you choose the best one for you depending on your scenario.

Learn PowerShell from the inside out, right from basic scripting all the way to becoming a master at automating, managing, and maintaining your Windows environment About This Book * Use proven best practices to optimize code and automate redundant tasks * Get to grips with PowerShell's advanced functions and effectively administer your system * Create a variety of PowerShell scripts to automate your environment Who This Book Is For If you are a system administrator who wants to become an expert in automating and managing your Windows environment, then this course is for you. Some basic understanding of PowerShell would be helpful. What You Will Learn * Discover PowerShell commands and cmdlets and understand PowerShell formatting * Solve common problems using basic file input/output functions * Use .NET classes in Windows PowerShell and C# and manage Exchange Online * Use PowerShell in C# to manage Exchange Online and work with .NET classes in PowerShell * Automate LYNC clients, consuming client-side object models to administrate SharePoint Online * Optimize code through the use of functions, switches, and looping structures * Manage files, folders, and registries through the use of PowerShell * Discover best practices to manage Microsoft systems In Detail Are you tired of managing Windows administrative tasks manually and are looking to automate the entire process? If yes, then this is the right course for you. This learning path starts your PowerShell journey and will help you automate the administration of the Windows operating system and applications that run on Windows. It will get you up and running with PowerShell, taking you from the basics of installation to writing scripts and performing web server automation. You will explore the PowerShell environment and discover how to use cmdlets, functions, and scripts to automate Windows systems. The next installment of the course focuses on gaining concrete knowledge of Windows PowerShell scripting to perform professional-level scripting. The techniques here are packed with PowerShell scripts and sample C# code to automate tasks. You will use .NET classes in PowerShell and C# to manage Exchange Online. In the final section, you will delve into real-world examples to learn how to simplify the management of your Windows environment. You will get to grips with PowerShell's advanced functions and how to most effectively administer your system. This Learning Path combines some of the best that Packt has to offer in one complete, curated package. It includes content from the following Packt products: * Getting Started with PowerShell by Michael Shepard * Windows PowerShell for .Net Developers Second Edition by Chendrayan Venkatesan and Sherif Talaat * Mastering Windows PowerShell Scripting by Brenton J.W. Blawat Style and approach This is a step-by-step course to help you effectively administer and maintain your development environment with PowerShell.

Over 31 simple yet incredibly effective recipes for installing and managing System Center 2016 Endpoint Protection About This Book * This is the most practical and up-to-date book covering important new features of System Center 2016 Endpoint protection * Gain confidence in managing IT and protecting your server against malware and other threats * Configure and automate reporting features and also prepare yourself for a simple and pain-free migration process Who This Book Is For If you are a System Administrator or Engineer using System Center 2016 Endpoint Protection, then this book is for you. You should have a good background with Microsoft products in general, although no knowledge of Endpoint Protection is required. What You Will Learn * Explore the best practices for Endpoint Protection in System Center Configuration Manager * Provision the Endpoint Protection Client in a Disk Image in Configuration Manager * Get to know more about the Security Center * Configure definition and engine client updates to be optimum for your bandwidth * Make your application or server work with Endpoint Protection enabled * Find out how to deal with typical issues that may occur with Endpoint Protection * Know how to respond to infections that often occur In Detail System Center Configuration Manager is now used by over 70% of all the business in the world today and many have taken advantage engaging the System Center Endpoint Protection within that great product. Through this book, you will gain knowledge about System Center Endpoint Protection, and see how to work with it from System Center Configuration Manager from an objective perspective. We'll show you several tips, tricks, and recipes to not only help you understand and resolve your daily challenges, but hopefully enhance the security level of your business. Different scenarios will be covered, such as planning and setting up Endpoint Protection, daily operations and maintenance tips, configuring Endpoint Protection for different servers and applications, as well as workstation computers. You'll also see how to deal with malware and infected systems that are discovered. You'll find out how perform OS deployment, Bitlocker, and Applocker, and discover what to do if there is an attack or outbreak. You'll find out how to ensure good control and reporting, and great defense against threats and malware software. You'll see the huge benefits when dealing with application deployments, and get to grips with OS deployments, software updates, and disk encryption such as Bitlocker. By the end, you will be fully aware of the benefits of the System Center 2016 Endpoint Protection anti-malware product, ready to ensure your business is watertight against any threat you could face. Style and approach Build robust SCEP and AV policies and discover the new potential of exciting new features of SCEP 2016.

0