It quickly went from helping companies declutter filing cabinets to migrating entire business processes to the digital landscape.

While this rapid growth offers a constant stream of new tools to boost productivity and profitability, it also demands continuous innovation to stay ahead of the competition.

If you’re reading this, you know that keeping pace with technological advancements is always easier said than done.

Upgrading your IT infrastructure can be daunting, especially if you:

• Struggle to find and test IT solutions to address your business needs
• Lack the internal capacity and the resources to complete projects
• Don’t have a trusted provider to monitor and support your IT systems

Here’s where our 30+ years of experience providing IT services to more than 40,000 organizations comes in.

We understand that every business has unique needs and goals. That’s why we take a tailored approach, finding and testing the best solutions that perfectly align with your situation.

We provide training for your staff and connect you with over 300 vendors to get you the best prices, ensuring your tech pursuit won’t hold your business back.

We also stand by the quality of our work. Not only do we provide reliable tech, but we also offer proactive monitoring and 24/7 support, guaranteeing everything runs smoothly.

 Yes, these lines could make us sound like we’re overpromising. You’ve likely heard these statements countless times from other IT service providers.

But here’s how confident we are about providing impeccable customer experience: if you’re unsatisfied within the first three months, you get your money back.

“CCB knows what they’re doing. Their proposals and advice are built on their deep IT knowledge and [are] predicated by caring about seeing you succeed.

That’s rare these days.”

Ken Ervin | Vice President of Operations, Concerned Women for America

Are you ready for your business’ digital transformation? Call 1-800-342-4222 or click here to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with our experts.

What Are IT Services?

Think of your business as a machine and your staff as the cogs, gears, and pistons—the components making the entire system run.

 IT (information technology) services act like oil—the lubricant that prevents your enterprise’s internal machinery from breaking down and keeps everything running smoothly.

In other words, IT services combine business understanding with technical skills to help organizations create, manage, and optimize information access or business processes through technology.

Getting IT services involves a broad spectrum of options. It could mean anything from rolling out Microsoft 365 migrations to outsourcing IT infrastructure management to ensure your systems operate efficiently and securely.

What Does an IT Service Provider Do?

An IT service provider is what it sounds like—an entity that provides the tech know-how and IT solutions that can help your business grow through innovation and the power of technology.

An IT service provider will handle your tech initiatives, from procuring hardware and software to optimizing, implementing, and maintaining your IT environment.

For us, however, an IT service provider is more than that.

We pride ourselves in being a managed service provider (MSP) motivated by client success and dedicated to going beyond the traditional role of tech providers.

You’ll receive well-planned and executed IT solutions tailored to your unique business needs, budget, and timeline—not off-the-shelf services.

After all, we’re not solely a company that fixes computers—we’re an extension of your team.

The Evolution of IT Services

The IT industry has come a long way.

In the early days, IT services were all about helping you with the basics—setting up your computers and installing software.

Then came the 90s, the dawn of the internet age, where IT services shifted focus to managing networks and helping build your online presence.

Fast-forward to the “era of data” or the 2000s, when IT service companies would have helped you with data storage and cybersecurity.

Did you notice a pattern? IT services have constantly adapted alongside ever-evolving technology.

Today, outsourcing technology services would mean equipping your business with innovations, such as:

• Artificial intelligence (AI): Gives you machine learning-backed insights and helps automate your routine tasks
• Cloud computing: Enables you to access, save, and manage essential files remotely
• The Internet of Things (IoT): Allows you to link all sorts of devices to the web and make data processing more efficient

Our IT team works closely with you to understand your needs and identify the best solutions.

We leverage the latest technology, following established protocols, to deliver a secure and successful implementation within your environment.

But don’t worry. You’ll never pay for mismanaged IT. We put our expertise to work so we can deliver results, satisfaction, and peace of mind. 

Why Is IT Support Important for Businesses?

Whether you run a large enterprise, a small business, or a nonprofit organization, you’re likely using some form of technology to ensure your processes operate efficiently and your customers enjoy quality IT services.

But what happens when that tech eventually goes dark?

IT-related disruptions can arise unexpectedly—today, tomorrow, or next year.

The point is that if your in-house IT team—if you even have one—isn’t equipped or trained to resolve these issues, it can result in prolonged downtimes and keep you from conducting business as usual.

An experienced IT support services team can offer your company the following:

• Monitoring: Effective tech support can give insight into your IT infrastructure’s health and security.
• Increased productivity: Well-maintained IT systems, backed by excellent support, help prevent technical glitches and streamline your workflow.
• Enhanced security: Data breaches can be devastating. IT support services help you implement robust security measures to protect valuable data.

Improve Efficiency and Cut Expenses With Our Digital IT Services and Solutions

You may think it unlikely, but according to our research, each of your employees wastes an average of 22 minutes daily on IT issues.

Unfortunately, time is money.

We can help you stop these disruptions, improve business efficiency, and lower operational costs.

How? With our preventive PC (personal computer) maintenance support and 24/7 helpdesk care.

Not only do we provide business solutions that integrate seamlessly into your existing technology, but our highly trained team can also quickly respond to any tech events that can affect your IT environment.

The best part? We can streamline the support process and provide training to empower your team, allowing you to regain the time and resources your enterprise needs to dominate its niche.

“I love to brag about CCB as our helpdesk partner because of the great customer service I receive from their support team.

They provide great communication and never give up—even when finding a solution is a challenge.”

Janelle Thompson | Marketing Manager, Premier Staffing

What Are the Different Types of Information Technology?

Think of IT as a giant tech buffet—there’s something for everyone.

Whether you need a more efficient communication method or software that cuts time from some of your processes, IT offers a toolbox of solutions that can help you tackle almost any business challenge.

So, what are your options? Here’s a taste of some of the most sought-after tech solutions:

Microsoft Azure

Have you ever wished to ditch your bulky servers and access your data from anywhere? Microsoft’s Azure platform is the realization of that desire.

Essentially, Azure replaces or supplements your physical data center with a cloud-based one, supporting your business through multiple functions, such as allowing you to back up data and host and develop web and mobile apps.

And here’s the best part: Azure is super flexible. You only pay for what you use, making it an economical option for businesses of all sizes.

Software as a Service (SaaS)

Imagine your enterprise no longer needing to install software and, by extension, eliminating often expensive software licenses.

That’s the beauty of SaaS (software as a service).

In a nutshell, SaaS lets you “rent” applications from cloud service providers, such as email, calendars, and office tools like Office 365, and gives you access to these programs through your web browser.

Networking Services

Your company’s network is the digital backbone that connects your devices and facilitates communication between your team members.

Network infrastructure services ensure your network’s reliability and security by building, optimizing, and maintaining routers, modems, and security measures.

Mobile and Remote Networking

As the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic has shown, flexibility and adaptability are essential for business success.

Mobile and remote networking allows employees to work securely from anywhere, using their laptops, tablets, or smartphones.

If you want to keep your team connected and productive even on the go—or if you want to save on office overhead costs—consider mobile and remote networking IT services.

Unified Communications

Juggling several communication channels, from emails and phone calls to instant messaging and video conferencing apps, can be overwhelming.

Unified communications consolidate all these methods in one user-friendly platform like Microsoft Teams.

With this type of IT, collaboration and information sharing in your organization become easy, boosting productivity.

Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP)

Does your organization have multiple locations or remote teams? If yes, how do you handle long-distance communication?

Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) solutions provide an alternative by shifting your channels from traditional phone lines to the internet.

The benefits? VoIP offers features not available with a standard telephone, such as call recording and voicemail to email (delivering voicemail straight to your inbox).

Communication Management

It may sound like a no-brainer, but effective communication tools are vital for any business.

But in today’s digital world, having the tools isn’t enough—it’s equally important to communicate the importance of security.

Yes, giving you the right tools ensures your team can communicate effectively, internally and externally. However, communication management should and must go beyond that.

It must also involve planning, training, and implementing communication strategies that foster a culture of security awareness within your organization, especially regarding sensitive data and network security.

Email Services

Email remains a critical channel for businesses, from sending company updates to nurturing customer relationships.

IT service providers’ email services ensure you leverage this communication tool by helping you choose a reliable and secure email provider.

Some IT service providers may even work alongside your sales and marketing departments to help them effectively communicate with customers and generate leads.

Information Security or Cybersecurity

Here’s an interesting tidbit: there are over 450,000 new malicious programs daily.

In short, cybersecurity is no longer an option; it’s a necessity.

Enter cybersecurity services—your business’ digital suit of armor, protecting your valuable data from cyberattacks and keeping your critical information safe and secure.

Leveraging this area of IT provides your company with armor and gives you insight into your infrastructure’s vulnerabilities and areas for improvement.

Firewall Services

Firewalls are like bouncers for your digital nightclub. They’re critical security measures that protect your business by controlling network traffic—only allowing authorized users and data to come in.

There are various firewall solutions to bolster your network security, including:

• Hybrid models: Give you additional control and network monitoring beyond basic firewall rules
• Unified firewalls: Offer a single solution to secure all your internal and remote devices

An experienced IT provider offering firewall maintenance and monitoring as part of their solutions will choose the right fit for your business.

Antivirus Protection

As they say, “Prevention is better than cure.”

And what better way to safeguard your devices and IT infrastructure from digital threats than with antivirus and antimalware software?

With antivirus protection services, you equip your business with digital security scanners that monitor, pinpoint, and eliminate malicious programs lurking on your systems—it’s that straightforward.

Data Backup and Restoration

What keeps you awake at night? For many business owners, it’s the thought of losing one’s essential data from a natural disaster or cyberattack.

Don’t let unexpected IT disasters slow your company’s momentum!

Data backup and restoration services help you preserve your business data and store them in cloud or off-site locations, allowing you to recover them and get back on track in case of unforeseen problems.

With this area of information technology, you never have to worry about losing all your hard work.

Software Development

Not all software applications are plug-and-play. Some will even have features your business may never utilize or find a use for.

If only your hard-earned dollars could be spent on apps that precisely fit your business needs. Custom software makes this possible.

Software application services can help turn your vision into reality—create a program that fits your specific requirements and, most importantly, improves workflow and productivity.

Troubleshooting and Technical Support

When it works, technology can be a game changer for many businesses. But when it doesn’t, it can be a crutch.

Software glitches, hardware malfunctions, and other IT issues can distract your team from what truly matters: ensuring your business is operating smoothly.

Here’s where troubleshooting and technical support services come in.

These solutions provide the help you need to resolve technical challenges and keep your IT systems running smoothly.

Remote Support

What if your company’s home base is inaccessible? What if your enterprise doesn’t have a physical presence?

With remote support services, you don’t have to worry about unexpected IT problems halting your operations.

After all, MSPs that provide remote support can diagnose issues and troubleshoot errors remotely.

Hardware Installations and Maintenance

Your business thrives on a robust foundation. Hardware installations and maintenance services provide that bedrock for your IT infrastructure. 

From setting up new computers and configuring printers to performing preventative maintenance and updating these units, this area of IT lets you focus on running your enterprise while IT providers handle the tech.

Monitoring

No one can see the future. But monitoring service providers come close—catching minor glitches before they become major headaches.

By proactively monitoring your systems and networks, IT providers can pinpoint and handle potential issues before they become more significant problems.

Technology Training

Technology is constantly evolving. Unfortunately, old habits die hard. 

Implementing or integrating new tech into your business processes may disrupt your staff’s workflow, especially if they’ve grown accustomed to their existing IT environment.

With technology training services, you can empower your team with the skills and knowledge to ease their transition and help them utilize your IT tools and resources to their full potential.

Project-Related Staffing

Are you struggling to maintain and fill IT positions in your organization for tech-related ventures?

Don’t worry. Some IT providers that offer managed IT services, whether full or co-managed, provide technical specialists such as a vCIO (virtual chief information officer) or dedicated project team.

Their job? Evaluate your current tech situation, design and implement IT solutions, and ensure project quality and performance.

Hybrid IT Services

Cloud services allow you to move your IT infrastructure to the digital realm. One primary benefit is that you eliminate the need for an in-house IT environment.

The most notable disadvantage is that you’re leaving control to your cloud service provider.

Hybrid IT services solve this problem by letting you use a cloud-based system and an on-premises one.

Other IT Services

Data Analytics

Data is the new gold. It’s the reason cybercriminals aim their attacks at businesses like yours.

Why not utilize this valuable asset for yourself?

Data analytics services help you make sense of all your data by collecting, analyzing, and transforming it into actionable insights for your enterprise.

IT Development

IT development goes beyond building software. It’s a strategic partnership that helps you leverage technology to achieve your business goals.

From comprehensive planning and QA (quality assurance) testing to migration and maintenance, IT development ensures your tech investments deliver maximum value and a competitive edge.

Printing IT Services

For many businesses, printing is an integral part of their operations. But is tasking your staff to handle all your printing needs the best use of their time? What happens when in-house printers fail?

Printing as a service (PaaS) lets you use your team’s resources more efficiently and eliminates the need to invest in new printers when old ones break down or hire technicians to fix them.

After all, this branch of IT can assist with your high-volume printing requests, maintain backups of your essential business documents, and even organize them for easier access.

Automation

Imagine a world where your team doesn’t have to waste time on tedious tasks and is free to focus on what truly matters.

That’s what automation can give you.

With automation services, you can—you guessed it—automate repetitive and error-prone tasks like data entry, form processing, and even email communications.

Artificial Intelligence 

AI (artificial intelligence) can revolutionize the way your business works, from helping you predict potential issues in your IT systems to providing round-the-clock support for your end-users.

However, responsible implementation is critical. After all, not all AI solutions are created equal.

For this reason, it’s best to work with an IT provider that prioritizes data security, privacy, and responsible practices. Doing so ensures your AI adoption is seamless and minimizes risks.

Didn’t find the IT service you’re looking for? Let’s talk. Call 1-800-342-4222 or click here to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with our experienced IT professionals.

IT Services In the Industry

IT services are the “guy in the chair” for modern businesses, keeping everything running smoothly behind the scenes—the Alfred Pennyworth to Batman or the Ned Leeds to Spiderman.

But unlike most superheroes, you’re not limited to one assistant.

The information technology industry encompasses various services, from hardware support and software development to cybersecurity and cloud computing.

Unfortunately, this abundance of options can make it challenging for business owners to identify what form of help they truly need.

So, to help with your decision-making process, here are some things about the IT services industry you should consider:

Market Size

The IT services market in the US (United States) is a powerhouse, and it’s only getting bigger.

Forecasts indicate that the industry’s revenue will grow to over $710 billion in 2024, driven by more than 497,000 participating businesses.

This growth is driven by various factors, including the need for reliable IT infrastructure to support remote and hybrid work models.

However, the most influential element impacting the expansion of IT services is the rising desire of business owners to digitize their processes.

What does a more robust IT services market mean for you?

Simple: you’ll find no shortage of providers offering tech innovations to help you improve efficiency, security, and competitiveness.

Market Segments

The IT industry is made up of several distinct segments that cater to specific needs.

For instance, cybersecurity focuses on providing security solutions, such as antimalware protection programs.

On the other hand, the systems maintenance and repair sector is all about providing IT support services.

However, cloud computing is showing the most significant growth among the various segments of the broader IT services market.

And why wouldn’t it?

After all, cloud computing services allow businesses like yours to manage analytics, databases, networks, servers, software, and storage remotely, eliminating the need for an in-house infrastructure and the costs that come along with one.

Industry Trends

In an industry that’s constantly evolving, IT trends come and go.

Artificial intelligence and its potential to automate business processes and provide intelligent, data-driven insights are certainly attracting attention.

But if we’re talking about the hottest trend, it’s edge computing.

Essentially, edge computing allows you to speed up the response times of your remote devices, allowing you to get detailed insights from your data quickly.

If you want to leverage information technology to improve your business’ efficiency and profitability, consider looking into edge computing.

Unique Aspect of the Industry

While the COVID-19 pandemic was undoubtedly a dark period for many, it taught businesses valuable lessons.

One of the most significant is that enterprises can still function effectively even with a remote workforce.

And that would not be possible without the IT industry and its ability to empower off-site work and enable collaboration—the sector’s unique aspect.

Challenges and Solutions in IT Services

Information technology services can offer various benefits for your organization. Unfortunately, they also come with their fair share of downsides, including the following:

• Keeping up with security threats: Just as tech innovations happen daily, digital dangers arise daily, too, making cybersecurity a persistent challenge.

But with our cybersecurity services, you’ll never have to worry. After all, we leverage emerging security technologies to prevent, detect, and respond to any threat—new or otherwise.

• Staying ahead of the curve: The IT industry moves at breakneck speed—what’s cutting-edge today may be obsolete tomorrow.

But don’t get caught off guard. Our reliable solutions and proactive strategic business reviews (SBRs) help you stay at the forefront of technological innovations.

We’ll streamline upgrades and software rollouts, ensuring your business leverages the latest tech and mitigating the risk of outdated systems holding you back.

• Encouraging innovation: Embracing new tech to gain competitive advantage can sometimes cause adoption challenges, especially for your less tech-savvy team members.

That’s why, apart from delivering you the latest technologies, we can also provide training to ensure your staff is equipped with the skills and know-how to utilize IT innovations fully.

• Managing costs and ROI: IT isn’t cheap. Small businesses spend around 6.9% of their revenue to stay relevant in this digitally dominated age.

But we believe IT should never hinder your company.

When you partner with us, expect us to deliver budget-minded IT solutions that maximize every dollar you spend and give you unbeatable returns on investment (ROI).

“Should I Use IT Services?”

Considering outsourcing your IT needs to an MSP like us? Here are some signs that your business could benefit from our IT services:

• Your in-house team lacks the resources to complete tech initiatives on time and within budget
• You struggle to test new IT solutions thoroughly before deployment 
• You’re finding it challenging to define unified IT goals
• Complex dependencies between your IT environment’s components are hindering innovation
• You don’t have a guiding voice to help you make informed tech decisions

If you have these concerns, you’re a prime candidate for IT services.

How to Choose the Right Type of IT Services

Knowing you need IT help is only one part of the equation. Determining what type of help your organization needs is another.

Here’s where our expert IT consulting services come in.

We understand that every business has unique information technology needs. That’s why we listen first instead of rushing to sell you a solution.

We’ll assess your current tech situation, identify areas for improvement, and design a customized plan to optimize your processes and workflow for growth.

“CCB has been our IT provider for our nonprofit agency for 26 years. They listen to your needs and respond with the proper solutions to meet them.

They are truly a gem in the IT services space.”

Dana Brown | Chief Technology Officer, Health Solutions

So, if you want guidance on choosing the IT services that would benefit your enterprise, let’s talk!

Why Choose CCB Technology IT Services?

Here’s something that you may find surprising. In our 30+ years as an IT service provider, we have a 98% client retention rate with over 40,000 clients under our belt.

The organizations that come to us for IT help stay. And here’s why:

• We’re committed to doing the right thing. You can count on us to be honest and transparent in all our dealings.
• We’re passionate about technology and its potential to transform your business. That’s why we’re driven to find innovative solutions to help you achieve your business goals.
• We take ownership of our work and are committed to delivering results. We’ll set clear expectations, solve problems, and apply what we’ve learned from our experiences.
• We foster lasting partnerships with our clients through trust. We follow through on our commitments and communicate openly.
• We’re not perfect. We’re always learning and growing as a company. We value different perspectives and believe that collaboration leads to the best solutions.
• We’re never satisfied with the status quo. We continuously strive to make our services better and empower our clients to achieve growth.

Partnering with us means partnering with a team that takes pride in understanding your business and is committed to your success.

But don’t just take our word for it. Check out our case studies to understand why clients stay and trust us with their IT projects.

“I’ve worked with CCB for 20 years, and I know they are a company with integrity.

I trust them and know that if they tell me something, it’s the truth. They are the only company that has access to our systems.”

Jon Keatts | Director of Information Technology, Russell Cellular

If you’re ready to experience the CCB Technology difference, call 1-800-342-4222 or click here to schedule a no-obligation consultation with our IT professionals.

Alternatively, feel free to visit our offices to discuss your IT challenges by visiting our Wisconsin office, located at 8411 Corporate Drive, Mount Pleasant, WI 53406.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What are the basic elements of an information system?

An information system (IS) has five components:

• Computer hardware: All the physical technology that lets you access data and communicate, such as keyboards, routers, and even smartphones
• Computer software: The programs and applications that tell your hardware what to do
• Telecommunications: The elements that connect your devices to form a network, such as ethernet cables or wifi
• Databases and data warehouses: Where your data is saved and retrieved
• Human resources and procedures: The human component of an IS—the people needed to run your IT system

2. How can CCB technology help your business save money on IT services?

We can help you reduce your IT costs in various ways. Here’s how:

• Budget-friendly solutions: We’ll find the perfect tech fit within your budget, ensuring value without overspending.
• Predictable pricing: Our monthly flat rate eliminates surprises. And if you sign a multi-year agreement, you can lock in this price for years to come with no hidden fees.
• Vendor network advantage: We leverage our partnerships with over 300 vendors to negotiate the best possible deals on your behalf.
• Referral rewards: Reduce your IT expenses further with our referral program. Get rewarded for pointing others our way.

3. Can we help your company address cybersecurity concerns?

Yes, we can help your business overcome cybersecurity challenges through cutting-edge security solutions and a proactive approach to keeping you up-to-date on current security trends and cyber threats.

4. How can we assist you with staffing challenges?

Through our IT services, you gain access to tech experts, from our helpdesk personnel to virtual CIOs (chief information officers).

5. What kind of support does CCB Technology offer?

Our round-the-clock helpdesk support team can assist you with your tech issues in no time—we have an average response time of under three minutes.

We also offer remote desktop support, ensuring your systems always perform optimally and no unexpected IT events disrupt your team’s workflow.

6. What does a dedicated network admin do?

The network administrator is responsible for keeping your computer network running as efficiently as possible.

While the precise initiatives a dedicated network admin undertakes will vary depending on your unique needs, they typically involve the following:

• Installing and configuring network hardware such as servers and routers
• Upgrading, maintaining, and troubleshooting the IT infrastructure
• Implementing network security measures and monitoring potential threats

7. How does the dedicated virtual CIO support your business?

Besides helping you hit project milestones on time, our vCIOs support your enterprise by ensuring your technology is optimized to improve your processes and aligned with your organization’s goals.

The post IT Services: What It Is and How It Can Help appeared first on CCB Technology.

If you’re just getting started with PowerShell, first start with the basics – what it is, what it’s used for, and why it’s a formidable tool for administrators in today’s IT landscape.

Using Cmdlets

Cmdlets make up the core of how PowerShell is used. If you are not familiar with what they are, head over to our PowerShell Primer article to take a look. One commonly demonstrated Cmdlet is Get-Process. The Get-Process command gets the processes on a local or remote computer. Without parameters, this cmdlet gets all of the processes on the local computer. You can also specify a particular process by process name or process ID (PID) or pass a process object through the pipeline to this cmdlet.

PowerShell has an impressive way of helping users work more productively as well as assisting in remembering the larger number of Cmdlets contained within the system – Tab Complete. From a PowerShell console, simply start typing the command. After a few characters, you can press the tab key to have PowerShell complete the Cmdlet for you.

Tab complete is a lifesaver when it comes to working with PowerShell, especially when what has been typed into the console is ambiguous and the options need to be cycled through. You can either continue pressing tab to move through the list or in newer versions of PowerShell, you can press Ctrl + Space to bring up a full list of available commands.

Two of my favorite Cmdlets

Combining one’s knowledge with what’s available using PowerShell’s built-in documentation can prove to be a powerful asset. Two of my favorite Cmdlets are Get-Help and Get-Member. In this next section, I’ll break down what these Cmdlets do and how I use them to support my workflow.

Get-Help

The description for what the Get-Process cmdlet does was mentioned above. That information can be attained online or directly from the PowerShell console. Having the information directly available is one of the significant advantages of PowerShell compared to other scripting languages. Information about the cmdlets, the correct syntax, list of parameters, and even examples can all be reached without leaving the console or having to involve an outside resource. There are, of course, lots of great resources online with detailed examples and explanations – but those aren’t always readily available or accessible on a machine that may not have an internet connection or even more constraining, a machine with no graphical user interface (GUI).

Here is the example of what it looks like to the help documentation for the Get-Process cmdlet:

Note the first time you run Get-Help, you may be prompted to download updated help files. This requires an active internet connection and will take some time. This process pulls the latest help information down locally to your machine. If you are not able to run the update you can still view the help information – it just may not be the latest version. In many cases, this can still help you work through running the command, but it may not have any updated documentation.

Let’s break down this output.

The first two sections provide the name of the cmdlet and a synopsis of what the command does. A detailed description can be found just below the syntax. The syntax section explains how the cmdlet can be run. It shows the parameters that can be passed to the cmdlet, what type of objects they need to be, and whether or not a parameter is required. You can find more information on PowerShell syntax here and here.

In the remarks section, there are a few additional parameters you can pass to the Get-Help Get-Process command to view more information. Most notable is the -examples switch parameter. This provides a list of examples for how the command works. A few things for you to try out:
Get-Help Get-Process -examples
Get-Help Get-Process -detailed

This provides you with a more detailed version of the information shown above.

And you can even run Get-Help against itself to view all the ways that you can discover information about how PowerShell works. So, if you’re in the mood for some “light lunchtime reading” check out Get-Help Get-Help -full for some riveting information (ok maybe that’s just an engineer thing).

Get-Member

Get-Member is one of the other commands that I often use when working in PowerShell. PowerShell is an object-orientated language. This means that we can reference different parts or attributes of an object as we are working in the console or with a script. An object also contains different methods (or functions) that it can perform. The Get-Member command provides a view of what the object looks like. Try it yourself with the Get-Process command:

Get-Process | Get-Member

For those that aren’t aware, the vertical bar character in the middle is called a pipe. It’s located above the enter key.

When you are running Get-Member, you are looking at the members (or properties) of an object. In the example above, you are looking at the parts of the Process object (System.Diagnostics.Process). The output of the above command allows you to see what you can do with the process object, how you can interact with it, and other attributes. Some of the methods worth mentioning are start (which will start a system process) and close (which does the same thing as its name implies). The complete output is a bit long to include here, but feel free to run the above command and see for yourself.

By using a combination of Get-Help and Get-Member, you can get a better understanding of how cmdlets interact with each other and objects. In a future article, we’ll investigate starting to harness the capabilities of PowerShell and how it can help save you time and effort when it comes to managing an environment.

The post PowerShell Documentation Cmdlets – The Built-in Hidden Secrets appeared first on CCB Technology.

In order to understand why there has been a shift back towards the command line one must first understand some of the basic necessities when administering computer systems on a large scale. The ability to complete repetitive tasks quickly and accurately is crucial when managing a large number of systems. Furthermore, the capability to ensure that these tasks are done in the same manor each and every time becomes paramount as it ensures that the intended results are attained.

To meet these needs, a common CLI method used today is Microsoft Windows PowerShell. Find out the basics of PowerShell, how it can be used and why it’s becoming more popular for system administrators.

PowerShell… so what is it?

PowerShell is Microsoft’s scripting and automation platform. It is both a scripting language and an interactive command environment built on the .NET Framework. To better understand what PowerShell is, it helps to understand how it’s used. One of the authoritative resources on the subject, Ed Wilson, defines PowerShell as the following:

“Windows PowerShell is an interactive object-oriented command environment with scripting language features that utilizes small programs called cmdlets to simplify configuration, administration, and management of heterogeneous environments in both standalone and networked typologies by utilizing standards-based remoting protocols.”

There’s a lot to that definition so let’s unpack that a little more.

What is object-oriented?

An objected-orientated language can be defined as a form of logic – it’s a way to understand how the platform or language behaves. An object is something that has one or more attributes and one or more methods or functions. Here are some examples:

Think of a television remote control. Its attributes are the size, shape, color, number of buttons, and other things of that nature. Its functions include turning the television on and off and adjusting the volume.

A car is another good example. Its attributes are things like it’s current speed, license plate number or location. Its methods are moving, parking, accelerating or slowing down.

A final example of an object is a dog. Its attributes are mood, color, breed, and energy level and methods are playing, sleeping, barking or chasing a tail.

What are Cmdlets (or Command-lets)?

PowerShell is made up of a collection of commands that carry out particular functions or tasks. On the backside of the cmdlet there are a number of things happening: the command that is executed is working with classes, methods, multiple objects, possible API calls and many other things in order to carry out its job. The advantage of PowerShell is that you don’t have to understand all of these backend principles in depth since the cmdlets take care of those processes.

To assist in the use of cmdlets PowerShell follows a verb-noun naming pattern to help users understand the purpose of the commands. Example verbs include New, Set, Get, Add and Copy. Microsoft has a documented list of approved verbs and their intended uses to help maintain consistency throughout the platform. When placed together with nouns, you get cmdlets such as:

Get-Help
Get-Process
Get-Member

How is PowerShell used?

PowerShell has many uses and often is only limited by one’s creativity. As mentioned earlier, PowerShell functions both as an interactive language as well as a scripting tool. Both use cases allow for easier administration of systems as well as a great deal of flexibility for IT professionals.

When being used as a CLI to interact directly with a system, one of the major benefits of PowerShell is the ability to remotely connect to another system. An administrator can use a remote PowerShell session to connect to a server that’s not in the same physical location and run commands as if he or she were working directly on that server. A broad range of administrative tasks can be done remotely, saving IT professionals hours of time.

It also allows administrators to run the same commands against multiple servers at the same time, providing further time-saving benefits.

When it comes to creating PowerShell scripts, the ability to perform consistent tasks and steps repeatedly is a huge benefit for IT administrators. PowerShell automates many tasks, from the complete roll out of a new server in a virtual environment, to the configuration of new mailboxes in Microsoft 365 and a host of additional functions in-between.

In their simplest form, PowerShell scripts are a collection of PowerShell commands. This makes the transition from working with individual commands in the CLI to a fully automated script straight forward.

What can you do with PowerShell?

Now that you have some basic knowledge of what PowerShell is and how it’s used, let’s explore what you can do with it.

First, it’s important to note that PowerShell is not going away. Despite the move from the olden days of green screens and the CLI to graphical user interfaces for almost everything we do, there is a trend toward moving things back to the CLI. There are many reasons for this, but one centers around the development lifecycle.

GUIs are usually the form of a wrapper that ultimately is running code or commands on the backend when an action occurs like clicking a button. This means that the underlying code still needs to be written for the GUI to function. By cutting out the graphical piece and just using the PowerShell code, companies can more quickly roll out changes and updates without having to worry about also updating and testing a GUI in addition to the code, which is often time consuming.

PowerShell is tightly integrated into almost all of Microsoft’s products. In fact, there are certain actions in popular products like Microsoft 365 and Server 2016 that cannot be done with a GUI and can only be done with PowerShell. Along with being 100% necessary for certain tasks, the ability to automate with PowerShell makes understanding it a worthwhile skill for many IT professionals.

Second, once you start understanding all that can be done with PowerShell, it opens a whole new set of capabilities. From basic automation, to advanced scripting, PowerShell can provide an abundance of opportunities for simplifying tasks and saving time.

In future entries we will look at in-depth uses of PowerShell scripting and how it can be used to simplify many areas of an IT environment including: server configuration and deployment, user creation and auditing and administrative tasks in M365. In the meantime, these resources are a great launching point for learning more about PowerShell.

PowerShell Documentation:
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/

PowerShell Scripts:
https://github.com/powershell
https://www.powershellgallery.com/

PowerShell Blogs:
https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/heyscriptingguy/
https://kevinmarquette.github.io/
https://www.planetpowershell.com/

Continue reading about PowerShell →

The post PowerShell: What is it & what can you do with it appeared first on CCB Technology.