As someone deeply involved in systems administration and virtualization, particularly with vSphere environments, I’ve always recognized the power of automation. Like many in the field, I’ve dabbled with PowerCLI, VMware’s PowerShell interface, but my knowledge felt more like muddling through than true understanding. Seeing colleagues share sophisticated scripts and discuss PowerShell concepts often left me feeling like I was missing a crucial piece of the puzzle. I knew I needed a solid foundation.
That’s when I decided to invest in “Learn Windows Powershell In A Month Of Lunches,” a book that consistently comes highly recommended whenever you ask the community about learning PowerShell. Having now worked through it, I wholeheartedly understand the universal praise.
This book is exceptionally well-structured for learners at any level. Whether you’re a complete beginner or have some existing but fragmented knowledge like I did, it guides you systematically through PowerShell. Each chapter builds upon the last, creating a smooth and progressive learning curve. The logical flow is excellent, and the inclusion of practical labs at the end of each chapter reinforces the concepts effectively. The book is designed around the idea that each chapter can be completed within an hour-long lunch break, though I personally found I often spent a little longer, especially when tackling the labs thoroughly.
Whenever I encountered questions, I found support readily available. Our resident scripting expert at work was a great resource, and the active #powercli channel on the vExpert Slack community proved invaluable. It’s inspiring to see how willingly people share their expertise and discuss the nuances of scripting when they see someone genuinely trying to learn and improve. This experience reinforced my belief that when you demonstrate effort and a willingness to learn, people are generally eager to assist. I strive to embody this myself, always willing to help those who have first attempted to find solutions independently.
To work through this book, all you need is a Windows machine with PowerShell ISE installed. It’s incredibly accessible.
If you’re serious about grasping the fundamentals of PowerShell, I can’t recommend “Learn Windows PowerShell in a Month of Lunches” strongly enough. It’s simply the essential resource.
Learn Windows PowerShell in a Month of Lunches Book Contents
The book begins by focusing on mastering PowerShell Help, revealing the surprisingly detailed information available right at your fingertips. Discovering the -ShowWindow parameter, which displays help content in a separate window, was a game-changer for me.
It then progressively introduces core cmdlets like Get-Member, Show-Object, Where-Object, and Sort-Object. As I worked through these chapters and practiced using these tools, concepts I had previously seen in scripts began to click. I could finally trace the logic and flow much more clearly. The book also serves as an excellent reference guide, making it easy to revisit specific topics when you need a quick refresher.
The skills learned transfer seamlessly to PowerCLI, which was a significant benefit for me. Experimenting with what I learned in a vSphere context has been incredibly rewarding. Now, my next goal is to advance into PowerShell scripting to unlock even greater automation possibilities. Fortunately, there’s a sequel for that too: “Learn PowerShell Scripting in a Month of Lunches“.
