OpsMgr Shell: OpsMgr Automation Introduction--Part 2

I first blogged HERE about starting a short series on OpsMgr Automation.

I covered the simple get-alert cmdlet in the series introduction post, and now have the second part up on the System Center Forum site HERE.

In the second part, I demonstrate PowerShell’s native .NET functionality by using the OpsMgr SDK .NET assemblies directly from a PowerShell console.

Go to the above link for the full article.

PowerShell in OpsMgr 2007 R2 (beta 1)--Operations Manager Shell

Recently, Microsoft released System Center Operations Manager 2007 R2. This is *not* a SP release, but a new product. I won't go into the licensing details of this as others have covered it, and a search should get you answers.

I haven't seen anyone actually mention PowerShell at all when discussing the new release.

I'm going to try to spend some time this week and next looking for any PowerShell-related changes.

One thing to note at this point is that the "Command Shell" (see note 1 below) appears to have been renamed to "Operations Manager Shell". The decision was likely to follow along with Exchange, where they have their PowerShell extension named "Exchange Management Shell" or "EMS".

As a result, I'm now going to start using the tag "OpsMgr Shell" when referring to the OpsMgr R2 release, and likely any future releases of OpsMgr down the road likely in 2010 or so (that's nothing official or unofficial... I'm just throwing that date out there).

Note 1: The OpsMgr custom PowerShell console pre-loaded with the OpsMgr PowerShell extensions.

Windows PowerShell Virtual User Group Meeting #7

(2nd attempt to have this meeting after it was cancelled due to server problems on November 13th.)

Windows PowerShell Virtual User Group Meeting #7

The full details are HERE.

Briefly:

Time: December 4th, 2008 at 12PM EST (noon; New York time)
Place: Online via Live Meeting 2007

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To sign up:
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Registration site: http://www.clicktoattend.com/?id=133768
Event Code: 133768
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This is our seventh virtual event. Invited speakers that will talk about various PowerShell-related topics: Nathan Winters (Exchange MVP), Joel (Jaykul) Bennett, Idera (vendor)

Windows PowerShell Virtual User Group--NEW HOME

Thanks to the System Center Virtual User Group for providing a new home for the Windows PowerShell Virtual User Group HERE.

Previously, everything was this personal blog site, and posted on www.powershellcommunity.org, but this new site provides me with some new opportunities do market my group, and help others.

I will still post updates here, but will be referring to blog posts on the new site mostly.

I will be announcing the new date for meeting #7 in the next few hours (cancelled due to Live Meeting server problems).

Command Shell: Tip when using criteria with Get-MonitoringObject

Another guest blog on the System Center Forum site HERE.

I discuss an odd scenario where some OpsMgr Command Shell commands produce an object with a NoteProperty property type. I briefly talk about what a NoteProperty is in PowerShell, then I I show how to reproduce the particular problem, and how to workaround it using the OpsMgr SDK.

Pete Zerger, founder of the System Center Forum site, also uses some of the things I discuss HERE to create a Dell Server Inventory Report from OpsMgr using the Command Shell.

Windows PowerShell Virtual User Group Meeting #7--UPDATE

As I blogged yesterday, I had to cancel my PowerShell virtual meeting yesterday because of Live Meeting server problems.

I still don't have confirmations from 2 of 3 planned speakers as to whether they are available for Thursday, November 20th.

At this point, I will likely try for Thursday, November 27th, instead of only giving a few days notice.

Windows PowerShell Virtual User Group Meeting #7--POSTPONED

I was to have my latest PowerShell virtual user group meeting earlier today, which was announced HERE.

Microsoft is currently having Live Meeting server problems. So the event will be rescheduled to a later date.

I may try to have it at the same time on Thursday, November 20th. That will depend on speaker availability.

I will try to decide in the next 24 hours whether next Thursday will be possible.

Sorry for any inconvenience.

November Meeting of System Center Virtual User Group

November Meeting of System Center Virtual User Group is announced HERE.

The System Center Virtual User Group meets this Thursday at 1pm (CST), which is just after my upcoming PowerShell meeting.

This month's topics:
* Deep dive on AD integration in OpsMgr, Raphael Burri (30 min)
* Integrating Forefront Client Security with SCCM, Kevin Colby - SecureVantage (30 min)
* System Center Operations Manager 2007 R2 Features and Fixes, Baelson Duque - Microsoft (60 min)

Go to the above link to register.

Command Shell: OpsMgr Automation Introduction

[Update: November 18th, 2008: Updated System Center URL.]

I've started doing some guest blogging on the great System Center Forum site. My first post is HERE.

I'm doing a series on OpsMgr automation using a simple example like the Command Shell's get-agent cmdlet.

I'm going to attempt to show at least 5 ways that one can duplicate the get-alert cmdlet:

1. The simplest way to list the alerts is via the OpsMgr Command Shell by simply using the get-alert cmdlet.
2. Still using the Command Shell, I could use PowerShell’s .NET functionality to use the OpsMgr SDK .NET assemblies directly from within the console.
3. Using the OpsMgr SDK .NET assemblies, a C# console application could be created to duplicate the same functionality.
4. Similar to what was done for SQL Server 2008, a PowerShell “clone”, also known as a “minishell”, can be created that can also work as a console application.
5. A custom PowerShell runspace can be used, which is the method the Exchange 2007 Management Shell (which is PowerShell with some add-ons for Exchange management/administration) must be integrated into C# applications because of the absence of any other public API.

Check it out!

PowerShell scripting using Visio

[Update: It seems the zip file requires a password, but I can't find one documented anywhere. I'm trying to reach the site owners and another contact I have to see what the password might be.]

I first blogged HERE about an Asian project that had developed a PowerShell Visio plugin.

Basically, you could create simple PowerShell scritps by creating diagrams in Visio.

It's out now. Get it HERE.

Virtual user group update

I just announced my seventh meeting of my PowerShell virtual user group HERE. I'll be trying to spread the word this week that the event is coming up.

In July, I had announced HERE that the user group was alive and strong.

It has been about one year since my first online meeting. Live attendance has been steadily decreasing. I haven't found the extra time to figure out a mechanism to log downloads of my recorded sessions to determine whether these are actually useful/in use.

A few months ago, I was considering moving on to other things. Responses to my requests for presenters was about a 20% "yes, I'll do it" rate, which just isn't high enough for me.

I need to come up with a better marketing strategy, and get a few other things together to determine if this is something that brings a real value to a large enough number of people.

I will definitely try to have one more user group meeting around mid-December before I finally decide what things might look like in 2009.

Thanks for reading.