Appendix A. Next Steps
The goal of Module 1 has been to get you started with PowerShell. To this end, we have looked at several broad topics, such as:
- Navigating PowerShell with
Get-Command,Get-Help, andGet-Member - Using the Pipeline to combine the commands
- Packaging code in scripts, functions, and modules
- Interacting with files and WMI
- Administering IIS
These skills will take you far in PowerShell, but this is just the beginning of what you can do. Here, I have collected some suggested "next steps" that you will find useful as skills to add to your PowerShell repertoire:
- Explore advanced functions, such as:
- Using common parameters
- Pipeline the input
- Parameter validation
- PowerShell Remoting
- PowerShell Workflows
- Desired State Configuration
- Explore miscellaneous PowerShell topics, including the following:
- Working with .NET and COM objects
- Working with SQL Server data
- Building a GUI
- Administering Microsoft systems such as:
- Exchange
- SQL Server
- System Center
You should have no trouble finding resources to guide you through any of these topics. If you are stuck, the PowerShell community on StackOverflow, PowerShell.org (http://powershell.org/wp/), and reddit are very strong and encouraging to scripters at all levels of expertise.
