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PowerShell (POSH) is a a task automation command-line shell and scripting language created by Microsoft. It became part of the FOSS community in 2016 and is now available across Windows, Linux, and macOS

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Script is made to control Veeam VBR
Thanks for taking a look at my massive feature creep ;)

<#
    .SYNOPSIS
        Startet ein Veeam VBR Job

    .DESCRIPTION
        Startet einen VBR Job basierend auf den Namen.
        Ursprünglicher Zweck war ein Verknüpfung von Jobs (z.B. als Pre-Execution Skript)

    .PARAMETER JobName
        Job-Name des Backup Jobs

    .PARAMETER JobType
        Typ des Backup Jobs
        Erlaubte Typen: VAW, VAL, VMware,
        Nicht erlaubte: Typen: HyperV, PVE

        $Get-VBRBackup | Select-Object -Property Name,TypeToString,JobType
        Backup              Pretty                  Verbose                 Typ im Skript   Notizen
        ########################################################################################################
        Backup Copy Job     Backup Copy             SimpleBackupCopyPolicy  /               /
        VAW Managed SRV     Windows Agent Backup    EpAgentBackup           VAW             CMDlet deprecated for Agent backups
        VAW Managed PC      Windows Agent Policy    EpAgentPolicy           VAW             CMDlet deprecated for Agent backups
        VAL Managed SRV     Linux Agent Backup      EpAgentBackup           VAL             CMDlet deprecated for Agent backups
        VAL Managed PC      Linux Agent Policy      EpAgentPolicy           VAL             CMDlet (probably) deprecated for Agent backups # UNGETESTET WERTE! 
        Proxmox VE          Proxmox Backup          VmbApiPolicyTempJob     PVE             Nicht nutzbar mit Powershell via Start-VBRJob
        VMware              VMware Backup Backup    Backup                  VMware
        Hyper-V

    .EXAMPLE
        Start-VeeamJob.ps1 -JobName 
        passes F1234567-1abc-1234-ab1c-1a2345b6c78d to $JobName
        
    .NOTES
        Author  : Appoxo
        Version : 2.0
    
    .LINK
        Job-ID auslesen:
            Get-VBRComputerBackupJob | Where-Object Name -CLike "*Name*" | Select-Object -Property Id, Name
#>

[CmdletBinding()]
Param(
    [Parameter(Mandatory = $true,
    HelpMessage = "Enter Job-Name of the VBR-Job")]
    [String]
    $JobName,

    [Parameter(Mandatory = $true,
    HelpMessage = "Art des VBR-Jobs. Die Bezichnung ist NICHT canse-sensitiv!")]
    [string]
    $JobType
)

Begin {
    Write-Host "Script started successfully"
    $ExitCode = 0  

    #TimeStamp Logging:
    function Get-TimeStamp {return "{0:yy/MM/dd} {0:HH:mm:ss}" -f (Get-Date)}
    
    <#
    #Debug Values:
    $JobName = "L1 Backup Appoxo-PC2 (Games)"
    $JobType = "VAW"
    #>

    # Variablen
    $workingDir = "C:\Skripte\SkriptLogs"
    $log = "$($workingDir)\Log-StartVeeamJob.log"
    $JobDetails = Get-VBRBackup | Where-Object Name -EQ "$($JobName)"
    $timeout = 9

    # Vorbereitung
    if ($JobType -in @("VAW","VAL","VMware")){
        Write-Host "Valid backup type selected"
        $JobTypUnbestimmt = 0
    }
    else {
        Write-Host "Invalid backup type selected. Please choose something else :)"
        $ExitCode = 1
        exit $ExitCode
    }

    if (Test-Path -Path $workingDir) {
    } else {
        New-Item -ItemType Directory -Path "$workingDir"
    }

    if (-not (Test-Path -Path $log -PathType Leaf)) {
        New-Item -ItemType file -Path $log
        Add-Content -Path $log "Log zur Überprüfung der Start von VBR-Jobs"
    }
}

Process {
    Write-Host "You passed the following information:"
    $data = @([PSCustomObject]@{"Job Details"="$($JobDetails.Name)"; "Selected Job Type"="$($JobType)"})
    $data | Format-Table -AutoSize
    Write-Host "The following Job-ID was found for this job: $($JobDetails.JobId)"

    Write-Host "If there is an error please abort NOW." 
    while ($timeout -gt 0) {
        Write-Host -NoNewline "`rThe script starts in $($timeout)"
        Start-Sleep -Seconds 1
        $timeout--
    }
    Write-Host "Starting script now!"
    Write-Output "$(Get-TimeStamp) Start des Backup Job Skripts. Für den Job '$($JobDetails.Name)' wurde die Job-ID $($JobDetails.JobId) gefunden!" | Add-Content -Path $log

    try{
        $startTime = Get-Date
        Write-Host "Validating input... This may take a while"
        if((($JobType -in @("VAW","VAL"))) -AND (($JobDetails.JobType -in @("EpAgentBackup","EpAgentPolicy")))) {
            Write-Host "Valid backup type '$($JobDetails.TypeToString)' was found. Starting now!"
            Start-VBRComputerBackupJob -Job $JobName | Select-Object -OutVariable JobResult
        }
        elseif (($JobType -in @("VMware")) -AND (($JobDetails.JobType -in @("Backup")))) {
            Write-Host "Valid backup type '$($JobDetails.TypeToString)' was found. Starting now!"
            Start-VBRJob -Job $JobName | Select-Object -OutVariable JobResult
        }
        elseif (($JobType -in @("PVE")) -AND (($JobDetails.JobType -in @("VmbApiPolicyTempJob")))) {
            Write-Host "Der Job des Typs $JobType ist aktuell nicht implementiert"
            $ExitCode = 1
            exit $ExitCode
            <#
            Write-Host "Valid backup type '$($JobDetails.TypeToString)' was found. Starting now!"
            Start-VBRJob -Job $JobName | Select-Object -OutVariable JobResult
            #>
        }
        else {
            Write-Host "Invalid backup type '$($JobDetails.TypeToString)' was found. Please restart the script!"
            Write-Output "$(Get-TimeStamp) Bestimmung des Typs für den Job '$($JobDetails.Name)' nicht erfolgreich. Angegeben wurde '$($JobType)'" | Add-Content -Path $log
            $ExitCode = 1
            $JobTypUnbestimmt = 1
        }

        # Job Result report
        if(($JobTypUnbestimmt -EQ 0) -AND ($JobResult.State -EQ "Stopped") -AND ($JobResult.Result -EQ "Success")){
            Write-Host "Execution of the Job '$($JobName) was successful"
            Write-Output "$(Get-TimeStamp) Backup Job $($JobDetails.Name) erfolgreich ausgeführt" | Add-Content -Path $log
            $ExitCode = 0
        } else{
            Write-Host "Execution of the Job '$($JobName) encountered an error. Please check the VBR-Console"
            Write-Output "$(Get-TimeStamp) Fehler beim ausführen vom Backup Job '$($JobDetails.Name)'" | Add-Content -Path $log
            $ExitCode = 1
        }
        #Stats
        $endTime = Get-Date
        $executionTime = $endTime - $startTime
    } catch {
        Write-Host "Something went wrong during execution"
        Write-Host $_  # This prints the actual error
        Write-Output "$(Get-TimeStamp) Error: $($_)" | Add-Content -Path $log
        $ExitCode = 1 
    }
}

End {
    Write-Output "$(Get-TimeStamp) Skript abgeschlossen für $($JobDetails.Name) Job-ID $($JobDetails.Id)" | Add-Content -Path $log
    Write-Host "Script ended."
    $seconds = "{0:N2}" -f $executionTime.TotalSeconds
    $minutes = "{0:N2}" -f ($executionTime.TotalSeconds / 60)
    Write-Host "Time for stats! The script took $($seconds) seconds or $($minutes) minutes)"
    exit $ExitCode
}
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    Get ready to see how PowerShell can transform the way you work with Excel.
  • Azure Functions & PowerShell
    Join me as I discuss PowerShell-based Azure Functions. we will go through local Function development and testing to deploy a Function to Azure and even an Account storage queue-triggered Function that creates a Resource Group and Storage account from a queue message.

Community

Fun

  • Shorten the Code – Win cool Prizes
    Welcome to the ScriptRunner Shorten the Code Challenge! This exciting competition invites PowerShell enthusiasts to demonstrate their scripting prowess by transforming a PowerShell script into concise, efficient code.

Events

Check out psweekly.dowst.dev for all past editions as well as a searchable archive.

10
 
 

Announcements!

  • Scriptember 2024
    A month-long celebration of PowerShell and its vibrant community

Blogs, Articles, and Posts

  • New in Windows Terminal: Restore buffers, code snippets, scratchpad and regex
    Windows Terminal unveiled a range of noteworthy features in versions 1.21 and 1.22 Preview, including the capacity to retrieve previous sessions' output buffer upon startup, store code snippets for reuse within the console, and utilize a scratchpad for crafting intricate commands.
  • PowerShell: Calculate the total size of Files
    In this post I will show how to use PowerShell to calculate the total size of all files. This will be a short post but maybe a very helpful one.
  • Transferring Reusable PowerShell Objects Between Microsoft 365 Tenants
    People often need to transfer objects or code between Microsoft 365 tenants. When it comes to dealing with objects, the Microsoft Graph PowerShell SDK's ToJsonString method is very useful. The method outputs a string containing JSON content, but only for object properties that have a value. This makes the much easier to use the output as the basis for a template object or as the payload body to create an object in another tenant.
  • Get List Item Count in SharePoint Online Using PowerShell
    In organizations, SharePoint lists are essential for organizing and managing various data, from tracking tasks to managing customer information and inventory. These lists not only streamline collaboration but also ensure that data is easily accessible and well-structured.
  • Practical PowerShell Series: Part 6
    The practicalities of producing PowerShell output and generating logging are other essential scripting elements. No administrator likes to stare at a blank screen, wondering if the command just entered is functioning or not.
  • Configuring PowerShell settings using Intune or Group Policy
    Every Windows device has PowerShell installed by default. (Sadly, it's still only version 5, not version 7.) However, you want to configure the devices' security and log settings. In this blog post, I will show you how to do that using Microsoft Intune or Group Policy.
  • Taming My ADHD with Obsidian and PowerShell
    Alleviating my ADHD headaches with Obsidian. Periodic Notes and Templater extensions save the day by reminding me of the next step towards my larger goals.
  • 5 Reasons you should be using PSReadLine
    Get up to speed and use PSReadLine more often - in his first article for us, author Jeffery Hicks provides his 5 reasons why he recommends using PSReadLine.

Books, Media, and Learning Resources

  • Mastering Time in PowerShell: Measure statistical properties within time spans with PSDates [OC]
    Unlock the power of time manipulation in PowerShell with the Group-TimeSpan and Measure-TimeSpan cmdlets from the PSDates module! In this video, we'll dive deep into how you can group data by specific time spans and measure statistical properties like sum, average, maximum, and minimum within those groups. Whether you're looking to analyze logs, monitor system performance, or perform data analysis, these cmdlets offer powerful tools to streamline your workflows and enhance your data manipulation skills in PowerShell. Watch now to become a master of time-based data analysis!
  • Making Microservices with Docker and PowerShell
    The Pacific PowerShell User Group talks about making Microservices with Docker and PowerShell

Community

  • Being a Lazy Administrator with Bradley Wyatt
    In this episode of the PowerShell Podcast, I had the pleasure of chatting with Bradley Wyatt, also known as the Lazy Administrator. We explored his inspiring journey from college dropout to becoming a 5x Microsoft MVP and how he transformed his personal knowledge base into a globally recognized blog that serves as a vital resource for IT professionals. Bradley shares the lessons he’s learned along the way, his passion for automation, and the impact of his work on the PowerShell community.
  • Inside IT Automation - E11
    Bruno Buyck: Learning PowerShell with Lego

Events

  • Scriptember Live Stream Episode 1
    Scheduled for Sep 11, 2024. In this live stream, we'll talk about how to have fun with PowerShell while improving IT automation tasks and processes.

Check out psweekly.dowst.dev for all past editions as well as a searchable archive.

11
 
 

I'm excited to announce the latest update to PSDates is live on the PowerShell Gallery and GitHub.

This version introduced two powerful new functions designed to enhance data analysis capabilities in PowerShell!

  • Group-TimeSpan: This new cmdlet allows you to easily group objects by a specified time intervals. Whether you're working with logs, transactions, or any time-based data, you can now quickly organize your data into meaningful time intervals. This makes it simpler to analyze patterns, trends, and performance over time.

  • Measure-TimeSpan: This cmdlet takes the Group-TimeSpan to the next level by measuring statistical properties such as sum, average, maximum, and more within grouped time spans. It's perfect for generating detailed reports, analyzing system performance, or monitoring trends within your datasets.

It's available for installation from the PowerShell Gallery

Install-Module -Name PSDates 

PSDates on GitHub

12
 
 

Announcements!

  • PnP PowerShell Changes Its Entra ID App
    On August 21, 2024, news emerged that the PnP PowerShell module will transition from using a multi-tenant Entra ID app to a tenant-specific app. The change is scheduled for September 9, 2024, which doesn’t leave a lot of time available for developers to review, update, and test PowerShell scripts based on PnP PowerShell. Some extra warning would have been nice.
  • Windows Terminal Preview 1.22 Release
    Hello friends, we have a new Windows Terminal Preview release! Windows Terminal Preview 1.22 is a large release that contains new features such as Sixel image support (a LARGE community contribution!), Grapheme Cluster Support, the Snippets Pane, Quick Fixes in CMD, and a new Cooked Read popup in CMD to name a few!
  • PowerShell 7.5.0 preview 4 released
    Download the newest preview release of PowerShell 7.5.0

Blogs, Articles, and Posts

  • Display Markdown files in PowerShell
    Creating Markdown files is something that I do regularly, usually in Visual Studio Code or Obsidian. But when working in a Windows Terminal or a standard PowerShell prompt, it's nice to display those .md files in those, too, with all the formatting that Markdown gives you. In this blog post, I will show you how :)
  • Powershell Invoke-WebRequest Fails with SSL/TLS Secure Channel
    TLDR make sure your system time is correct in Windows & BIOS Ok, this has been well documented around the internet, and the typical answer is: Powershell Invoke-WebRequest Fails with SSL/TLS Secure Channel – Stack Overflow However today I was really annoyed because that was already built into my script
  • How to make your Windows ssh keys available to git in WSL
    A neat little trick.

Projects, Scripts, and Modules

  • Mastering Active Directory Hygiene: Automating Stale Computer Cleanup with CleanupMonster
    Have you ever looked at your Active Directory and wondered, "Why do I still have computers listed that haven't been turned on since World Cup 2016?" Yeah, we've all been there. Keeping AD clean and up-to-date is like trying to organize your garage—it’s easy to put off until it becomes a total mess.
  • Creates a PSSession that targets a scheduled task process
    Created New-ScheduledTaskSession for PowerShell that can create a PSSession for use with Invoke-Command to run PowerShell code in the context of a scheduled task process. This is a fun way to bypass NETWORK logon limitations like the Windows Update API
  • PowerShell Nerd Fonts Installer
    I recently had the chance to work on a PowerShell installer for Nerd Fonts, which includes the new Cascadia Code/Mono from the Microsoft repository.

Books, Media, and Learning Resources

  • The Best PowerShell Cheat Sheet
    Looking for a good PowerShell cheat sheet? Then you are in the right place. I have been working with PowerShell for the last 10 years. During that time I have written down the most useful cmdlets, operators, or useful commands in many places, just to remind them.
  • Everything you wanted to know about exceptions
    Error handling is just part of life when it comes to writing code.

Community

  • Be the Community: Insights and Event Log Automation with Phil Bossman
    In this episode of the PowerShell Podcast, we sit down with the newly minted Microsoft MVP, Phil Bossman, to dive into the heart of the PowerShell community and what it truly means to "be the community." We discuss the excitement building around PowerShell Saturday NC and the invaluable learning opportunities it offers. Phil shares his expertise on exploring event logs and how to harness their power for PowerShell automation, providing practical insights for both beginners and seasoned pros. Join us as we celebrate Phil's journey to becoming an MVP and gain inspiration from his dedication to the PowerShell community.
  • Inside IT Automation E10
    Guy Leech talks about his PowerShell journey, the use of AI and more.

Fun

  • Among Us
    Randomly decided to add an Among Us theme to the end of the script to tell me it's finished running :)

Events

  • Scriptember Kick-Off: Let's celebrate PowerShell!
    We are kicking off a month-long celebration of PowerShell and its vibrant community. Join our kick-off session where we talk with some awesome members of the PowerShell community. We will discuss why PowerShell is a great IT automation technology, how to learn it and how PowerShell helps IT professionals advancing their careers.

Check out psweekly.dowst.dev for all past editions as well as a searchable archive.

13
 
 

Announcements!

Blogs, Articles, and Posts

  • PDF Text to SQL Data: Using OpenAI's Structured Output with PSOpenAI
    Incredible! I just used PowerShell and OpenAI to import text from a PDF right into SQL Server 🚀 AI's usefulness is often debated but this is such a great use-case. I also see it being useful for automatically adding SharePoint document metadata and cleaning dirty data.
  • Unlock inline PowerShell capabilities to streamline Logic Apps workflows
    The new inline PowerShell action, now in preview, adds flexibility to Logic Apps by enabling users to embed PowerShell scripts directly into workflows. This feature unlocks new possibilities for complex integrations, and I'm excited to demonstrate its potential with a bank reconciliation workflow demo.
  • Find paired Azure region locations with Azure PowerShell
    In this article, you learn how to add a custom property to the Azure PowerShell Get-AzLocation cmdlet output to display the physical location for paired regions in Azure. This information isn't available by default but can help you understand the resiliency and redundancy of your Azure resources like geo-redundant storage (GRS) and other Azure services that rely on Azure Storage for replication.
  • Send email notifications about expiring Active Directory passwords with a PowerShell script
    Enforcing a policy for regular password changes is no longer recommended, as it can result in more helpdesk requests due to expired passwords, especially for VPN users, and may actually undermine security. However, timely notifications can help mitigate issues when password changes are necessary. Learn how to notify users with Group Policy or a PowerShell script.
  • Sort your local photos with Azure OpenAI and PowerShell!
    Quick short blogpost here today. I have created a PowerShell script that reads your local photos, uses Azure OpenAI to get the type/category they belong to and move them to a folder with that name. To accomplish this I am using the Azure OpenAI GPT4-o model. You can read here how you set up an … Continue reading Sort your local photos with Azure OpenAI and PowerShell!
  • PowerShell RegEx: Getting Started Guide
    PowerShell stands out as a versatile tool in scripting and automation, offering a wide array of functionalities to manage systems and process data. One PowerShell feature is the ability to use Regular Expressions (RegEx), a method for searching, matching, and manipulating strings based on specific patterns.
  • Custom Script Setting in SharePoint & OneDrive Removed
    Last week, we published a blog discussing Microsoft retiring SharePoint Add-Ins. In that blog, we briefly discussed how the Classic Mode for Custom Scripts has been affected by that change. The Custom Script setting in SharePoint and OneDrive has already been removed – the change took place in May 2024.   There is a new PowerShell command (DelayDenyAddAndCustomizePagesEnforcement) that will allow administrators to delay any changes until November of this year. Additionally, the NoScriptSite setting will be configured to True for all existing sites except for specific site templates.   How Will The Removal of Custom Script Settings Affect My Organization? 
  • My first experience trying to use the PowerShell beta module for Microsoft 365 Backup
    I use Microsoft 365 Backup for my tenant; it's a simple way to back up Exchange, OneDrive, and SharePoint data to an Azure Subscription. There was no PowerShell module to query and configure things, but that has changed because the Beta module was released three days ago. In this blog post, I will describe my first experience trying to use the new module.
  • A PowerShell function to easily retry any code
    Performing retries to make your code more resilient is a common pattern. By leveraging a PowerShell ScriptBlock, we can create a function to avoid constantly rewriting the same retry logic again and again.

...continued in comments

Check out psweekly.dowst.dev for all past editions as well as a searchable archive.

14
 
 

Blogs, Articles, and Posts

  • Unlock BitLocker drive from Windows PE with a PowerSell script
    BitLocker can pose a significant challenge when multiple PCs need to be booted from an external drive for troubleshooting. The helpdesk must manually enter the 48-digit recovery password each time. However, this process can be automated by exporting the keys and using a script.
  • Handling the Too Many Retries Error and Dealing with Odd Numbers of Audit Events
    The AuditLog Query Graph API remains in beta status but cmdlets are now available in the Microsoft Graph PowerShell SDK. This led to some oddities in results when the number of audit events found by a search didn't match those reported by the Purview compliance portal. It all worked out in the end. In other news, the Set-MgRequestContext helped sort out some retry problems.
  • Using Export-Clixml and Import-Clixml for credentials in PowerShell scripts
    Using clear-text passwords in PowerShell scripts is, of course, a bad thing to do. But sometimes, you need to use credentials in a script to connect to a server, service, etc. In this blog post, I will show you how you can use Export/Import-Clixml to do that.
  • 10 Useful Tips for Customizing SharePoint List Fields with PnP PowerShell
    Recently, I was working on building a Power Apps application that takes data sources as a SharePoint list. To avoid creating SharePoint lists and manually adding different types of columns, I wrote a PowerShell script. While adding different types of columns to the SharePoint lists
  • Confirm Domain Join during OSD
    I’ve got a small group in my TS that double checks the domain join status, then exit with an error code if the OSD process didn’t join the domain properly. Basically, I’m using PowerShell to do a couple of lookups and writing the information to variables, which I then use to trigger an exit command.
  • Get Microsoft 365 Users’ Registered MFA Methods With PowerShell
    Nowadays, security is paramount and multifactor authentication (MFA) stands as a critical line of defense in protecting sensitive information within Microsoft 365 environments. As organizations increasingly adopt to configure MFA, it becomes essential for administrators to monitor the authentication methods registered by users.

Projects, Scripts, and Modules

  • Introducing PSReminderLite
    For several years, I have been using a PowerShell module I wrote called MyTickle to help me manage my reminders and events. I spend my days at a PowerShell prompt, and I wanted an easy way to keep track of upcoming events.
  • Updated Media Tool available
    Back in 2023, I posted a Media Tool app (which uses PowerShell behind the scenes) to download Windows 10 or 11 media, for both x64 and ARM64 architectures.

Books, Media, and Learning Resources

  • How I got my Windows PowerShell Terminal looking better
    This video starts with a Windows 11 23H2 installation with the default Windows PowerShell Terminal. I'm a bit of a fan of Oh-My-ZSH + PowerLevel10k for the Linux Desktops I built for work, so my goal was to have a similar looking prompt on Windows for my PowerShell terminal. I take you step by step through the process of improving the appearance of the terminal.
  • How to get info from your vCenter
    Hey everyone! In this video, I'm diving into a game-changing PowerShell one-liner that completely simplifies how I gather vCenter information. If you've ever been frustrated by manual scripts that take too much time and effort, this is the solution you've been waiting for!

Community

  • TechMentor Highlights: Greg Altman, Mike Nelson, and James Petty Share PowerShell Wisdom
    In the latest episode of the PowerShell Podcast, we had the pleasure of interviewing Greg Altman, Mike Nelson, and James Petty. We spoke with three speakers at TechMentor in Redmond, including a special birthday guest. We covered topics such as imposter syndrome, details on the guests' talks, recommended books for starting and advancing in PowerShell, and a healthy helping of laughs throughout. Tune in for insightful conversations, valuable insights, and a few chuckles along the way!
  • Inside IT Automation l E08 l Steve Lee talks about PowerShell 7, AI, Project Mercury, DSC and more
    In this "Inside IT Automation" episode Heiko has a conversation with Steve Lee at the PSConfEU in Antwerp. They talk about the PowerShell 7, AI, Project Mercury PowerShell DSC and more. He also gives some insights into how the Microsoft PowerShell team works.

Events

  • Build a Superfast Research Assistant using PowerShell and AI
    Join me for a hands-on session where we will build a superfast research assistant using PowerShell and AI. This powerful tool leverages the latest OpenAI models using my PowerShell module PSAI to search the web, gather information, and generate comprehensive research reports in seconds.
  • Coding Rock-Solid AI Agents: PowerShell Precision
    In this session, you'll learn how to harness the PSAI PowerShell module and the newly developed PSAIAgent to create AI agents with memory, contextual knowledge, and tool integration. We’ll dive into practical steps for building these advanced agents, ensuring each one is reliable, robust, and ready for real-world application.

Check out psweekly.dowst.dev for all past editions as well as a searchable archive.

15
 
 

Blogs, Articles, and Posts

  • PowerShell: When to use Add-Type and New-Object ?
    In this blog post, I will discuss when you need to add classes with Add-Type and when you can provide classes with New-Object. I would say, let’s get started.
  • Managing DHCP Leases and Reservations with PowerShell
    In this tutorial, we'll explore how to manage DHCP leases and reservations using PowerShell. Effective lease and reservation management is crucial for maintaining a smooth-running network, preventing IP address conflicts, and ensuring that critical devices always receive the same IP address.
  • Windows device provisioning with Workspace ONE, part 2: Apps and policies
    In the first part, I got to the point where I could successfully get a device into a managed state, but that doesn’t mean the device is actually usable.
  • PowerShell: A Microsoft 365 Admin Roles Membership Report
    Manually reviewing the membership roster for each of the dozens of RBAC roles in a Microsft 365 tenant is quite
  • Creating a development Windows Sandbox using PowerShell and WinGet
    As I mentioned before, I like Windows Sandbox! However, since Windows 11 24H2, Windows Sandbox has been missing two things I often use: Notepad and Windows ISE. In this blog post, I will show you how to start Windows Sandbox and automatically install your preferred editors and tools using WinGet and PowerShell.
  • Understanding Get-EXORecipient
    This guide will provide you with the knowledge and tools you need to effectively manage your Office 365 mailbox using the Get-EXORecipient. Understanding Exchange Recipient Type Details When managing an Exchange environment, understanding the different types of recipients is crucial for effective administration. Exchange Online supports a variety of recipient types, each serving different purposes...

Projects, Scripts, and Modules

  • Azure AD Incident Response PowerShell Module
    The Azure Active Directory Incident Response PowerShell module provides a number of tools, developed by the Azure Active Directory Product Group in conjunction with the Microsoft Detection and Response Team (DART), to assist in compromise response.

Books, Media, and Learning Resources

  • Inside IT Automation l E07
    Xavier Clinquart talks about PowerShell, the PoSh community and more.
  • Build a PowerShell Menu in 5 minutes
    In this video, we break down the concept of switch statements and how they can be utilized to create an interactive menu for users. We'll start with the basics of setting up a script, defining functions, and understanding how to handle user inputs in PowerShell.

Community

  • Exploring Cybersecurity with PowerShell and John Hammond
    In this episode of the PowerShell Podcast, we sit down with renowned security researcher John Hammond. Recorded in person in Utah, we delve into John's unique insights on PowerShell and its role in cybersecurity. John shares his experiences with PowerShell attacks, discussing how it’s used in various malware and the importance of implementing security features like constrained language mode and script block logging. He highlights practical tips for making PowerShell environments more secure and emphasizes the need for continuous learning and experimenting within safe environments. We also explore how to transition into security-focused roles, with John providing valuable advice for those looking to combine their PowerShell skills with a career in cybersecurity.

Fun

Check out psweekly.dowst.dev for all past editions as well as a searchable archive.

16
 
 

Blogs, Articles, and Posts

  • The Maddening Side of the Microsoft Graph PowerShell SDK
    All software has unique quirks, and the foibles of the Microsoft Graph PowerShell SDK are well known. But it’s much harder when the underlying foundation contributes to the craziness as described in this article. Graph pagination works in a specific way and Microsoft tunes the Graph to deliver great performance by reducing the set of properties returned for objects. Both can cause concern for developers.
  • Microsoft Entra PowerShell module, successor to the Azure AD PowerShell module
    The Microsoft Entra PowerShell module is the successor to the Azure AD PowerShell module. It's designed to streamline management and automation for the Microsoft Entra product family, which includes the services formerly known as Azure Active Directory.
  • Using Switch in PowerShell
    Everyone uses If statements in their scripts: If this, then that. Or If not this, then that, multiple If, and even Elseif. But there is another option, Switch. In this blog post, I will show you how you can use Switch and make your scripts more readable in the process :)
  • Reading, Rotating, and Reporting on LAPS and BitLocker in Intune and Entra with PowerShell
    After the recent Crowdstrike Incident I've been thinking a lot about how to quickly perform LAPS and BitLocker actions against remote devices, and report on their use primarily via Microsoft Graph and Intune. I work and talk with a lot of folks in highly distributed environments (thinking of you, all of my EDU friends!).
  • Track File Activities in SharePoint Online Using PowerShell
    Users are given access to files in the organization for various purposes, such as project collaboration, documents sharing, and accessing necessary resources for their roles. Based on the permissions granted, users can perform actions on files and folders such as deletion, download, modifying, and more.
  • Find Your Most Frequently Used Terminal Commands
    Determine the most used commands in the terminal using Bash, Fish, PowerShell and Zsh with these simple one line commands.
  • OneDrive Pastejacking
    Phishing campaign exploits Microsoft OneDrive users with sophisticated social engineering, manipulating them into executing a malicious PowerShell script.

Books, Media, and Learning Resources

  • TEC 2024 PowerShell & Conditional Access Workshops
    Don't miss your chance to meet and learn from your favorite Practical 365 Authors at TEC 2024. As a proud sponsor of TEC, we are offering BOGO discounts on exclusive pre-con workshops with authors Michel De Rooij, Jaap Wesselius, and more!

Community

  • Unveiling the Power of Generative AI with Chrissy LeMaireq
    In this episode, Chrissy LeMaire discusses AI, her experience at PSConfEU, and her return to in-person speaking after a 5-year break. She provides an update on her book, "Generative AI for the IT Professional," and shares insights into leveraging AI beyond just conversing with ChatGPT. Chrissy also showcases a couple of interesting use cases involving AI.
  • Inside IT Automation l E06 l Bruno Buyck talks about PowerShell, PSConfEU and more
    In this "Inside IT Automation" episode Heiko has a conversation with Bruno Buyck at the PSConfEU in Antwerp. They talk about the PowerShell Conference, Bruno's PowerShell journey, PowerShell trainings, the Belgium PowerShell User Group and more.

Fun

Events

  • PowerShell Saturday NC
    Join us for PowerShell Saturday NC 2024, proudly brought to you by the Research Triangle PowerShell User Group! Mark your calendars for October 5th for this year’s gathering in Raleigh, NC.

Check out psweekly.dowst.dev for all past editions as well as a searchable archive.

17
 
 

Announcements!

Blogs, Articles, and Posts

  • Extract LAPS Passwords and BitLocker Keys from Active Directory
    The below PowerShell can be used to extract LAPS Passwords and BitLocker Keys from Active Directory. This was written on Friday, July 19, 2024, due to the CrowdStrike Outage. If you choose to test this PowerShell, ensure that you update the argument for the SearchBase parameter to reflect your Active Directory domain.
  • The Maddening Side of the Microsoft Graph PowerShell SDK
    All software has unique quirks, and the foibles of the Microsoft Graph PowerShell SDK are well known. But it’s much harder when the underlying foundation contributes to the craziness as described in this article. Graph pagination works in a specific way and Microsoft tunes the Graph to deliver great performance by reducing the set of properties returned for objects. Both can cause concern for developers.
  • Find orphaned GPOs via PowerShell before migrating to Intune
    Many companies have already fully transitioned to Endpoint Management Intune and no longer need GPOs (Group Policy Objects). Others are in the preparatory stages. Therefore, I would like to provide some assistance for identifying orphaned Group Policy Objects. These can be relatively easily found and, if necessary, removed using PowerShell.
  • Convert RSA XML Private Key to PEM Format with PowerShell
    Recently I was working with a particular application that used certificates to secure communication. I wanted to put the certificates into Azure KeyVault. Azure KeyVault naturally allows you to store certificates. However, it only lets you upload certificates that are in PFX (PKCS#12) or CER (DER or BASE64 encoded).… keep reading
  • PowerShell script for automated remediation for CrowdStrike issue
    I have created a Powershell script for the Crowdstrike issue for some automation purposes. you can create a WinPE ISO File to boot into and remediate the crowdstrike issue. 3. Reboot: The system should boot normally. The script: This script is designed for use in an on-premises VMware environment.

Projects, Scripts, and Modules

  • pwshBedrock v 0.9.1
    pwshBedrock enables interfacing with Amazon Bedrock foundational models, supporting direct on-demand model calls via InvokeModel and the Converse API for supported models. It allows sending messages, retrieving responses, managing message context, displaying model information, and estimating token counts and costs. Use PowerShell to integrate generative AI applications with Amazon Bedrock.
  • ChocoLogParse v 1.0.0
    Parses Chocolatey logs into easy to use objects.

Books, Media, and Learning Resources

  • Diagnose Network Latency with PowerShell and SQLite [OC]
    In this video you’ll see how you can use PowerShell to check for network latency between multiple endpoints. You’ll learn how to record those results into a SQLite database with a just few commands, and no need to create any underlying infrastructure. Finally, you’ll see how you can view the data in PowerShell to help identify where and when you are experiencing network latency issues.

Community

  • Interactive Shell Sessions and Language Models: Steven Bucher on Project Mercury
    In the latest episode of the PowerShell Podcast, we sit down with Microsoft PM Steven Bucher to dive into Project Mercury, a cutting-edge CLI tool designed to provide an interactive shell session for chatting with language models. Steven walks us through the functionalities of Project Mercury and how users can leverage this innovative tool. He also shares his approach to product management, reflecting on his growth in the role over the past couple of years. We explore the importance of empowering others and how it serves as a pivotal goal in Steven’s professional journey. Join us for an enlightening conversation that blends technical knowledge with leadership wisdom.
  • PowerShell Community Call - July 18th, 2024
    The record of the July 18, 2024 PowerShell Community Call

Check out psweekly.dowst.dev for all past editions as well as a searchable archive.

18
 
 

Blogs, Articles, and Posts

  • Upgrading the Teams and Groups Activity Report to 6.0
    The Teams and Groups activity report is a popular script that helps administrators identify inactive teams and groups within a Microsoft 365 tenant. The script code has been developed over the years. The last version converted to Graph API requests to improve performance. This time, the upgrade is to use the Microsoft Graph PowerShell SDK to make the code easier to maintain.
  • Getting Started with PowerShell and the ServiceNow API
    Unlock the power of ServiceNow's API! Learn how to set up your developer account, create an OAuth app, and make your first API call using PowerShell.
  • Install AWS CloudShell in a VPC
    Recently, AWS announced the general availability of CloudShell VPC support. This feature enables the creation of a CloudShell environment within a dedicated VPC, establishing secure connections to other resources in the same subnet. The CloudShell inherits the VPC network configuration without any additional modification. In this article, I will introduce CloudShell, explain the new VPC support, and outline how to install AWS CloudShell in a VPC.
  • Restoring the NVIDIA Control Panel and Tools after the Appx Package Change
    With the move from the Standard driver model to the DCH (Declarative Componentized Hardware) driver model implemented from GRID 15.0 (Windows driver version 527.41) and above, the NVIDIA Control Panel app is now distributed through the Microsoft Store as an Appx Package.
  • PowerShell PSDrive
    This is sometimes forgotten, the easy way of accessing or checking network drives, certificates, registry, variables, etc. In this blog post, I will show you what a PSDrive does and some examples of its use.
  • Practical Graph: Using GitHub Copilot for Microsoft 365 PowerShell Development
    GitHub Copilot costs $10/month. At that price level, anyone working with PowerShell should try out the AI assistance to see if it helps. But will GitHub Copilot work well with Microsoft 365 PowerShell modules like Exchange Online and the Microsoft Graph PowerShell SDK. That's what we tested and report on here.

Projects, Scripts, and Modules

  • UniGetUI (formerly WingetUI): GUI for winget, Chocolatey, and PowerShell Gallery
    UniGetUI, previously known as WingetUI, is a free GUI tool that lets you easily install and update software packages from various sources, such as Winget, Chocolatey, and PowerShell Gallery. Let me show you UniGetUI's features and how it can help you quickly set up a new computer with all the essential software.
  • A PowerShell Form Generator
    This article is an evolution of the previous, it regards not only the implementation of the package, but in particular a new paradigm with which the form objects are specified; the article is not intended to be an exhaustive explanation of the product, for this please refer to the attached documentation.

Books, Media, and Learning Resources

  • PowerShell 101
    Reluctant to learn PowerShell? This condensed version book targets the specific topics you need to know to be successful in a real-world production environment.
  • PSDates with Matthew Dowst
    Matthew Dowst talks about PSDates, a great module for working with [DateTime] in PowerShell

Community

  • Emrys MacInally Explores PowerShell Error Handling and Module Versioning Strategies
    In this episode, we welcome back Emrys MacInally, following another successful year speaking at PSConf.EU. Emrys shares his experiences and highlights from the conference, shedding light on key discussions and takeaways. We dive deep into the importance of mental health within the PowerShell community, exploring how the community can support each other. Emrys provides insights into best practices for versioning PowerShell modules and delves into the nuances of error handling, explaining why developers should avoid using the 'throw' statement in scripts. Additionally, Emrys introduces his ErrorRecord module, which simplifies the process of creating error records, offering a practical solution for more efficient error management. Tune in for an enlightening conversation packed with valuable tips and expert advice for PowerShell enthusiasts.
  • Navigating Corporate Giants - Jeffrey Snover and the Making of PowerShell
    What if you had to fight against your company's culture to bring a revolutionary tool to life? Meet Jeffrey Snover, the Microsoft architect behind PowerShell, a command tool that transformed Windows system administration. Initially met with skepticism, Snover's idea faced resistance from a company that favored graphical interfaces. Snover's journey began with a simple mission: to make Windows as command-line

Events

Check out psweekly.dowst.dev for all past editions as well as a searchable archive.

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Announcements!

  • The Right Way to Replace the Remove-SPOExternalUser Cmdlet
    Microsoft says they will remove the Remove-SPOExternalUser cmdlet starting July 29. They recommend using Remove-AzureADUser as a replacement. It's a bad call because that cmdlet is part of a now-retired and soon to be deprecated module. Overall, recommendations like this make you think that Microsoft doesn’t know what’s happening across the whole of Microsoft 365. And you might be right.
  • PowerShell Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability
    This one affects all Windows versions all the way back to Windows Server 2012, so be sure to get the cumulative updates installed. CVE-2024-38047 and CVE-2024-38043 are also PowerShell Elevation of Privilege Vulnerabilities included in the cumulative patches this month.

Blogs, Articles, and Posts

  • Audit Group Policy changes in the event log using XML queries and PowerShell
    Custom views in the Event Viewer allow you to filter the metadata of log entries based on various criteria. However, these filters do not assess the content of the log entry messages. To evaluate the log messages, you can extend filters using an XPath query. The examples below demonstrate how to audit Group Policy changes with XML queries, which you can further process with PowerShell.
  • Search and delete Copilot data in Microsoft 365
    Managing and deleting unnecessary Copilot data from Microsoft 365 is essential for reducing security risks and ensuring compliance with data protection laws like GDPR and HIPAA. This blog post will guide you through the steps to search for and delete Copilot data using eDiscovery, Graph Explorer, and PowerShell. Following these steps can enhance data hygiene and safeguard your organization against potential data breaches and legal issues.
  • PowerShell: Measure Objects (Count, Average, Sum …)
    The Measure-Object cmdlet counts objects. But it can do even more. We can calculate the sum, the average and much more. In this blog post I show a few examples with Measure-Object.
  • Office Connectors Retirement for Teams
    In June, Microsoft retired Office Connectors for SharePoint Online and Microsoft 365 Groups. Starting on August 15, they're retiring connectors for Teams. The problem is finding out which teams and channels have configured connectors. That's when PowerShell comes in handy, as we prove with a script to report which teams have connectors.
  • Using Pop-Location and Push-Location in PowerShell
    At PSConfEU, somebody asked me if I used Pop-Location and Push-Location. Well, I know it's there, but no. :) In this blog post, I will show you how to use it and that it might come in handy!
  • ViperSoftX malware covertly runs PowerShell using AutoIT scripting
    The latest variants of the ViperSoftX info-stealing malware use the common language runtime (CLR) to load and execute PowerShell commands within AutoIt scripts to evade detection. [...]
  • Low Space on EFI (System) Partition – Clean up
    Hey folks, this seems like a topic that keeps coming up, despite the fact I had assumed everyone was creating large EFI volumes (984MB) by now, but I keep finding folks who have 100MB and run into issues.
  • Practical PowerShell: Error Handling
    Writing PowerShell scripts can be a fulfilling task. After all, you write something to assist with a task or procedure so you can focus on the result, not the task itself. But what if your script tries to run an action and is unsuccessful, for example, when a user the script attempts to manipulate is invalid or the signed in account has insufficient permissions to run a cmdlet? And do not forget the peculiarities of the online world, such as a network connection dropping or an authentication token expiring.
  • Mediator Pattern using PowerShell
    The Mediator Design Pattern centralizes communication, reducing dependencies & improving maintainability. Instead of direct interactions, objects use a mediator.

Continued in the comments due to post character limits

Check out psweekly.dowst.dev for all past editions as well as a searchable archive.

20
 
 

Announcements!

Blogs, Articles, and Posts

  • Adding Details of Authentication Methods to the Tenant Passwords and MFA Report
    V1.2 of the User Passwords and MFA report includes the names of authentication methods registered for user accounts. V1.3 expands the amount of detail reported for each method, such as the phone number used for SMS challenges, or the email address used for SSPR. It’s a small but important detail that’s useful to administrators. However, it also comes with a potential privacy issue, so the script must handle that too.
  • Leveraging OpenAI to Enhance Pull Request Management in Azure DevOps
    Our goal is to create an automation that significantly enhances the efficiency of our development process. A service hook is triggered when a new Pull Request is created in Azure DevOps, sending a webhook to an Azure Function. This function analyzes the request body, gets all commits in the Pull Request, and sends it to Open AI’s API, which generates a Pull Request message detailing all of the proposed changes from the commits and writes it back to the Azure DevOps Pull Request.
  • Create, configure, and delete system restore points with PowerShell, vssadmin.exe, and System Properties
    System restore points allow users to roll back Windows to an earlier state if problems arise. These points capture important system files, the registry, and drivers. In addition to using the System Properties applet, you can manage system restore points with PowerShell and vssadmin.exe.
  • How to Identify MFA Deployment Source in Microsoft 365 Using PowerShell
    Have you ever felt like managing multi-factor authentication (MFA) is more of a hurdle than a security measure? Constant MFA issues can be frustrating! Here are some common MFA issues; as you read, consider how you might address these challenges.
  • Connect to the Microsoft Entra PowerShell Module
    We all know that Microsoft deprecated the Azure AD PowerShell and MSOnline PowerShell modules. So, they advise us to migrate all the scripts to the MS Graph PowerShell. But finding the equivalent cmdlets and updating the scripts can be tough. Don’t worry! Microsoft heard our struggle!
  • Using Debug and Verbose parameters in PowerShell
    It's one of those things you forget, and you can get a lot more output when running scripts that will help you find out why things are not working as you expected. This small blog post will show you how to get more verbose and debug information.
  • PowerShell: Beyond the Prompt!
    Powershell often gets overshadowed by its scripting cousin, Bash, but just like Ruby, Powershell offers a depth that goes beyond the initial impression.

Projects, Scripts, and Modules

  • PSLinux v 1.0.6
    The RedHatSatelliteSearch PowerShell module provides functions to retrieve and manage data from a RedHat Satellite server. This module allows users to specify search filters to query and fetch information about hosts and other resources managed by the Satellite server.

Books, Media, and Learning Resources

  • Counting Files with a Specific Extension Using PowerShell
    In this tutorial, we will guide you through the process of using PowerShell to count the total number of files with a specific extension within a directory and its subdirectories. This method is highly useful for system administrators and IT professionals who need to manage and analyze large volumes of files efficiently.

Community

  • From NoWayShell to PowerShell: A Coding Transformation
    In this episode, host Andrew Pla converses with coding enthusiast Josh Hendricks (@joshooaj) about his transformative PowerShell journey - a pathway that led him from avoidance to adoration. The discussion delves into the intricacies of Joshua's PSPushover and MilestonePSTools projects, developing an understanding of their creation process. Additionally, Josh recounts his captivating experience of giving a talk on "Docs" at the prestigious PowerShell Summit. This riveting dialogue remarkably encapsulates a personal journey blending skepticism, discovery, and innovation at the heart of coding.

Fun

  • TEC 2024 PowerShell Script-Off
    TEC 2024 in Dallas (October 1-2) will once again feature the TEC PowerShell Script-Off where coders attempt to come up with the best solutions for challenges set by the judges. The challenges are all Microsoft 365 scenarios (Exchange Online, Entra ID, Teams, and SharePoint Online), so there's nothing unknown about what we'll ask people to code. Come along to TEC 2024 and compete to be the best coder in town!

Check out psweekly.dowst.dev for all past editions as well as a searchable archive.

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8
PSConfEU (lemmy.world)
submitted 4 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
 
 

Is anyone else heading to Antwerp this week?

I'll be there, and I'm really looking forward to the content, the people, and the general excitement!

23
 
 

Announcements!

Blogs, Articles, and Posts

  • Using PowerShell to Post Channel Messages with Teams Workflows
    The incoming webhook connector is a popular method to post information to Teams channels, but Microsoft seems set on retiring the Office connectors. The Teams post to channel workflow when a webhook request is received seems like is a possible replacement, but it's not just a matter of switching mechanisms. Some PowerShell magic is needed to create a suitable adaptive card to post to the channel, which is exactly what we explain how to do here.
  • Working with Calendar Permissions using the Microsoft Graph PowerShell SDK
    The Set-MailboxFolderPermission cmdlet is usually used to set calendar permissions, including the permission for the default user to allow everyone in an organization to see each other’s calendars. But you can use cmdlets from the Microsoft Graph PowerShell SDK too. The Graph SDK cmdlets are faster, but not enough to warrant replacing the Exchange cmdlet in scripts. We explain why here.
  • Automate Azure DevOps Work Item Updates with Azure Functions and the Azure DevOps API
    I use Azure DevOps Boards for agile project management, allowing me to plan, track, and discuss automation and DevOps tasks. I also create reporting dashboards from the data within the work items. One such metric I report on is how much time we save when implementing a new automation.
  • How to check if an Azure Marketplace image is marked for deprecation
    How to check if an Azure Marketplace image is marked for deprecation.
  • How to Add or Remove Pinned Folders to Quick Access with PowerShell and GPO
    Windows File Explorer has a separate panel that displays a list of favorite folders and locations called Quick Access. Many users and administrators unjustly ignore this handy Windows tool
  • How to Split a String by Length in PowerShell?
    When you need to split a string by a specific length, PowerShell offers various methods to do it. This PowerShell tutorial explains various methods to split a string by length in PowerShell To split a string by length in PowerShell, you can use a loop with the Substring method to iteratively extract parts of the string
  • Using Measure-Command and Measure-Object in PowerShell
    Measuring is always a good idea for grasping things, such as how long it sometimes takes, how many objects there are in a specific directory, how much space something takes up on a hard drive, etc. In this blog post, I will show you how the Measure-Command and Measure-Object cmdlets work and how you can use them to your advantage.
  • How to disable per-user MFA using Microsoft Graph PowerShell
    Learn how to use Microsoft Graph PowerShell to disable per-user MFA in Microsoft Entra to support migration to Conditional Access.

Projects, Scripts, and Modules

  • Version 1.9 of the Microsoft 365 Licensing Report
    The Microsoft 365 Licensing Report is a popular PowerShell script that's just been updated to V1.9 with a bunch of changes to highlight different aspects such as license costs for disabled user accounts and inactive user accounts. Copious use of some very dubious color choices makes the HTML report created by the script look very nice (if you're color blind) and the new version can generate an Excel worksheet.
  • PowerShellRun v0.7.0
    In PowerShellRun v0.7.0, you can now add script blocks and script files as entries. If you are managing many PowerShell scripts, PowerShellRun will help you create a TUI script launcher.

Books, Media, and Learning Resources

  • Monitor Your Network with PowerShell [OC]
    In this video you’ll see the full process I went through to create a script to monitor up and down times for my network.
  • Managed Identity With PowerShell And Azure Automation Accounts
    Join me in creating an automation account and using managed identity to connect to Azure, ExchangeOnline and Graph in this practical powershell example where we'll discuss how to connect, how to add permissions to a service principal and also a little bonus tip on how to get an access token for graph using Az and managed identity with the Get-AzAccessToken cmdlet.

Community

  • Andrew Celebrates & Previews psconf.eu with Christian & Bjorn
    In this episode of the PowerShell Podcast, Andrew starts things off by celebrating his new Microsoft MVP. Then, we hear about all things psconf.eu and what to expect from Christian Ritter and Björn Sundling at PSConf EU. We hear some of the juicy details and key takeaways from their sessions. Then we get an update on some of their projects like PSClippy, AzDM, PSSecretScanner, and much more!

Check out psweekly.dowst.dev for all past editions as well as a searchable archive.

24
 
 

I recently created a YouTube channel where I do deep dives into creating automations with PowerShell. Instead of just publishing the solutions I take you through the entire development process.

In this video I go through creating an uptime monitor for multiple IP addresses that can ping each IP every minute. I go through the evolution of trying Test-NetConnection, then giving up and using dotnet objects for asynchronous execution. And finally, how to put that all together and get your results.

This is only my fourth video, so any and all feedback on it is welcome.

25
 
 

Enjoy an extra large edition, since I was sick last week and wasn't able to post.

Blogs, Articles, and Posts

  • Use PowerShell to deploy and access GPT-4o in Azure OpenAI Service
    The Azure OpenAI Service is a specialized offering within the broader set of Azure Cognitive Services, providing access to OpenAI's language models. The service can be accessed through REST APIs, Python SDK, and a web-based interface, Azure OpenAI Studio. In this article, you will learn how to deploy and access the GPT-4o model in Azure with PowerShell.
  • Tracking Down User Logons with PowerShell and XPath
    When working with Windows event logs, especially the Security log, there might be instances where you need to extract specific information from events.
  • How to Leverage Reusable PS Remoting Sessions in your Scripts
    PS remoting lets you execute commands remotely. Learn how to create and manage persistent sessions in this short how-to covering creating and managing sessions.
  • Microsoft 365: How to set OneDrive Quotas with PowerShell
    In this blog post I will show you how to set OneDrive quotas with PowerShell. I’d say here we go! First, let’s connect to SharePoint Online.
  • Microsoft Purview Audit Search Graph API: Retrieve audit logs from Microsoft 365 with PowerShell
    Microsoft Purview integrates with Microsoft 365 applications such as Exchange, SharePoint, OneDrive, and Teams, providing comprehensive data governance, compliance, and protection capabilities across these platforms. One of the standout components of this suite is the Audit Search Graph API, which is currently in public preview. It allows developers and administrators retrieve detailed audit logs programmatically, providing deep insights into user activities across Microsoft services. In this blog, I will explore the full potential of the Microsoft Purview Audit Search Graph API and demonstrate how to use the API through both PowerShell and HTTP methods.
  • Understanding the Clean block in PowerShell
    PowerShell, a powerful scripting language and automation framework, provides features that enhance script development and execution. Among these features is the clean block, a lesser-known yet beneficial component in PowerShell functions. This article explores the clean block, its purpose, and how to use it effectively in PowerShell scripts.
  • To Splat or Not to Splat, That’s the Question
    Splatting is an optional PowerShell technique designed to make it easier to pass parameter values for cmdlets. It’s a personal choice whether to use splatting instead of passing values to individual parameters in the command line. Although the Microsoft Graph PowerShell SDK can be a little strange at times, you can use splatting with SDK cmdlets, even with some pretty complex parameters such as those used to filter objects.
  • Export Microsoft 365 License Cost Report Using PowerShell
    Microsoft 365 offers a vast array of plans and licenses, making it easy to find the perfect fit for your business needs. But with that flexibility comes complexity. Managing Microsoft 365 licenses and the cost spent on all those licenses can lead to confusion and can be a challenge.
  • Get SharePoint Files & Folders Created by External Users Using PowerShell
    External collaboration in SharePoint Online is essential for certain projects and tasks that might involve users from external organizations. External sharing in SharePoint Online and the ability to grant them access to our resources simplifies communication and bridges the collaboration gaps.
  • PowerShell Arrays
    You probably use it all the time in your scripts, but how do they work? In this blog post, I will show some simple examples of what you can do with them :)
  • Experimenting with PowerShell Batching and Parallel Execution
    PowerShell Parallel Processing is a mechanism to speed the processing of large quantities of data. In this example, we discuss how to use parallel batches to fetch Entra ID account information using mailbox data to drive information retrieval. Although this is only a demonstration of a technique, it might help those who must process thousands of mailboxes or accounts and would like to do so more quickly.

Continued in the comments, due to size limits...

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