“TRON”

“TRON”, one of the very movies that gave me that gentle nudge into Geekdom.

“TRON” Legacy is making it’s way towards theatres.  Another Trailer released. 

I

CAN’T

WAIT!

Do you friends find you huddled in a corner of the house drooling over the latest .NET libraries?

Do you REALLY have to think hard about whether to spent your money on a new compiler or your wife?

Did you DROOL all over the table when somebody said “AZURE”?

If this sounds like you, you REALLY need to sign up for the Toronto Code Camp!

It’s a Free All day event held on a SATURDAY!  A Perfect excuse to leave your wife and kids behind

“…I’m sorry honey… *sniff* … but I HAVE to go for Training … *sniff*…”

Details are STILL up in the air for what sessions will be there but it’s GUARANTEED to make Developers ‘W00000T!’ and ITPros run in terror.  (Unless they Script in Powershell, in which case they might only cringe)

CODE has never been this fun!

Curious?

Watch for Details on www.torontocodecamp.net

Be there or ADMIT you know how to calculate SUBNET Masks!

Saturday May 1st 2010 – BRING on the DATA BONDAGE!

Within Windows 7 / Vista and Server 2008 / R2 there is a set of Event logs.

Not the “Classic ones” we are used to but a whole new Class of of logs that can be expanded on simply called the Windows Event Logs.

You can access their contents in Powershell using the GET-WINEVENT CommandLet in the following fashion.

GET-WINEVENT –Logname Setup

or

GET-WINEVENT –Logname ‘Microsoft-Windows-WindowsUpdateClient/Operational’

To get a list of these logs that are available you key in

GET-WINEVENT –ListLog *

for a complete list or you can type in Wildcards as well such as

GET-WINEVENT –Listlog S*

For all those Starting with the letter “S”

But oddly somebody forgot an important CommandLet … the one to CLEAR the logs!

Now they can also be managed from the Command prompt using WEVTUTIL.EXE which works very nicely.  But we people in Powershell land like to keep everything on the same page.

So thanks to Shay Levy for pointing out the proper Acclerator and technique, we now have a NEW commandLet we can add to Powershell.   There are a number of ways to bring it in, the choice is yours.

I could do it as a Module but I got lazy today and just opened up my $PROFILE for Powershell and added it in.

Here’s the code so YOU TOO can “Share and Enjoy” as the Nutrimatic would say.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Function Global:Clear-Winevent ( $Logname ) {
<#

.SYNOPSIS
Given a specific Logname from the GET-WINEVENT Commandlet
it will clear the Contents of that log

.DESCRIPTION
Cmdlet used to clear the Windows Event logs from Windows 7
Windows Vista, Server 2008 and Server 2008 R2

.EXAMPLE
CLEAR-WINEVENT -Logname Setup

.EXAMPLE
Get-WinEvent -listlog * | foreach { clear-winevent -logname $_.Logname }

Clear all Windows Event Logs

.NOTES
This is a Cmdlet that is not presently in Powershell 2.0
although there IS a GET-WINEVENT Command to list the
Contents of the logs.  You can utilize this instead of
WEVTUTIL.EXE to clear out Logs.  Special thanks to Shay Levy
(@shaylevy on Twitter) for pointing out the needed code

#>

[System.Diagnostics.Eventing.Reader.EventLogSession]::GlobalSession.ClearLog("$Logname")

}

------------------------------------------------------------

Thanks a bunch Shay! We owe you BIG! :)

Sean
the Energized Tech

There are many certifications out there that beautifully serve this purpose.

But there is one lacking.  One for “Scripters” or I like to think as “Environment Automation”

There is some rumbling that stirs up whenever it is mentioned in the Community.   Powershell scripters crave for it.   There is nothing right now that sets the bar.

But I’m thinking a lot more specific on “Scripting” or “automation” as a skill set that ENHANCES what an MCP is.

Some people in Microsoft think it’s ok that Powershell or vbScript is touched on lightly in the Certs as part of the exam structure.   But that isn’t the case.  Having had to start implementing these techniques in my most recent position I recognize something truly important.

A person that understands automation as a specialization is as EQUALLY as Important as having somebody who knows how to Architect the system.  But not knowing whether an Administrator is qualified on some level makes it difficult to gauge those abilities.   And in today's Economy, Employers are going to want EFFICIENCY.  Not so much to get more done, but to get that “More” done quickly, effectively and most importantly CONSISTENTLY.

Proper automation and the ability to leverage those technologies (and more importantly WHICH ones) changes a Network Administrator or Systems Administrator from a simple manager that can get things running, to a key technologist that can spend more time looking into long term solutions on the Infrastructure.   Knowing how to deploy these technologies in a more Automated and Seamless fashion on a day to day basis allows for a much greater level of consistency than somebody that lightly touches on Powershell, vbScript or GPO.

But presently there is no way (other than field use) to determine what Level a potential Administrator is.

And so I propose this.   I propose Microsoft Development AND Microsoft Learning team up together to promote the creation of a New certification.   It may not set aside the individual as an actual MCP but it SHOULD complement existing certifications (IE: MCITP or MCTS in Server) to identify the Individual as a competent “Scripter”.  Competent in a good range of Technologies, GPO, Powershell, vbScript and classic Commands.

With this type of enhancement on a certificate (As a separate Single Exam) Microsoft could identify individuals that not only know the server for installation, but are ESPECIALLY qualified to maintain those systems.

Such an exam would involve more simulation or practical application questions.   Such a certification would help employers identify people best suited to manage their networks in the most Efficient and Consistent fashion.

And so to you, the Community.   The IT Professionals, the Scripters, the Powershell Experts, the GPO Gurus and all Future Network administrators, I send you a task.

I have been told, if we can get the attention of Microsoft corporation, and more importantly, Steven Ballmer’s attention.  Something could happen.  We have to ring the bells LOUD

So we as a community need to contact steveb@microsoft.com directly.  Do NOT spam him.  Take two minutes (or three) compose and EMAIL and put in the TITLE of that email ATTENTION: IT Community Demand for MCP Certification in Scripting and Automation Technologies. 

CLICK HERE to COMPOSE EMAIL

Our target is no less than 5,000 emails.  I want to see it happen.  We can do this.  vbScripters, Powershell, GPO, Command specialists.

And it all starts with us

Sean
The Energized Tech

Open File Option.

The Open File Option (What Full Veritas BackupExec had an a $1000 Add on) was the ability to backup files that were in use.   If you had important Word documents or a particular Quickbooks database open, they wouldn’t backup.

Then along came Server 2003.  Server 2003 introduced “Shadow Copy” which was actually a technology which contained a built in “Open File Option” that NTBackup just used.

Some people didn’t realize this! 

Yes, if you’re a small Business Owner looking into options for Backup and you don’t have the budget for Veritas Backup Exec, NTBACKUP is a viable option now.  Even if you’re a large Corporation, the fact that you can leverage a solution to backup those open files WITHOUT incurring additional cost is a great boon.

Now I am NOT knocking Veritas Backup Exec.  It is NOT an overpriced boondoggle.  It IS the BIG BROTHER to NTBackup.   It logs in GREAT detail how to the backup ran.  If even ONE file does not backup, Veritas considers the backup a fail so you’re on your toes.   Veritas will make your Backup far more compliant for SOX with the built in reports.

But keep in mind that if you have a Server 2003 computer (or even Windows XP Pro!) that built in NTBACKUP can backup your open files.   I’ve even seen it backup Exchange 2003 Databases with Open File

Now THAT’s Power! Free Power to “Boot”

Sean
The Energized Tech

In short, I a “computer Hobbit”.

Scripters work in a world of Automation, in an attempt to make their jobs more efficient by PROGRAMMING repeated tasks rather than “click click clicking away” into Tedium Hell.

When you step into the world of Scripting and Automation you will probably find one solution you’re comfortable with, whether it be Powershell, vbScript, Group Policy or even the venerable and Classic Command prompt.

And you may (Like I did) have a tendency of Guardedly sticking to ONLY ONE solution and doggedly refusing to look at other options no matter what happens.

But the thing to keep in mind, why did you get into Automation?  Was it to make your job more difficult? Of course not!

So, when DO you look at other solutions?

Honestly it’s a little combination of “What are you comfortable with”,“Just how much time *DO* you want to spend at it” and “Are you spending the extra time to LEARN for fun or just out of dogged frustration”

I am reasonably certain that if you sat down, dug through the internet, you might find a solution for just about everything you can in Powershell (not all but just about) within a Command Prompt.   You could also go completely bonkers trying to ensure everything works via vbScript.   Or you could go Powershell nuts and try to become a .NET developer overnight and do everything in oneliners.

But in this mad process, you often overlook some excellent and very obvious solutions.  And there are situations where you can leverage multiple solutions against each other.

So here’s what I do.  I have one “Axe”, one solution I am comfortable with. Powershell.  I LOVE working with Powershell.  If it feels enjoyable to find a solution in Powershell because it’s fun or challenging, I’ll do it without question.

However again, there are tons of prebuilt Command prompt applications, Group Policies and vbScripts I can leverage.   For me, sometimes I’ll try to see if there is a WMI solution already existing in vbScript and try to port that to Powershell.   There are situations that NETSH makes far more sense than reading the registry to get an IP address along with many other built in goodies.   Using GPO makes more sense many times to deploy or remove rather than running from logon script.

My overall opinion is this.   Learn. 

Learn what makes YOU more productive.  Don’t tie yourself into a box saying “I can’t” because your “main Axe” doesn’t easily do it.  Don’t be afraid to see if there are more than two solutions to a problem (There often are).  Sometimes in learning a different solution as well, you may find a way to produce the answer in what you’re comfortable with.

Remember.  Computing should be fun, try to keep it that way whenever possible.

And the job, should always feel less like a “Job”

Sean
The Energized Tech

I opened up Pandora's box and found more goodies! 

Did you know you can easily Enable and Disable Monitoring on your Windows drives with Powershell?  the same feature which offers “Shadow Copy restores” ?

By default it’s normally enabled on Drive C:, but let’s say this is a Server Environment.   You deploy them on a habitual basis, and like any good IT Pro, you keep the DATA from the SYSTEM.

But out of the Box, anything other than C: does not have system Restore enabled.  So normally that means, GUI, Right click, find option… AIGHAHGAHHHGA!!

But not with Powershell

In Powershell it’s just run as Administrator and

ENABLE-COMPUTERRESTORE DriveLetter

and

DISABLE-COMPUTERRESTORE DriveLetter

EASY!

So if you’re running a Domain Controller by default you might want to shut off the Volume tracking feature because you DON’T want “previous versions” available to alter your SYSVOL structure.  That’s just a mess waiting to happen.

So

DISABLE-COMPUTERRESTORE C:

And if all of your data is sitting on the new Drive E: and needs to be monitored so you CAN do “Previous versions”

ENABLE-COMPUTERRESTORE E:

There!

Your work is done! Now relax and break out the bubbly!

Sean
The Energized Tech

In a previous life I spent my days working with clients and using the native backup solution from Windows “NTBACKUP”

Now a lot of people look down upon NTBACKUP as the poor man’s backup.  Stripped down, hurt.

Let’s take a second look at NTBACKUP.  In Server 2003 with NTBACKUP you had the following features

Licensing cost – NIL (Free to use with the O/S)
Open File option – Built in (Yes, thanks to Shadow Copy you can backup many if not all open files)
Exchange agent – Built in
Media supported – Tapes and Physical Media
Ability to Email logs – programmable

You have to remember that “NTBACKUP” is really just a stripped down version of BackupExec (owned by Symantec now) and really ISN’T that bad of a backup.

You can run it from a command line, the configuration files are pure text (and easy to edit) and if you leverage just a few of the features built into Windows you, as an Administrator can have a backup system capable of emailing, printing and archiving logs.

“But I have an SQL Server!” (I hear a voice in the background scream)

And SQL has it’s OWN built in backup which can be scheduled and will co exist with NTbackup.

So feeling a little less nervous? Good

Follow along with me as I try to lightly touch on leveraging the built in Backup solutions provided by Microsoft to extend your abilities and pad your wallet with savings.

Sean
The Energized Tech

Hey did You know you can create a System Restore snapshot in Powershell ?

I didn’t until five minutes ago.  The Cmdlet name wasn’t one of the typical “GET” or “SET” ones,as such I missed it.

But I ran a GET-COMMAND this morning looking for some interesting CmdLets to learn and saw this one

CHECKPOINT-COMPUTER

And it’s about the easiest one to run!

CHECKPOINT-COMPUTER –Description “This is My System Restore Point”

It has to be run with Administrative Privledges and produces a nice simple status bar as is executes.

What does this mean to you?

That no matter what you do, you have an EASY way to trigger a System Restore Checkpoint.  A simple shortcut to a Powershell script to run it and cover your bases.

Powershell, stressfree for you

Sean
The Energized Tech

This is dedicated to ALL scripters.  Anybody including vbScript, Logon Script, Shell Monkeys, Powershell Dudes whatever you want to call yourself.

Scripting is a passion to those that do it.

And to you, Sing this to Frank Sinatra’s “My Way”

I Script it My Way

And now the Server's Off
The Switches Blink within a green glow
I need, to launch it now
But it's locked away behind Medeco

I'll use a Wake On Lan
In Powershell, I'll launch and then play
No more, won't pay for code
I'll script it My Way

And with, my vbScript
I'll go and warn of interventions
My logs have triggers too
They tell me now from my inventions

I carved and shaped them all
I automate my work for my pay
An ITpro and yet I Code
I'll script it My Way

Oh there were days, I wished I could
Whip out a Visa now, I surely would
But rather than give in to Hell
I'll code it in with Powershell
And vbScript and Batch Files too
I'll script it My Way

I speak in Syntax now
ItPros, they don't know me
And Devs, they shun me too
My code it runs so very slowly

But I, will not shy on down
For I stand proud of my automations
For I, I did it all
I Scripted My Way

For what is code no matter small
Whether a function or simple Call
To automate in Joy and Glee
I’ll do it all Enternally
The systems bow and move to me
They're scripted my way

Yes I SCRIPTED MY WAY

In Powershell there is a VERY use to feature that many of us didn’t touch (*especially those of use NEW to Powershell*)

It’s called your “Profile”

The Profile is just settings and Functions that are SPECIFIC to a Powershell session.  Most of the time you will see them in use by software such as “Quest ActiveRoles Management Shell”.  When you see “Custom Management Shells” such as the Exchange Server 2007 and DPM Shell, those are just really customized profiles for the most part.

So how can YOU make a profile in Powershell that meets your daily needs?

Very easy in fact.   You won’t be surprise either, it’s dead simple too!

Your personal profile be default does not exist BUT the variable to point where it is DOES.  All YOU have to do is run this simple command

NEW-ITEM –ITEMTYPE File –PATH $PROFILE –FORCE

And you now have a blank profile.

By launching NOTEPAD $PROFILE you can edit it and add useful features to your Powershell session.

For example, is there a particular script you use DAILY or functions you would like to have native your Powershell session?

Turn them into Functions in Powershell and add it to your profile.  It’s as simple as copy paste!

Do you have going between Quest and Exchange 2007 and would like it all as ONE shell?

Put the ADD-PSSNAPIN for each feature as the top lines of your profile.

How about something as simple as “I want my Shell each and everyday to greet me with a Cheery HELLO!”

Well you can do that to! Make the last line (or the first as you prefer)

Here’s a sample profile so you can understand the syntax.  It’s not really any different from a PS1 file, in some ways it’s a LOT like a PS1 file that runs on the startup of Powershell

----------------- Sample Profile -----------------------

# Add Snapins

ADD-PSSNAPIN Quest.ActiveRoles.AdManagement

# Say Hello to the nice person

WRITE-HOST “Hello and Goodday to you Glorius Administrator”
WRITE-HOST “I am your Powershell Administration Session.”
WRITE-HOST “Your wish is my command”

#Define a useful function

function global:OUT-HAPPYMESSAGE {
WRITE-HOST “I am the King of my Universe, all shall run away from me…”
}

#Make an Alias

NEW-ALIAS O INVOKE-EXPRESSION

----------------- Sample Profile -----------------------

So with this very simple profile My Powershell session will now start like this

As you can see I now Have a new Custom function called “OUT-HAPPYMESSAGE” I can run anytime to make myself feel good and mighty.

I can now Open Files and launch their respective applications.

I can also access my Quest Commandlets and be more Productive and leave work earlier and go…… I mean MAKE THINGS FASTER SO I CAN WORK HARDER! (did my boss see that?)

All in all not difficult to use, to change or to share (As it’s just a text file under the

%USERPROFILE%\Documents\Windows Powershell\

Folder that you can copy onto other systems as well.

Powershell, Live the good Life for free

Sean
The Energized Tech

I was helping out in the forums when a Question popped.

“Can I programatically disable a Network Card?”

The gentleman had a system that would have Full Domain access (for regular users) and occasionally somebody would need to work on the machine as a Guest and be guaranteed to have no Network access.

Although there are many things you can do to REALLY restrict network access; Hands down NOTHING beats pulling the LAN cable!

So doing it via software?

Turns out with WMI it’s VERY easy.  You just need to run as Administrator and execute the following command.

GET-WMIOBJECT WIN32_NETWORKADAPTER | foreach { $_.Disable() }

which will shutdown *ALL* network adapters (Physical, Logical, ALL! or

GET-WMIOBJECT WIN32_NETWORKADAPTER | foreach { $_.Enable() }

to Enable them all again

You CAN get more specific and isolate that to only physical adapters by adding in a WHERE-OBJECT filter like this since the WIN32_NETWORKADAPTER has a property called “PhysicalAdapter” which is Boolean “True” or “False” on whether it’s a “Physical Adapter”.  

GET-WMIOBJECT WIN32_NETWORKADAPTER | where { $_.PhysicalAdapter –eq $TRUE} | foreach { $_.Disable() }

to only shut off Physical Adapters.

It’s not a typical scenario and this CAN be done with VbScript too if you prefer by using this script for the Blanket approach

----------- Disable All Network Adapters --------------
On Error Resume Next
strComputer = "."
Set objWMIService = GetObject("winmgmts:" _
    & "{impersonationLevel=impersonate}!\\" & strComputer & "\root\cimv2")
Set colItems = objWMIService.ExecQuery("Select * from Win32_NetworkAdapter")
For Each objItem in colItems
    objitem.Disable()
Next
----------- Disable All Network Adapters -----------

But honestly for just DEVELOPING the vbScript portion of it Powershell was STILL the King since it allows me interactively test and work with WMI with “open notepad, edit, save, run, curse, do it again…”

Powershell, making life easier one Cmdlet at a time

Sean
The Energized Tech

But if you don’t use it and need to easily disable it network wide.  Quickly without going computer to computer to computer and clicking on “Disable Addin” option?

Here’s how. 

Like just about everything, the settings are sitting right inside the registry.  Just a matter of editing them.

The addin sits near where the rest of the Word addins sit.  Right off of

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Office\Word\Addins\OLConnectorAdd.Connect

If you’re working with a 64bit environment (because it IS a 32bit application) you’ll find it sitting under

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Office\Word\Addins\OLConnectorAdd.Connect

The

In either case, the one setting you need to change in the registry to disable the Addin is simple “LoadBehaviour”.  Changing that value to a 0 will completely disable the Office Live addin in Word 2007 for all users. 

Now because this is a registry change you can just script, GPO, flash the change at will.   So much easier than “Login, Disable Addin, Logoff… Grumble…”

Sean
The Energized Tech

Within Powershell there is a very powerful and yet simple to use feature.  The ability to place helpful information and documentation within your scripts and functions.

You’ve already seen the results of it in use.  When you type in HELP and a CMDLET

HELP GET-CHILDITEM

Which usually reveals this typical screen.

So you can leverage the HELP system when YOU make scripts too!  It’s call “Comment Based Help”.  If you type

HELP about_Comment_Based_Help

You’ll get some well written instructions from Microsoft.

So here is a sample Powershell Script that does nothing other than do a “Hello World” to the console

-------------

OUT-HOST ‘Hello World’

-----------

Now if we save this file as HELLOWORLD.PS1 and try doing HELP HELLOWORLD.PS1 all we’ll get is a single line that says

HELLOWORLD.PS1

To put some help into this just drop in a “Comment Block” with appropriate keywords (documented in the Help files) to fill in the “HELP” Details

A comment block begins with a

<#

and ends with a

#>

For example we have various keywords such as

.SYNOPSIS
.DESCRIPTION
.EXAMPLE
.NOTES
.LINK

There are others, but we’ll add in these to our file so you can see you could add in the HELP

------ HELLOWORLD.PS1 ---------

<#

.SYNOPSIS
This is a Powershell Script – It is simple

.DESCRIPTION
The Script you have when run will produce Output on the Console that says
Hello World.  It will do nothing else.  It will not sing, or do pretty lights, it will
not break anything.  All it will do is print TWO WORDS on the screen.  And only
the words ‘Hello World’.  I know, it is a lame script.  I am sorry.

.EXAMPLE
./HELLOWORLD.PS1

Output on Screen
Hello World

.NOTES
I would love to have some really impressive notes in this field, but since the
script is so lame the only Notes I can put in are
Pick up some Milk
A loaf of Bread
A box of cookies

.LINK
http://www.energizedtech.com

#>

WRITE-HOST ‘Hello World’

------ HELLOWORLD.PS1 ---------

Now when you type in HELP ./HELLOWORLD.PS1 you’ll get THIS output

And yes, it does support the standard extensions to HELP like –full, –detailed and –examples .  You won’t see the .NOTES from Help until you do a

HELP ./HELLOWORLD.PS1 –full

Afterwards you’ll see this and the Website link I dropped in for further “help” :)

It’s not required to do this, but it does add a huge level of professionalism to your scripts and even makes it easier for Subordinates to know that anytime they’re in Powershell just type HELP and a Cmdlet or function to “GET-HELP”

Powershell, It is Easy

Sean
The Energized Tech

A quick and dirty one for you.  There is often time I need to launch and edit a word document in Word.

And I’m lazy.   I try to work from the Command prompt as much as possible.  Type it and I’m good.  I just hate clicking that darn mouse whenever possible.   The more I live in Powershell, the better and happier I am.

I constantly open .CSV files to view and search the contents in Excel.  I find Excel (and other applications suited for that exact purpose) do the job beautifully.

I didn’t realize until just now that if I launch “START-PROCESS” and a filename.CSV or .DOC (or whatever) it would just launch the default app with the file loaded!

I like that!

But, as I said before.   I don’t like typing.  So I made an ALIAS and you can too.   Think of an ALIAS as a keyboard shortcut.   Something to make you more efficient.

The process is easy too.

NEW-ALIAS ALIASNAME ORIGINALCmdLet

So super lazy me made an ALIAS to “Open files”

NEW-ALIAS OPEN-FILE START-PROCESS

So now in Powershell I just type in “OPEN-FILE THISFILE.CSV” or “OPEN-FILE SOMETHING.DOC” and it launches the default app with the file opened.   Yes, this is good for PDF files too.

And yes, you could just as easily as lazily create an ALIAS call “O” to “Open a file” :P

NEW-ALIAS O START-PROCESS

O EXCELFILE.CSV

Powershell.  Enjoy the sweet life.

Sean
The Energized Tech