"Since 1986, SAPIEN Technologies has produced information technology and software solutions that make a difference. Today, we're focused on making scripting easier, through a best-in-class suite of solutions that include software, training, publishing, and community."

Recently I've had the pleasure of diving into each facet of their suite and I agree with the "best-in-class" definition. The material I reviewed easily steps you through the beginning, intermediate, and advanced stages required to becoming a PowerShell guru. Here is the the material I reviewed for this article:

Software

• PrimalScript 2007 Enterprise

Training

• (DVD) ScriptingAnswers.com University – Windows Powershell Fundamental
• (DVD) ScriptingAnswers.com University – Windows Powershell Intermediate
• (DVD) ScriptingAnswers.com University – Windows Powershell Advanced

Publishing

• Windows PowerShell TFM – 2nd Edition (Jones – Hicks)

Community

• ScriptingAnswers.com

Reviews:
Windows PowerShell TFM 2nd Edition

When I cracked open TFM for the first time and looked at the table of contents I thought, how did they cram a beginner-to-intermediate-to-advanced book into 500+ pages? After reading through the chapters it made perfect sense, cut out the fat and the fluff and get right at the heart of the subject. It's 44 chapters in just over 500 pages (not counting the intro). That works out to an average of 12 pages per subject. What you're not going to get is a ton of pretty color picture or authors running off on a tangent about how they went on a fishing trip and caught the biggest fish out of the Ohio river. But not to worry the subject matter is neither dry nor too boring, after all the title is humorous. T.F.M. -The Foremost Manual? Maybe for the sensors but you and I know what the acronym really means.

The fundamental sections of the book step you the beginning stages of learning PowerShell. You will find much of the same subject matter that you find in the tutorial section of this site. However, TFM exposes us to intermediate and advanced techniques most beginning PowerShell books omit. Not only will TFM show you the basics but will teach you about:

• .NET Framework: An overview for PowerShell users and for Windows Administrators
• Regular expressions
• Scope
• XML
• Creating Custom Objects
• Object Serialization
• Creating Custom Formats
• Working with Databases
• Windows Forms
• Working with the Web
• Creating PowerShell Cmdlets and Snap-Ins

DVD Series from SciptingAnswers.com

Don Jones truly comes across as a person genuinely enthusiastic about the subject he is teaching. You don't get that sales pitch type tone with Don. He knows how important it is for Windows Administrators to learn PowerShell and he wants you to be successful. The DVDs and the Labs contained on the media make it easy to comprehend and master each subject. The DVD series is for the self-paced student and is a good cost alternative to SPAIEN's online and live classroom training.

DVD content:

Beginning series – (Cmdlets, Pipeline, Security, WMI, Filtering and Operators, AD, Formatting, Scope, and more)

Intermediate series -  (Advanced Filtering, Leveraging Objects, Error Trapping and Handling, Debugging, Regular Expressions, Advanced Modularization, and Saving and Exporting Objects)

Advanced series – (Working with Databases, Custom Format Views, Custom Type Extensions, Windows forms, and Advanced Techniques)

Each DVD in the series contains a Lab Guide, Samples and Answers, and other links and tools useful in the learning process. Each DVD runs about $89.00 and are available at ScriptingOutpost.com

My Conclusion and Recommendation

The material is top notch and affordable for individuals who are learning PowerShell. For those on a budget I would recommend purchasing the book first. If you can swing $89.00 for each DVD they are a great accompaniment to TFM. The book and DVDs really go hand-in-hand.

If your IT training budget can accommodate and/or money is no object, check out the online and live classroom training offered by SAPIEN. Online training runs about $1,000 and classroom training $2,000. Click here for more information.

A note of interest: With the release of PowerShell v2.0 looming, you can get a jump start learning the cmdlets and features of the new release. SAPIEN has made Windows PowerShell v2.0 TFM 3rd Edition available as an eBook download.There is a choice to download a sample which provides the information covered in the table of contents.

Introducing the PowerShell book you have been waiting for: Windows PowerShell Professional. I bought this book for one reason and one reason only! Chapter 14 – Working with .NET. The chapter was everything I though it would be. The .NET Framework is so vast, even the author agrees, that it is better to teach a man to fish… That is exactly what Andrew Watt does. For example, tools like WMI CIM Studio allows us to find and utilize WMI Classes, Properties, and Methods. He explains how we can utilize .NET Framework SDK and Visual Studio to locate and work with the .NET classes. He provides simple examples and explanations working with properties and methods of a .NET class.

I’ve only gone through chapter 14 as of the post. I was just so excited about what I had read that I wanted to share the information with all of you, ASAP!!! If you are familiar with the Wrox series of books, usually you will see two version types; Beginning or Professional. Most of the Professional series books assume that you have either prior experience or have read the Beginning series as a prerequisite. Even though this is a Professional series book on PowerShell, don’t let the name fool you. In the introduction the author even points this out and states, “I don’t assume that you have any previous experience using PowerShell…” The books starts out with the basics and moves on to more advanced topics.

Windows PowerShell Professional has a great introduction on how to use .NET objects. It is also well written easy to understand reference for learning PowerShell.

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Word to the wise… This is a programmers book and all the code is written in C#. Prerequisite: Good knowledge of both PowerShell and C# programming language. 

From the Back Cover

Professional Windows PowerShell Programming

Snap-ins, Cmdlets, Hosts, and Providers

Providing you with the programmer's approach to understanding Windows PowerShell, this book introduces you to the concepts, components, and development techniques for building software packages that leverage the power of PowerShell. This author team of PowerShell experts shows you how PowerShell makes writing code easy by providing a runtime engine with its own parser, and you'll see how PowerShell offers functionality that enables you to add custom formatting when objects are displayed.

You'll find out how PowerShell's robust SDK allows you to take advantage of PowerShell within your own applications. Plus, you'll discover that with PowerShell, all of the .NET Framework objects become accessible via scripting, making PowerShell a very powerful addition to your toolbox and a popular choice for future development. Once you begin performing the tasks associated with writing command-line utilities, you'll quickly learn how PowerShell permits you to direct your attention to the business logic of your applications.

What you will learn from this book

• How to create a PowerShell snap-in

• Writing your own custom cmdlets

• Creating custom providers

• Calling to the PowerShell execution engine

• Implementing a host user interface

• Extending types and formatting

Who this book is for

This book is for developers and programmers who want to extend the functionality of Windows PowerShell technologies and extend their applications by using PowerShell.

Wrox Professional guides are planned and written by working programmers to meet the real-world needs of programmers, developers, and IT professionals. Focused and relevant, they address the issues technology professionals face every day. They provide examples, practical solutions, and expert education in new technologies, all designed to help programmers do a better job.

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A new PowerShell book from another member of the PowerShell developer team. I can't wait to read this one, the O'REILLY books have always been top-notch. "Windows NT In A Nutshell" by -Eric Pearce was my first exposure to the "Animal" books. Lee Holmes's PowerShell book is due for release October 15th 2007, so look for it. Once I get my copy and read through it, I'll post a review. Here is an overview of the book taken (verbatim) from the O'REILLY web-site:

Written by Microsoft PowerShell team developer and blogger Lee Holmes (www.leeholmes.com/blog/), this book is a complete Windows PowerShell language learning resource as well as a tool for day-to-day administration. Not only will you learn the essentials of the PowerShell scripting language and environment, you'll find nearly 250 tested scripts that you can use to automate an impressive variety of tasks. Windows PowerShell: The Definitive Guide is ideal for those who administer Exchange 2007 and Microsoft Operations Manager (MOM) v3, the two major Microsoft server products whose management interfaces will be the first to use PowerShell. Exchange and MOM are featured in many examples that introduce the functionality of the language, and are covered by chapters that contain complete solutions. All Windows administrators will appreciate the appendices that include a PowerShell language quick reference, tables of registry keys, and a reference to the .NET, WMI and COM objects that PowerShell scripters will use most often. As you learn PowerShell, the book also provides tools you can use right away to administer Windows systems. There are scripts for automating everything from working with files, event logs and other forms of structured data to managing the users and resources of complex Windows networks. Although this book is still in progress, you can still get going with PowerShell through our Rough Cuts version, which gives you online and PDF access to this guide as it evolves. Topics include:

• Fundamentals — you will learn about pipelines, variables, objects, looping and flow control, strings and unstructured text, calculations and math.
• Common tasks — covers simple files; structured files; Internet-enabled scripts; code reuse; lists, arrays and hashtables; user feedback; error management; environmental awareness; script signing; and more         
• Administrator tasks — includes files and directories, registry manipulation, comparing data, event logs, process cmdlets, service cmdlets, Active Directory, enterprise computer management, and more.

With tutorials, scripts and references all in one volume, Windows PowerShell: The Definitive Guide will turbocharge the productivity of any Windows administrator.

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Microsoft Windows PowerShell Programming – for the absolute beginner by Jerry Lee Ford, JR. There are a number of you whom are just starting-out learning PowerShell, first-off congratulations on that! What Jerry has cleverly done is to write a PowerShell book that makes the process of learning PowerShell fun!

Some tech books and manuals literally bore you to tears, not this one. Jerry teaches PowerShell through the technique of building computer games. If terms like; objects, variables, arrays, hashes, conditional logic, loops, functions, and debugging are foreign to you, you will want to crack open the pages of this PowerShell book. Personally, I learn more by doing not just reading. The examples in this book quickly and easily assist in the understanding of PowerShell terms and concepts.

This PowerShell book teaches the basic fundamentals of PowerShell scripting and programming. Jerry exposes the more creative and playful side of PowerShell and gives us an insight to how versatile PowerShell really is. In this PowerShell book each chapter is a new project, a game building exercise that develops your skills:

• Knock, Knock… Who’s there? – Introducing Windows PowerShell.
• The Three Amigos – Interacting with the command line.
• Fortune Teller – Object-Base Scripting with .NET.
• Trivia – Working with variables, arrays, and hashes.
• Guess My Number – Conditional logic.
• Rock, Paper, Scissors – Using loops.
• Hangman – Using functions.
• Tic-Tac-Toe – Working with files and folders.
• Blackjack – Basic Systems Administration.

Who should read this book: I think the title says it all, “for the absolute beginner, No Experience Required.” If PowerShell and Scripting Languages are new to you, this PowerShell book will be a tremendous help. Why? Most importantly, you won’t get bored. Secondly, you will build a solid understanding of the fundamentals required for making the next step in your PowerShell training.

If you own a copy of this PowerShell book, what has been your experience?

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Windows PowerShell in Action by Bruce Payette. This was the first PowerShell book I purchased, it might have been my last… It is really that good! The amount of information Bruce shares, categorizes this book as a "permanent reference" in any systems administrator or developers tool bag. Windows PowerShell in Action has set the standard in which all PowerShell books will be judged.

For those who don't know, Bruce Payette is one of the lead designers of the PowerShell language. Which was the deciding factor for the reason I purchased this PowerShell book. While reading his book, you really get a sense of his passion for the design and usability of PowerShell. Bruce covers a lot of information in detail, but as he quotes the hitchhikers guide to the galaxy- "Don't Panic." This information has been well constructed, well thought-out, and presented into two segments: Part 1. Learning PowerShell and Part 2. Using PowerShell. I almost forgot… of course there are admin examples in the appendix section. Here is a list of topics Bruce covers:

Part 1. Learning PowerShell

• Welcome to PowerShell – the what, where, and why PowerShell was created.
• The basic – concepts, terminology, how PowerShell works, commands, and formatting.
• Working with types – type management, basic types, literals, and conversion.
• Operator and expressions – arithmetic, assignment, comparison, pattern matching, logical, and bitwise operators.
• Advanced operators and variables – unary, grouping, subexpressions, arrays, properties, methods, redirection, and variables.
• Flow control in scripts – loops, switches, and flow control using cmdlets.
• Functions and Scripts – basics, parameters, returning values, functions in a pipeline, and managing functions.
• Scriptblocks and objects – building objects, type-system plumbing, type extension, and building code at runtime.
• Errors, exceptions, and script debugging – error handling, troubleshooting errors, debugging, tracing, and the PowerShell event log.

 Part 2. Using PowerShell

• Processing text, files, and XML – using System.String, regular expressions, PSDrives, and XML objects.
• Getting fancy- .NET and WinForms.
• Windows objects: COM and WMI.
• Security, Security, Security – security modeling, securing the environment, signing scripts, and writing secure scripts.

So, who was this PowerShell book written for? According to Bruce "for anyone who wants to learn PowerShell and use it well." I have to agree with him, I believe that this is a "must have" for those learning and using PowerShell. If you are just starting out, be aware that the learning process takes time and can get frustrating. You should have seen my frustration level when learning about regular expressions. Windows PowerShell in Action is not a recipe book, it's not PowerShell for dummies, you will be exposed to concepts that may go over your head and that's o.k. I consider myself an expert in VBScript and I'm on my second reading of this PowerShell book. In fact, it never leaves my side as I am constantly pulling if off the shelf for reference and troubleshooting my scripts.

My conclusion: "Windows PowerShell in Action" should be within arms reach at all times. As quoted on the back of the book, Bruce is a "walking encyclopedia" who has graciously shared his knowledge with the rest of us. My recommendation is that everyone should have a copy of this PowerShell book. Those who have been working with scripting languages and programming will have no trouble coming up to speed. For those without scripting or programming backgrounds, there is a lot to sink you teeth into… just take your time. PowerShell wasn't built in a day.

If you who have a copy of "Windows PowerShell in Action," what is your opinion of Bruce's PowerShell book? I'm sure we would all enjoy reading your comments…

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