Rules:

Announcements!

• PowerShell v7.5.1
  \ Come and get the latest and greatest!

Blogs, Articles, and Posts

• Restrict and report logon hours for Active Directory accounts
  \ For security purposes, it may be beneficial to restrict Active Directory account logins to regular working hours. These logon times can be configured using the calendar widget in Active Directory Users and Computers (ADUC). However, PowerShell provides a more efficient and flexible alternative, particularly because it offers reporting capabilities that the graphical interface does not.
• How to Report the Sponsors of Entra ID Guest Accounts
  \ Entra ID populates the sponsor property for new guest accounts with details of the person who invites the guest to the tenant. It's data that can be used

Announcements!

• Important Purview eDiscovery Changes Take Effect in May 2025
  \ Microsoft is making some important changes to Purview eDiscovery from May 26, 2025. The changes affect how content searches work and are likely to affect many Microsoft 365 tenants. Administrators and eDiscovery investigators will both have to master new ways of working with eDiscovery cases, searching for information, reviewing search results, and exporting what’s found. Changes to PowerShell cmdlets might affect scripts, so there’s lots to consider.
• PowerShell, OpenSSH, and DSC team investments for 2025
  \ Come read about the investments Microsoft has planned for PowerShell in 2025.
• PnP PowerShell v3 released!
  \ It has been in the works for a long time, but finally w

Announcements!

• v7.6.0-preview.4 Release of PowerShell
  \ Come test out the latest release.

Blogs, Articles, and Posts

• PowerShell script: BgInfo deployment script for Windows Server 2025
  \ In this blog post, I’ll show you how to deploy and configure the latest version of BgInfo on a serverContinue Reading
• Build your own natural language interface for PowerShell using the Azure OpenAI API
  \ This article presents a PowerShell script leveraging the Azure OpenAI API, enabling you to execute PowerShell commands using natural language. A key benefit compared to comparable AI tools like ShellGPT is the ability to customize the script.
• [Mastering Error Handling in PowerShell: Try, Catch, an

Announcements!

• PowerShell + DevOps Global Summit 2025
  \ The summit starts on Monday! I can’t wait to see a bunch of you there!

Blogs, Articles, and Posts

• How to Check CPU Temperature Using PowerShell Command
  \ Let's check real-time CPU temperature logging using powershell command. In this guide we have discuss best powershell command to monitor CPU temp.
• Duplicate Mail User Objects Created for Guest Accounts
  \ The February 2025 EX1015484 incident explains why mail user objects with duplicate SMTP addresses are created for guest accounts. That’s a problem because Exchange Online can’t route messages to objects with duplicate email addresses. Fortunately, you can find out if any duplicates exist in your tenant with some PowerShell. Problems happen!
• [How to Find Who Assigned Retention Labels t

Announcements!

• Docker images containing PowerShell now maintained by the .NET team
  \ For years, the PowerShell team has maintained official PowerShell Docker images. Moving forward, we are using the Docker images produced by the .NET team.

Blogs, Articles, and Posts

• Install IIS and PHP 8.x on Windows 11 and Server 2025 (Core)
  \ PHP is still available on Windows despite Microsoft no longer providing support for version 8.x. It can be integrated as a script engine into Internet Information Services (IIS), either through the graphical IIS Manager or via PowerShell, which is especially useful for Server Core installations.
• Using Windows Terminal Chat with GitHub Copilot
  \ Terminal Chat enables the integration of GitHub Copilot, Azure OpenAI, and OpenAI'

Blogs, Articles, and Posts

• Mastering Active Directory Hygiene: Automating SIDHistory Cleanup with CleanupMonster
  \ Security Identifier (SID) History is a useful mechanism in Active Directory (AD) migrations. It allows users and groups in a new domain to retain access to resources that still rely on permissions from the old domain. However, once migrations are completed, these historical SIDs can become clutter, posing both security and administrative challenges.
• SharePoint Online PowerShell Module Gets Modern Authentication
  \ Microsoft has announced that the SharePoint Online PowerShell module will be upgraded from the very old and now obsolete IDCRL protocol to use modern (OAuth) authentication in versions released from March 28, 2025. The update to OAuth should not affect scripts, but it’s alwa

Announcements!

• Announcing Microsoft Desired State Configuration v3.0.0
  \ This post announces the release of Microsoft Desired State Configuration v3.0.0. We discuss the features and benefits of DSC and how it differs from PowerShell DSC.
• PowerShell Community Award Nominations
  \ Nominate a deserving community member today! Submissions close April 3, 2025, at 5 PM ET

Blogs, Articles, and Posts

• Get started with Microsoft Desired State Configuration v3.0.0
  \ This post show you how to install DSC v3.0.0 and get started using the dsc command.
• Authoring Enhancements in Microsoft Desired State Configuration v3.0.0
  \ This is the third post in a multi-part series about the new release of DSC. Microsoft Desired State Configuration (DS

Announcements!

• Microsoft Graph PowerShell SDK V2.26.1 Remains Flawed
  \ The developers rushed out Version 2.26.1 of the Microsoft Graph PowerShell SDK to fix some obvious issues. Alas, problems persist in PowerShell SDK cmdlets, including licensing failures and an issue that prevents the Connect-MgGraph cmdlet from being able to obtain an access token from Entra ID. My advice is to stay with V2.25 until Microsoft resolves the problems and generates a new stable version of the SDK.

Blogs, Articles, and Posts

• The not so simplified syntax of Where-Object in PowerShell
  \ PowerShell 3.0 introduced several notable improvements to its cmdlet library, with one of the most useful features in this release being the simplified syntax for the Where-Object cmdlet. This enhancement made filtering objects more efficient and user

Announcements!

• Microsoft Update changes for PowerShell 7
  \ This blog outlines the expected behavior of MU releases for PowerShell 7.
• v7.6.0-preview.3
  \ Start testing your scripts against the next gen now.

Blogs, Articles, and Posts

• Terminal Chat now included in GitHub Copilot Free
  \ Windows Terminal Canary users can now use Terminal Chat with the GitHub Copilot Free plan! GitHub Copilot Free is limited to 50 chat messages per month. This includes the usage of Copilot in the CLI, VS Code, and Visual Studio.
• Microsoft Graph PowerShell SDK Runs into Choppy Waters
  \ A bunch of problems with V2.26 of the Microsoft Graph PowerShell SDK V2.26 make the software

Blogs, Articles, and Posts

• Processing Multiple Message Attachments with the Microsoft Graph PowerShell SDK
  \ Many examples are available online to explain how to add a single attachment to messages using the Microsoft Graph PowerShell SDK. Here we look at the principles behind how to add attachments (one or many) to messages before sending them with the Send-MgUserMail cmdlet. Get the principles right and you’ll never go wrong!
• A Mini Dive into the Microsoft Entra PowerShell Module: An Intune Administrator’s Perspective
  \ In this post, we'll analyse the Entra PowerShell module's authentication implementation and discuss whether it's necessary for your Intune automation needs if you're already using the Microsoft.Graph.Authentication module, part of the Microsoft Graph SDK, to handle y

Blogs, Articles, and Posts

• Primer: Using Exchange Online PowerShell in Azure Automation Runbooks
  \ In this primer, we cover how to create and execute Azure Automation Exchange Online runbooks (scripts) using cmdlets from the Exchange Online management module. Some setup is necessary before runbooks can process Exchange cmdlets, but once the necessary resources and permissions are in place, it’s all plain sailing.
• Custom Maester Tests: Validate Full Addresses Now and Cleaned Up Wording
  \ Added 3 new tests which I think the first two will be game changers. The first 2 are tests for validating locations, in which the user must have street, city, state, postal code, country, business phone, and company name the same as the valid location in the json.
• [02-14-2025 MSOnline and AzureAD PowerShell modules..

Announcements!

• Microsoft Entra PowerShell module now generally available
  \ Manage and automate Microsoft Entra resources programmatically with the scenario-focused Microsoft Entra PowerShell module.

Blogs, Articles, and Posts

• Automating Code Compliance: AI-Driven Code Style Enforcement for Pull Requests
  \ As teams increasingly rely on automation for code quality and compliance, ensuring consistent coding standards can be challenging during the pull request (PR) process. In this article, we explore how to build an AI-powered style enforcement pipeline using modern tools like GPT-4 and CI/CD workflows.
• [PowerShell: How to find empty Attributes](https://sid-500.com/2025/02/04/powershell-how-to-find-empty-attributes

Announcements!

• PowerShell v7.5.0
  \ The official v7.5 is out now!

Blogs, Articles, and Posts

• Build a Scalable PowerShell Pester Testing Framework
  \ Learn how to create a maintainable and organized Pester testing framework for PowerShell that scales with your needs. Perfect for large test suites.
• If Maester couldn’t get any better…Custom Test Collection now available
  \ The time has finally come. I have created a public repository to store custom Maester tests for everyone. As well as a website for deeper understanding where needed.
• Identifying Privileged Applications and Their Secret Passwords
  \ Securing applications in an Entra tenant is crucial, espe

I really appreciate your understanding for the missed edition last week. To make up for it, this week’s issue is packed with even more tips, insights, and updates to level up your PowerShell skills.

Blogs, Articles, and Posts

• Final Days for the MSOnline and AzureAD PowerShell Modules
  \ After many twists and turns since August 2021, the MSOnline module retirement will happen in April 2025. The AzureAD module will then retire in the 3rd quarter. It's way past time to upgrade PowerShell scripts. The question is whether to use the Entra module or the Microsoft Graph PowerShell SDK. I know which option is best and say why in this article.
• PowerShell: How to execute PowerShell Scripts (*.ps1) on Remote Computers
  \ PowerShell scripts can be executed locally or remotely. In this article I will show how scripts can

Announcements!

• Pester v5.7.0
  \ Pester 5.7.0 is out, it adds new code coverage format Cobertura, and other fixes

Blogs, Articles, and Posts

• PowerShell Pester 101: A Practical Guide for Beginners
  \ Learn how to validate your PowerShell scripts with Pester testing. This hands-on guide shows you how to write tests that ensure your code works as intended.
• Automated Provisioning of Windows 365 Cloud PCs: Advanced Scripts
  \ We decided that we would create some more advanced scripts for admins, which would include some error handling, prompts for input, and more. You will be able to use these scripts to provision your Entra ID joined Cloud PCs for various scenarios, be it using a Microsoft Hosted network or an Azure Network Connection, Enterprise or Frontline buil

Blogs, Articles, and Posts

• Automated Deployment of a Zero Trust Azure Automation Environment
  \ A common and recommended security practice is only allowing access to an Azure Storage Account via a whitelisted IP address. While this is generally a good idea, a problem arises when you need an Azure Automation Account to access one of these Storage Accounts.
• PowerShell Reusable Sessions: A Guide to Persistent Remote Connections
  \ Learn how to leverage PowerShell reusable sessions to maintain persistent connections with remote systems. This tutorial shows you how to create, manage and effectively use PowerShell sessions for remote administration.
• PowerShell 7.5 new features
  \ Microsoft has unveiled the first release candidate of PowerShell 7.5, w

This is the final edition of PowerShell Weekly for 2024. Since this newsletter is hand-curated, I always take the last week of the year off to rest and reflect. I’ll return in the New Year with fresh content and my annual year-in-review, covering all the major PowerShell highlights from 2024.

Announcements!

• Announcing a free GitHub Copilot for VS Code
  \ We're excited to announce an all new free plan for GitHub Copilot, available for everyone today in VS Code. All you need is a GitHub account. No trial. No subscription. No credit card required.

Blogs, Articles, and Posts

• Processing Microsoft 365 Retention Labels with the Microsoft Graph PowerShell SDK
  \ Two types of retention labels are in use: Microsoft 365 retention labels and MRM retention tags. Clients

Blogs, Articles, and Posts

• Install and integrate Microsoft AI Shell with a PowerShell module
  \ Microsoft’s new AI Shell integrates AI into command-line workflows, featuring the Azure OpenAI Agent and Copilot in Azure Agent for tasks like PowerShell scripting and cloud automation. You can install AI Shell (aish.exe) as a standalone app or PowerShell module to streamline coding, error resolution, and resource management on Windows, macOS, or Linux.
• Jingle All the Way to Savings: Automate Azure Bastion with Azure Automation!
  \ In my blog post contribution for this year’s Festive Tech Calendar, I’ll show you how to reduce Azure costs by automating the runtime of your Azure Bastion host(s) with Azure Automation.
• [Setting Up VS Code for PowerShell Development: A Beginner’s

Hey c/PowerShell community!

I’m excited to announce the launch of my new YouTube series, PowerShell Collaboration Unleashed!.

In the first part, we dive into The Littlest JupyterHub— an awesome tool for creating shared environments on a single server. These environments are accessible from any web browser, allowing you to create, run, and share scripts effortlessly.

Here’s what you’ll learn in the first part of the series:

• An intro to JupyterHub and why it’s a game-changer for collaboration.
• How to provision an Ubuntu server for The Littlest JupyterHub.
• Installing and configuring The Littlest JupyterHub and support for dotnet and PowerShell.
• Setting up shared environments you can start using right away.

Future videos will cover topics like setting up SSH, adding AzureAD/Entra ID authentication, connecting to external resources, securing secrets, logging, and integration with source control.

If yo

Announcements!

• PowerShell VSCode Extension v2024.5.2-preview
  \ New PowerShell VSCode extension preview release v2024.5.1! This includes the breakpoint performance improvement I developed, you should see stepping through code work much faster. Please try to break this feature before release!

Blogs, Articles, and Posts

• PowerShell: How to configure a custom PSSessionconfiguration
  \ A remote session can be set up with the help of PSSession. The predefined remote session is used by default. However, we can also create our own session configurations and then connect
• Install and manage VM watch on Azure Virtual Machines
  \ Microsoft announced the public preview of VM watch, a new in-VM service designed for Azure Virtual Machines (VMs) and Virtua