pwshguy

Announcements!

• Introducing the Microsoft Entra PowerShell module
  Microsoft Entra PowerShell is a new scenario-focused PowerShell module for the Microsoft Entra product family.

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.

Announcements!

• Deprecation of MSOnline
  Just a reminder that MSOnline versions prior to v1.1.166.0 will stop working in 1 week.
• v7.4.3 Release of PowerShell
  Come get the latest and greatest
• v7.2.21 Release of PowerShell
  Get the latest LTS release

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.

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.

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...

Announcements!

• Celebrate the life of VBScript
  Microsoft announced more of the timeline for VBScript this past week: Windows 11 24H2 makes it a removable “feature on demand” (FOD), and sometime in 2027 is expected to be turned off
• v7.5.0-preview.3 Release of PowerShell
  Come see what's new and upcoming in PowerShell 7.5

Blogs, Articles, and Posts

• PowerShell Tool-Building 101: Building a Computer Inventory Report
  Join me on an exciting journey as we build a powerful PowerShell tool for generating computer inventory reports! From CSV files to CIM queries and error handling, we'll walk you through each step as we go. Let's script our way to success!
• Deploy Windows 11 with the free PowerShell framework OSDCloud
  OSDCloud is a free PowerShell framework for deploying Windows 10 and Windows 11. The tool provides simple methods for adding drivers and configuring settings in an image. After booting from a customized WinPE, either the OSDCloudGUI or an automated script initiates the installation.
• Practical PowerShell Series: Part 4 Branching
  In my previous article in the Practical PowerShell series, I discussed looping as part of flow control. In this article, I cover another essential part of flow control: branching. Branching defines multiple paths for your code to follow, depending on conditions.
• Querying DNS Records with PowerShell
  In this blog post explore how you can use PowerShell to query DNS records.
• A simple PowerShell script template I use when creating new scripts
  I spin up new PowerShell scripts all the time, whether just for quickly experimenting and testing things out, or for projects that I know will be around for a while. There’s a few basic things that I like all my scripts to have, so I’ve created a simple template that I use when creating new scripts.
• Working with Teams Messaging Using the Microsoft Graph PowerShell SDK
  This article describes how to use the Microsoft Graph PowerShell SDK to interact with Teams messaging to create new one-to-one and group chats and post messages to chats and channel conversations.

Projects, Scripts, and Modules

• DependencySearch v 1.1.7
  Module contains functions that allows you to check for PowerShell code/script/module dependencies through static code analysis (AST).
• MSIdentityTools PowerShell Module 2.0.58 released
  Just a few Hours ago, Microsoft has released a new Version of MSIdentityTools PowerShell Module

Books, Media, and Learning Resources

• PowerShell Scripting and Toolmaking
  Several years ago Don Jones and I wrote what we hoped would be the definitive book on PowerShell scripting and toolmaking. The book takes all off our years of experience, not only from writing PowerShell code, to teaching and conference presentations where we hear first hand what people struggle with.
• Frontend PowerShell with Google Forms: Part 2 Replying with Gmail
  [OC] Learn how to integrate Gmail into your scripts to send automated email responses. You’ll also learn how to make your automations more flexible by accounting for things like hitting grid limits in Google Sheets.

Community

• Inside IT Automation | E04 | Erwin van Hunen talks about PnP PowerShell, MS Graph, music and more
  Erwin is the 'Father' of PnP PowerShell, an open source PowerShell module that is used millions of times everyday worldwide to perform automated tasks towards Office 365 and SharePoint. He is also a Microsoft MVP and well-known public speaker, and technology evangelist. As Chief Technolgy Officer he shapped products and services at Valo, Staffbase and Rencore. Currently he is Head of Product at MondayCoffee.
• PowerShell on Linux and Beyond with Steven Judd
  In this celebration-themed episode of the PowerShell Podcast, Steven Judd makes his long-awaited return. We announce the first PowerShell Podcast MVP winner. We share tips about regex and URL encoding and dive deep into PowerShell on Linux, CloudShell, and becoming a lifelong learner. All this and more!

Events

• DFWSMUG MMS Review and National Peanut Butter Cookie Day - June Meetup
  June 12th 2024 at Microsoft MTC in Las Colinas. In-person only event.

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

Blogs, Articles, and Posts

• Upload a PowerShell Script to Intune (With PowerShell) From Scratch
  Automate deploying PowerShell scripts to Intune devices with Azure app registration, Graph API, and more in this step-by-step tutorial.
• Remove store apps from a Windows image
  In professional environments, most store apps delivered with Windows are of little value, prompting admins to remove them from the image before deployment. However, you should avoid indiscriminately deleting them, as some system-relevant apps may be among them. PowerShell can be used to remove the crapware selectively.
• Find the Teams Meetings Attended by a Specific User Using PowerShell
  Ever wondered how much time your team members spend in Teams meetings? Or perhaps you’re tasked with analyzing an individual’s meeting activity within Teams. Look no further! In this blog, we’ll explore the methods to obtain user-specific Teams meeting reports. Here, we’ll also introduce a crafted PowerShell script that simplifies the process…
• Parameters for PowerShell Scripts and Functions
  Using parameters for your Scripts and Functions is very powerful. You don't have to hardcode things in them, making running them from a command line easier. This blog post will show you the parameters I use in most of my scripts and how they work.
• Use the Azure OpenAI GPT-4o (all-in-one-model) with PowerShell!
  On May 13th GPT-4o was released in preview in the Azure OpenAI Playground. No API access, only accessible in the browser. Today I was going into the playground to test something with the GPT-4o model, but could not find it. What had happened? Turnes out it suddenly was in GA and available to choose under … Continue reading Use the Azure OpenAI GPT-4o (all-in-one-model) with PowerShell!
• Automating PowerShell tasks with Container App Jobs
  I previously wrote about Automating maintenance tasks with Azure Functions and PowerShell. That combo has been my go-to solution for many automation tasks.
• A Powershell GUI using DotNet Windows.Forms to start AWS Lambda Functions and display their output
  A Powershell GUI using DotNet Windows.Forms to start AWS Lambda Functions and display their output - powershell-gui-aws-lambda-start-functions.ps1

Projects, Scripts, and Modules

• WinGet.CommandNotFound
  We are pleased to announce the release of WinGet.CommandNotFound! This PowerShell module is a feedback provider plugin for PowerShell that leverages the Windows Package Manager to provide suggestions for packages to install when a native command cannot be found. The command-line predictor feature in PowerShell enables this module to display WinGet packages as predictive suggestions.
• Keep Microsoft Teams status Available instead of away using PowerShell
  It is one of the things I hear my colleagues, and even my girlfriend, mention regularly... Why does Microsoft Teams think I'm away while I'm not / My PC isn't locked yet... I read a few solutions, setting your status duration to a date in the future, etc... Didn't work :( What does work is running my simple PowerShell scripts, which I will show you in this blog post :)
• ps-arch-wsl v 0.1.1
  Install Arch Linux on Windows the easy way.
• Posh-ACME v 4.23.1
  ACME protocol client for obtaining certificates using Let's Encrypt (or other ACME compliant CA)
• dbatools.ai v 1.0
  dbatools.ai is a copilot for SQL Server databases

Books, Media, and Learning Resources

• Frontend PowerShell with Google Forms: Part 1 Getting your data
  [OC] Learn how to get data from a Google Form into PowerShell, by building a repeatable and reusable automation you can use to with any form.
• The PowerShell Practice Primer
  A collection of over 100 PowerShell learning exercises targeted for beginners developed by PowerShell MVP and veteran teacher Jeff Hicks.

Community

• PowerShell on the road at MMS-MOA with Sven De Groote and Chris Thomas
  On this episode of the PowerShell Podcast, Andrew is back on the road, attending the MMS 2024 at MOA conference. Andrew catches up with Sven De Groote and Chris Thomas. Andrew and Sven take a dive into the PSAppDeployToolkit. Later in the episode, Andrew and Chris chat about PSADT, Chris’ PowerShell journey, his talk at MMS-MOA, and more.

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

Announcements!

• PowerShell + DevOps Global Summit 2024
  Come check out all of the recorded sessions from this years summit.

Blogs, Articles, and Posts

• PowerShell Testing Mastery with Data-Driven Pester
  I’ve been using Pester for a long time off and on. I’ve always been obsessed with ensuring reliability in my PowerShell code. After writing the Pester Book and mentioning some of the methodologies I used with Pester v4 I’ll present in this blog post, I’ve since learned Pester v5 makes my work so much easier.
• PowerShell Basics: Navigating CSV Files
  In this tutorial, we're diving into the essentials of handling CSV files using PowerShell, covering a variety of scenarios you might encounter in the real world. This guide will help sysadmins and IT professionals manage data effectively, demonstrating the power and flexibility of PowerShell in working with different types of CSV files.
• Hyper-V: Enabling VM Resource Metering
  It is a good idea to monitor your Hyper-V VMs to get an overview of where resources are being consumed.
• Check Windows 11 Hardware Readiness with PowerShell Script
  In this article, we’ll look at how to use the official Microsoft HardwareReadiness.ps1 PowerShell script to perform a bulk Windows 11 hardware compatibility check on domain computers.
• Deprecated PowerShell Modules and Azure AD Graph retirement
  You created a script or function a while back that people in the company use a lot, and suddenly... They come to you telling you that it doesn't work anymore. :( The module you used has become deprecated, cmdlets don't all work anymore, etc. In this blog post, I will show the three most prominent modules that have become deprecated and where you can find good information about the successor to adjust your scripts.
• Configure ‘Allow logon locally’ automatically using PowerShell and Microsoft Intune
  I know Microsoft Intune has the ability to configure this particular user rights assignment natively already. At time of writing, the new security baseline for Windows 11 23H2 in Intune configure this as well, restricting local logons to the built-in groups: Users and Administrators. This solution does something else. This solution grabs the currently logged on user and configures the ‘Allow logon locally‘ policy to ONLY allow this very user as well as Administrators to be able to log on locally.

Projects, Scripts, and Modules

• Detecting Windows Terminal with PowerShell
  In the evolving landscape of software development and system administration, understanding your environment is essential for ensuring that scripts and commands run as expected. One useful PowerShell function that helps identify whether a script is running within Windows Terminal is my Test-IsWindowsTerminal function. This function is valuable for developers and system administrators who must tailor their scripts based on the terminal environment.
• PowerShell Script to Check Active Directory Member Servers for Automatic Services’ Status
  I’ve been caught by an automatic service not starting after system reboots from things like patching.
• Find your IPv4 and IPv6 addresses
  A PowerShell function to display the current IPv4 and IPv6 addresses of the machine. Useful to include in $PROFILE

Community

• For the love of PowerShell and Curling with Frank Lesniak
  In this special MMSMOA episode of the PowerShell Podcast, Andrew is joined by Frank Lesniak. We touch base after PowerShell Summit, hear about tracking airplanes with ADS-B and raspberry pi's. Frank talks about classes and how they almost caused him to fall out of love with PowerShell. We also recount what most be the most brutal display of athleticism, curling.

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

Announcements!

• Windows Terminal Preview 1.21 Release
  Windows Terminal is back with another preview release! Windows Terminal Preview 1.21 introduces long-awaited features like Buffer Restore and fontfall back as well as new experimental features like Scratchpad and the ability to load up an image as a texture. There’s also a LOT MORE stuff so check out the rest of this blog post to learn more!

Blogs, Articles, and Posts

• Upload a file to Connectwise and Attach it to a Service Ticket with PowerShell
  I have recently been automating a lot within Connectwise PSA. One of the items I set out to do is to upload a file and attach it to a service ticket. This led me to the following article, but after doing some testing, I found that some file types were not properly rendering on the Connectwise side, making me believe there was something wrong with the encoding.
• More Microsoft Graph PowerShell SDK Problems
  Some problems emerged in V2.17 and V2.18 of the Microsoft Graph PowerShell SDK. In one case, Microsoft changed cmdlet names. In another, it's an identity issue caused by incompatible assemblies. In both cases, questions have to be asked about the level of testing done by Microsoft before they release a new module. Bugs do happen, but testing should catch the obvious problems.
• Using $using in PowerShell for local variables in remote sessions
  When running scripts that connect to remote systems using Invoke-Command, you can use your local variables in the remote session which makes things a lot easier. In this blog post, I will show you how :)
• Read, Modify, and Parse JSON File (Object) with PowerShell
  JSON is a popular text-based format for representing and transmitting structured data based on JavaScript object syntax. There are two cmdlets in PowerShell that allow you to work with the…
• Report SharePoint Online Files Using the Microsoft Graph PowerShell SDK
  This article describes creating a SharePoint Online files report using the Microsoft Graph PowerShell SDK. While keeping digital debris online might have been unimportant in the past, it's something that can wreak havoc in the era of generative AI when tools like Copilot for Microsoft 365 are happy to consume obsolete and inaccurate material.
• Get-FileHash of 100G files
  An interesting thread on reading file hashes.
• Finding the specific day of the month with PowerShell
  Advanced usage of PowerShell's Get-Date function for finding dates

Projects, Scripts, and Modules

• Microsoft 365 Tenant-to-Tenant Migration Assessment Version 2
  In this blog, Sean Mcavinue reviews an update to his original Tenant-to-Tenant Migration Assessment, which is designed to gather key data to consider during the migration planning process.
• Maester v 0.0.127
  Pester based test automation framework to monitor your Microsoft 365 security configuration.
• AutomateNOW v 1.0.18
  Interact with the API of an AutomateNOW! instance

Books, Media, and Learning Resources

• Pick Up The PowerShell Practice Primer
  I've updated The PowerShell Practice Primer with even more PowerShell 7 content. Now over 120 challenges to test your skill and knowledge.

Community

• PowerShell Perspectives: Ryan Lancial on Company Culture and Authentic Careers
  In this episode of the PowerShell Podcast, I'm joined by Ryan Lancial - Security Engineer at Red Canary. We talk about our shared history, his journey to security, what makes a good company culture, succeeding with no degree, the value of authenticity, and more!

Fun

• PixelPoSH
  PixelPoSH is a PowerShell module that generates customizable graphical backgrounds using System.Drawing in .NET. This tool allows users to create images with various graphical patterns like bubbles, concentric circles, stripes, and squares. It's perfect for quickly generating backgrounds for desktops, websites, or any project that could use a splash of color and creativity.

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

Blogs, Articles, and Posts

• Encrypting secrets locally
  Keeping security folks happy (or less upset which is the best we can hope for)
• Partition Windows drive in WinPE using PowerShell
  An essential step towards automating the Windows setup process is replacing the system drive's interactive partitioning with a script. Microsoft's examples for this purpose rely on batch files and Diskpart. However, installing PowerShell in Windows PE allows for a much more elegant solution.
• Your Go-To PowerShell Template for HTTP-Triggered Azure Functions
  Struggling with messy Azure Functions PowerShell code? Learn how to adapt your scripts for serverless, validate HTTP parameters, throw descriptive errors, and bind PowerShell output to HTTP responses for robust web-friendly functions.
• Removing Outlook Add-ins From Mailboxes with PowerShell
  The Share to Teams Outlook add-in posts an email to a Teams chat or channel conversation. I was asked how to disable the add-in for some mailboxes. Here's how to do the job using PowerShell to find a set of target mailboxes and then turn off Send to Teams for each mailbox.
• New PowerShell Command Parameters in ConfigMgr 2403
  Here is a list of the Configuration Manager (SCCM) PowerShell module changes in version 2403. So far only the Save-CMSoftwareUpdate changes has been documented, but I have found a few more changes when poking around in the 2403 PowerShell module. Here is a list of the Configuration Manager (SCCM) PowerShell module changes in version 2403.
• The only PowerShell Command you will ever need to find out who did what in Active Directory
  While the title of this blog may be a bit exaggeration, the command I'm trying to show here does it's best to deliver on the promise. What you're about to witness here is something I've worked on for a while now, and it meets my basic needs. If you don't have SIEM product or products that monitor who does what in Active Directory this command makes it very easy, even for people who don't have much experience in reading Event Logs. If you'd like to learn about working with Windows Event Logs here's a great article I wrote recently - PowerShell - Everything you wanted to know about Event Logs and then some.
• PowerShell: the object-oriented shell you didn’t know you needed
  PowerShell is an interactive shell and scripting language from Microsoft. It’s object-oriented — and that’s not just a buzzword, that’s a big difference to how the standard Unix shells work. And it is actually usable as an interactive shell.

Projects, Scripts, and Modules

• Report on Non-Compliant Intune devices
  I received a question on the Microsoft Tech Community forum regarding creating a report about non-compliant Intune devices. The report should give insight into what device has what issue with which setting; the person asking the question was already working on a Microsoft Graph script but couldn't find a suitable way. In this blog post, I will show how to create this report. There are other scripts out there, but I always like a challenge (And Microsoft Graph can be quite a challenge sometimes ;) )
• PSMake
  PSMake is an all-in-one project management and lifecycle toolset for PowerShell.
• 365Automatedlab V2.10.1 Released!
  I know I said every 2 weeks, but I lied. I wanted to get this out! It is now possible to add a manager when creating a new user. Also added a feature so that when you use the parameter -UseDevelope…

Books, Media, and Learning Resources

• Pick Up The PowerShell Practice Primer
  A number of years ago, I published book on Leanpub, designed to help you teach yourself PowerShell. After you get through the first Month of Lunches book, what do you do next? The best way to learn PowerShell is to do it. But it might be challending trying to figure out what to do. I...
• Practical PowerShell: Flow Control
  “Control, Control, You Must Learn Control.” I rarely quote Yoda’s wisdom in articles, but this is an exception. After discussing advanced functions in the second Practical PowerShell article, the other important scripting skill to master is using the flow control cmdlets. These cmdlets are not just theoretical concepts; they are practical assets that can significantly enhance your PowerShell scripts.

Community

• The PowerShell & Global DevOps Summit 2024 Bar session 4
  In this episode, we have 2 interviews: Danny Stutz and Carrie Cargil. We start things off chatting with Danny and hearing about his first time speaking at Summit and how his career has gone. He shares some of his keys to success and he is someone to keep your eye out for.
• Inside IT Automation E03
  Matthew Dowst talks about PowerShell, Python, writing books and more

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

Blogs, Articles, and Posts

• Removing Licenses from Entra ID Accounts When a Replacement License Exists
  License management is a core competence for Microsoft 365 tenant administrators. This article explains how to use PowerShell to remove licenses from accounts when an equivalent service plan is available from another license. It's the kind of fix-up operation that tenant administrators need to do on an ongoing basis.
• Sending Urgent Teams Chats with PowerShell
  A reader asked if it is possible to script sending chat messages. In this article, we explore how to compose and send Teams urgent messages to a set of recipients using Microsoft Graph PowerShell SDK cmdlets. The conversation with each recipient is a one-to-one chat that Teams either creates from scratch or reuses (if a suitable one-on-one chat exists).
• Azure AD: How to set Maximum Devices per User
  The default value of the maximum number of devices per user in Azure AD is 50 devices. That is a lot. If you want to restrict the number of devices then you came to the right place.
• Configuring NTFS Permissions using PowerShell
  Here are some quick examples on configuring NTFS permissions using PowerShell. The first example is using the takeown.exe and icacls.exe commands driven by PowerShell, and the second example is using the takeown.exe and native Get-Acl and Set-Acl PowerShell cmdlets. Credits: Thanks to Gary Blok for showing me the Get-Acl and Set-Acl PowerShell cmdlets.
• How to Automatically Update Apps in Intune with Dynamic Win32 App Deployment  
  Greetings, fellow IT admins! Repackaging setup files and editing your Win32 app again can be tedious and time-consuming. Thankfully, I bring you good news! There is a way to deploy a Win32 app and have it always install the latest version of the app on the computer.
• How to Read Outlook Emails with PowerShell
  Let’s look at how to open, read, and parse emails in a connected Outlook mailbox from within a PowerShell script. Outlook MAPI allows you to directly access the mailbox, list…
• Azure DevOps Workload Identity & Terraform Authentication
  Azure DevOps supports Workload Identity federation (powered by OpenID Connect) to authenticate to Azure and Azure DevOps from your pipelines for deploying Terraform configurations. Workload Identity federation To follow along with this tutorial, you will need: To follow along with more code examples, check out this GitHub repository:JeffBrownTech/azure-devops-terraform-oidc-examples What is Workload Identity federation?
• The secret to PowerShell remoting over ssh
  The magic line of configuration to enable PowerShell remoting over ssh.

Projects, Scripts, and Modules

• Using .NET With PowerShell
  This goal of this post is to explore some .NET classes that may be useful to sysadmins and PowerShell devs without .NET (C#, etc.) experience, with a bit of a deeper dive into some concepts when warranted.
• tiPS v 1.3.3
  PowerShell tips delivered straight to your terminal. Now with author name for those who submit their own tips.

Books, Media, and Learning Resources

• PowerShell Pro Tips: TUIs and Out-ConsoleGridView
  Want to add interfaces to your tools, all within the terminal where you are already running PowerShell? We'll learn about Microsoft.PowerShell.ConsoleGuiTools and learn how to make use of the Out-ConsoleGridView command to get you started on your TUI journey.
• Build Beautiful Docs using PlatyPS and MKDocs with Josh Hendricks
  Join Josh Hendricks for a look at how to build functional AND beautiful documentation from your existing code with PlatyPS.

Community

• The PowerShell and DevOps Global Summit 2024 Bar session 3
  In this episode of the PowerShell Podcast, we continue with our "bar sessions" from the PowerShell and DevOps Global Summit. We gain interesting insights into PowerShell, the Summit, career, and more. Our guests include Chris Masters, Joe Gasper, Rob Derickson, Chris Nguyen, Fred Weinmann, Merill Fernando, Clayton Tyger, Mike F. Robbins, Sean Wheeler, Prasidh Arora, and Danny Maertens.

Events

• Community Lightning Demos (featuring You!)
  Join us for an exciting community event where members can showcase their own code through short 5-10 minute demos. And be sure to submit your own demos.

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

Blogs, Articles, and Posts

• MarkdownToHtml Documentation
  Create static websites from Markdown sources with PowerShell fast and easy.
• Cloud operations for Windows Server through Azure Arc
  Running Windows Server on-premises or at the edge? Learn how you can leverage Azure management solutions for cloud operations for Windows Server through Azure Arc.
• Removing Licenses from Entra ID Accounts When a Replacement License Exists
  License management is a core competence for Microsoft 365 tenant administrators. This article explains how to use PowerShell to remove licenses from accounts when an equivalent service plan is available from another license. It's the kind of fix-up operation that tenant administrators need to do on an ongoing basis.
• Restrict User Access to Azure AD PowerShell and MS Graph Explorer
  We all know that any user in Microsoft Entra ID can read the users’ details and directory information using Entra ID portal, PowerShell, and Graph API Explorer. Although restricted from making changes, non-admins can still explore user information, group details, device details, etc.
• Report from which PowerShell module the cmdlets are from
  We all encountered this: you get a script or function that uses a certain cmdlet... And it fails because the cmdlet is not recognized :( But which module should you install to get the script working? Or does your script install or import all the required modules? In this blog post, I will show you how to check from which module(s) the cmdlet(s) originate and if they are present on your system or if you should install them.

Projects, Scripts, and Modules

• AzOps v 2.6.2
  Integrated CI/CD Solution for Microsoft Azure.
• Okta.PowerShell v 1.0.1
  Okta.PowerShell - the PowerShell module for Okta Management
• Active Directory Replication Summary to your Email or Microsoft Teams
  Active Directory replication is a critical process that ensures the consistent and up-to-date state of directory information across all domain controllers in a domain. Monitoring this process is important as it helps identify any issues that may arise and resolve them quickly. One way to monitor Active Directory replication is by using the Repadmin command-line tool. Repadmin provides a wealth of information about the replication status and health of a domain. However, manually checking the Repadmin output can be time-consuming and tedious, and running it manually every 30 minutes just to check if everything is great doesn't seem like a great idea. While PowerShell has its own commands around replication I've not found something as fast and reliable as repadmin /replsummary.
• PowerShell Script – KB5025885: How to manage the Windows Boot Manager revocations for Secure Boot changes associated with CVE-2023-24932
  Required Reading: KB5025885: How to manage the Windows Boot Manager revocations for Secure Boot changes associated with CVE-2023-24932 – Microsoft Support Related: Words of Warning Once you’ve applied the mitigations outlined in the KB, the device is difficult to work with when it comes to boot media / reimaging.
• 2.9.0 Released and Big Update
  I know it’s been a month, all good though! I think I may start doing monthly release, what are your thoughts? I was going to do every 2 weeks, but not sure if that is too quick. Big update as I’m s…

Community

• PowerShell + DevOps Global Summit 2024 reflections
  I’m sitting in the airport waiting for my return flight after what has been an awesome week at the PowerShell + DevOps Global Summit 2024, North American edition in Bellevue, Washington. There’s a whirlwind of things going through my mind, so I thought I would try and capture some of them here.
• The PowerShell & DevOps Global Summit 2024 Bar Session 2
  In this special episode of the PowerShell Podcast, we chat with people at the PowerShell Summit. It's PowerShell after dark, the bar sessions. We talk about the OnRamp program, its scholarship program, and more. Then, we chat with Ambre Herron, Austin Hollett, Cory Knox, Ryan Richter, Vanda Paladino, and Tyson O'keefe.
• The Practical 365 Podcast S4 E17
  It took a little over 6 and a half years since the last episode of The UC Architects podcast, but I was finally reunited with Steve Goodman. This time it was to join him and Paul Robichaux to record an episode of the Practical 365 podcast, and talk about the new Practical PowerShell series on Practical365.com.
• PowerShell Community Heros – PowerShell.org
  The DevOps Collective has decided to establish a set of three awards to recognize and honor the contributions of community members who have gone above and beyond in their efforts to support and promote the PowerShell community. The awards will be presented at the annual PowerShell + DevOps Global Summit. It is hoped that these awards will motivate and inspire members of the PowerShell community.

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

Blogs, Articles, and Posts

• How to Retrieve Loop Workspaces Data with PowerShell
  A previous attempt to write a script to report all Loop workspaces in a tenant was flawed because it only retrieved the first 200 workspaces. I hadn't realized that the Get-SPOContainer cmdlet supported an odd form of pagination to retrieve workspace data. In any case, I figured out how to page top find all available workspaces and updated the script. It's just another example of oddness in the SharePoint Online PowerShell module
• Modifying the Teams Tenant Federation Configuration with PowerShell
  A new parameter for the Set-CsTenantFederationConfiguration cmdlet made me look at the Teams tenant federation configuration again to improve how a script works. Instead of taking all the domains guest accounts came from and adding them to the configuration, I created a function to check if the tenant uses Microsoft 365. If it does, we add the tenant to the allow list in the tenant federation configuration. If not, we ignore the domain.
• Automate on-premises Windows Server from the cloud using Azure Arc
  Running Windows Server on-premises or at the edge? Learn how you can leverage Azure automation, PowerShell, Windows commands, and Azure management solutions for Windows Server on-premises. At the Windows Server Summit 2024, I had the chance to deliver a session with Ryan Willis Product Manager for Azure Arc and we went through different automation options …
• PowerShell: Waiting for jobs to complete with Wait-Job
  The cmdlet Wait-Job waits until one or all of the PowerShell jobs running in the session are in a terminating state. In this blog post I will show you an example
• PowerShell data/reference types for variables
  When you store data in a variable, PowerShell can store it how you want it to be if you use the correct data type. This blog post will show you how that works and which data types I mostly use for my scripts.

Projects, Scripts, and Modules

• PowerShellRun
  PowerShellRun is a PowerShell module that lets you fuzzy search applications, utilities and functions you define and launch them with ease. It is a customizable launcher app on the PowerShell terminal.
• Rocker v 0.1.1
  Rock Docker with PowerShell
• PSPlex v 1.0.16
  A PowerShell module to aid Plex server management.
• TheDashboard v 0.0.24
  TheDashboard is a module that allows you to create a dashboard for your HTML reports

Community

• From Blogging to DevOps with Jeff Brown Tech
  In this episode of the PowerShell Podcast, we are thrilled to host Jeff Brown, a seasoned educator and PowerShell enthusiast. Jeff takes us on a journey spanning nearly two decades of his prolific blog writing, revealing how it shaped his career trajectory. Delving into the importance of certifications, Jeff emphasizes their role as a structured pathway for acquiring new skills and advancing in the tech industry. We explore Jeff's transition from Azure Engineer to the dynamic realm of DevOps, uncovering valuable insights along the way. Join us as Jeff shares his wealth of experience, offering invaluable advice and perspectives for aspiring IT professionals and seasoned experts alike.
• The PowerShell & DevOps Global Summit 2024 Bar Session 1
  In this special episode of the PowerShell Podcast, we chat with people at the PowerShell Summit. James Petty gives us a preview of the week ahead at PowerShell Summit. We also talk about the OnRamp program, its scholarship program, and more. Then, we chat with Ben Reader, Frank Lesniack, James Ruskin, Kevin Cefalu, and Steve Bucher.

Fun

• Spice up your day with dad jokes whenever you open PowerShell!
  Because who doesn't love a good dad joke?
• Windows+~ key combo opens Powershell
  I tested in Windows 11 and it does work!

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