Blogs, Articles, and Posts

• Naming Made Easy: AI-Powered Rename Suggestions
  Ever struggled to name a variable, method, or class—finding that perfect balance between expressiveness and conciseness? You’re not alone. We’ve tackled this universal challenge in the latest Visual Studio Preview via our GitHub Copilot Chat extension (subscription required). Introducing: AI-powered rename suggestions.
• Automated Alerts on Azure (Entra ID) Application Secret Expirations
  Monitoring Azure AD (Entra ID now) application secret expirations in an enterprise is a critical aspect of maintaining robust security and ensuring uninterrupted service. When application secrets expire without timely renewal, it can disrupt business operations by causing application failures. Proactive management of application secret expirations helps enterprises avoid last-minute issues, enabling a more secure and efficient operational environment.
• Create an Amazon Machine Image (AMI) of an EC2 instance with a Bash and PowerShell script
  The provided Bash and PowerShell script helps automate the creation of Amazon Machine Images (AMIs) from existing AWS Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) instances. This is particularly useful for creating point-in-time backups or disaster recovery. I mostly use the script to quickly clone an EC2 instance for testing or troubleshooting.
• PowerShell Start Service Explained: Mastering Cmdlets for Windows Services
  Learn how to use PowerShell start service and other cmdlets for Windows Services in this informative tutorial.
• Copying files between Windows and Linux with SCP and PowerShell
  There are various mechanisms for copying files between Windows and Linux. A proven tool for this purpose is Secure Copy (SCP), and with the porting of PowerShell to Linux, it is suitable for this task, too. The connection runs over SSH in both cases, ensuring that files are transferred encrypted.
• Using PowerShell to query your Ubiquiti UISP information
  Two days ago, I received my new Ubiquiti UISP Console, an eight-port switch/router with 10Gbit SFP+ slots managed by the Ubiquiti UISP software running on my VPS in Docker. In this blog post, I will show you a few examples of how to query it using PowerShell.
• Automating Windows 365 part 2 – Using Graph X-Ray
  Introduction This is Part 2 of a new series of guides which will cover managing Windows 365 Cloud PC’s using PowerShell and Microsoft Graph. This mini series should help you get started with automatingContinue reading
• Uninstall any application in a jiffy using PowerShell and Microsoft Intune
  Introduction This post is a just a quick follow up on my previous post: Uninstall any application in a jiffy using PowerShell and Configuration Manager I received a few questions whether the PowerShell script can be used with Microsoft Intune instead of Microsoft Configuration Manager. And sure! This post will explain one of many approaches available with Intune.
• How to create a maintenance mode in Azure Automation
  An emergency button to ensure that your runbooks stop running without disconnecting the schedule in Azure Automation Disclaimer: This post can be seen as satire. There are probably better ways, but because we were so limited with the customer at the time, we opted for a hobby approach: Maintenance mode the creative way.

Projects, Scripts, and Modules

• Reporting Entra ID Admin Consent Requests
  A question came in about how to report admin consent requests as viewed through the Entra ID admin center. PowerShell does the trick, once you know how. The key thing is to find the right cmdlet to use. Once you know that, the rest is pretty easy as we explain in this article.
• Audit & Report Microsoft 365 Admin Activity using PowerShell
  As a Microsoft 365 admin, ever pondered how your sub-admins wield their privileged powers? We get it – managing multiple admins is no small feat. Microsoft 365 administrators hold significant responsibilities like getting users on board, handling passwords, overseeing various

Books, Media, and Learning Resources

• PowerCLI Tutorial: Boost Your VMware Management Skills
  Begin your journey with our PowerCLI tutorial and elevate your VMware infrastructure management to expert levels. Learn essential tips and tricks today!
• PowerShell for Linux admins
  During the Cloud Expo convention in the Netherlands last month, I spoke to someone who said that learning all the PowerShell commands as a Linux admin was difficult. PowerShell was built to make it easier for Linux admins to transition to it. In this blog post, I will show you how aliases work and how they help Linux Admins get started with basic PowerShell tasks.
• What's in Windows Terminal 1.19 Preview
  In this video, Christopher Nguyen (PM on Windows Terminal) and Mike Griese (Senior Software Engineer on Windows Terminal) will highlight some features from the Windows Terminal 1.19 Preview release—Including community favorites!

Community

• From Engineer to Manager: Mike Kanakos on Transition, Lessons, and Community
  In this episode of the PowerShell Podcast, we sit down with Microsoft MVP Mike Kanakos to explore his journey transitioning from an engineer to a manager. Mike candidly shares the valuable lessons learned, from navigating newfound responsibilities to embracing a mentoring role. We delve into the pivotal role community involvement played in his managerial growth, touching on how insights from successful teams and best practices informed his approach. The discussion also unveils exciting changes ahead for the Research Triangle PowerShell User Group, which Mike leads. As a bonus, we get an insider's look into Mike's favorite PowerShell modules. Join us for an insightful conversation packed with lessons, community impact, and a sneak peek into the evolving PowerShell landscape.
• Farewell to Jordan: MVP Chrissy LeMaire Unleashes AI Wisdom
  In this special episode of the PowerShell Podcast, the hosts are joined by the esteemed Chrissy LeMaire, a double Microsoft MVP and GitHub star as we bid a fond farewell to Jordan. Chrissy's wealth of expertise in the PowerShell, GitHub, and AI realms adds a unique perspective to the discussion. We talk about creating personalized chatbots with ChatGPT, uses for AI. Chrissy shares news about her upcoming AI book and the life-changing moment that got her to embrace AI. All that, and more! Don't miss this insightful conversation with a true powerhouse in the tech community.
• Unlocking Secrets: Sam Erde on Open-Source Contributions and the Locksmith Module
  In this episode of the PowerShell Podcast, featuring guest Sam Erde, we delve into a myriad of topics starting with Andrew's successful acceptance of his talk at PowerShell Summit. The episode unfolds with a spotlight on community resources. Sam Erde, our esteemed guest, shares insights into his blogging journey and his contributions to open-source projects, with a particular focus on the Locksmith module designed to uncover misconfigurations in ADCS Certificate Services. Sam also provides his unique perspective on leveraging PowerShell for various tasks. The hosts engage in a discussion about the community ethos, underscoring the importance of creating more value than capturing, and Sam shares personal experiences that have shaped his approach to community involvement. Tune in for an episode packed with valuable insights, community highlights, and the power of PowerShell in action.

Fun

• Which naming convention for internal variables?
  Hi guys, I'm new to PowerShell and Microsoft has a guide for Approved Verbs for PowerShell Commands and Strongly Encouraged Development Guidelines, but which naming convention do you use for internal variables?

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