| Windows PowerShell is a new command-line administration tool that is a giant step forward from previous command-line tools. Often, each Microsoft product would develop separate tools for command-line management, and each of these tools usually had a very narrow feature list and varied command syntax. This would usually lead developers to have to use a variety of management APIs to accomplish even the simplest tasks. PowerShell is meant to create a unified management tool for all Microsoft products, and to simplify management.
The first major product to be released with Windows PowerShell as its management interface was Exchange Server 2007, a complete rewrite of the familiar Exchange management tools using PowerShell to provide all management functions. The GUI management tools were built on top of PowerShell and provide only a subset of the functions available from the command line.
Initial feedback during the beta releases was that providing a mostly PowerShell interface was not something even experienced administrators would embrace. As the beta releases of the product continued the Exchange Management Shell (the PowerShell-based management tool for Exchange Server 2007) continued to improve as did the Exchange Management Console (the GUI-based management tool).
Slowly, the Management Shell has begun to win over many of the opposers because it provides more functionality, it’s often quicker, and it provides more power to the administrator. Many administrators now prefer to use the Exchange Management Shell over the Exchange Management Console for these reasons.
Although groundwork will be laid for new Exchange features, this book is tailored to current Exchange professionals wanting to take full advantage of the new Management shell, PowerShell, for deploying, configuring, managing, and maintaining an Exchange Server 2007 organization. Details for many of the PowerShell commands are provided along with real-world examples for using these commands.
Time is spent explaining many of the key commands along with details behind using them. Additional time is spent showing how to put these commands together to show Exchange administrators how to become comfortable with PowerShell and use PowerShell to manage and streamline their Exchange Server 2007 organization. |
