PowerShell is a powerful scripting language that is used to manage and automate tasks in Windows. One of the most important commands in PowerShell is Invoke-Command, which allows you to run commands on remote computers. In this article, we will explore the syntax, parameters, inputs, outputs, examples, and tips for using Invoke-Command.

What is Invoke-Command?

Invoke-Command is a PowerShell cmdlet that enables you to run commands on remote computers. It is a powerful tool that can be used to manage and automate tasks on remote computers. It can be used to run commands on multiple computers at once, allowing you to quickly and easily manage large networks.

Syntax

The syntax for Invoke-Command is as follows:

Invoke-Command -ComputerName -ScriptBlock {} [-ArgumentList ] [-AsJob] [-Authentication ] [-CertificateThumbprint ] [-ConfigurationName ] [-Credential ] [-EnableNetworkAccess] [-HideComputerName] [-InputObject ] [-JobName ] [-JobVariable ] [-OutputType ] [-Port ] [-SessionOption ] [-ThrottleLimit ] [-UseSSL] [-WhatIf] [-Confirm] []

Parameters

The following parameters can be used with Invoke-Command:

Parameter Description
ComputerName The name of the remote computer on which the command will be run.
ScriptBlock The script block that contains the command to be run on the remote computer.
ArgumentList A list of arguments to be passed to the script block.
AsJob Runs the command as a background job.
Authentication Specifies the authentication method to be used when connecting to the remote computer.
CertificateThumbprint The thumbprint of the certificate to be used for authentication.
ConfigurationName The name of the configuration to be used for the remote session.
Credential The credentials to be used for authentication.
EnableNetworkAccess Enables network access for the remote session.
HideComputerName Hides the computer name from the output.
InputObject The input object to be passed to the script block.
JobName The name of the job.
JobVariable The variable to be used to store the job object.
OutputType The type of output to be returned.
Port The port to be used for the remote session.
SessionOption The session options to be used for the remote session.
ThrottleLimit The maximum number of concurrent connections.
UseSSL Specifies whether to use SSL for the remote session.
WhatIf Shows what would happen if the command were to run.
Confirm Prompts for confirmation before running the command.

Inputs

The inputs for Invoke-Command are the ComputerName, ScriptBlock, ArgumentList, Authentication, CertificateThumbprint, ConfigurationName, Credential, EnableNetworkAccess, HideComputerName, InputObject, JobName, JobVariable, OutputType, Port, SessionOption, ThrottleLimit, UseSSL, WhatIf, and Confirm parameters.

Outputs

The output of Invoke-Command is the output of the command that is run on the remote computer.

Examples

The following example shows how to use Invoke-Command to run a command on a remote computer:

Invoke-Command -ComputerName -ScriptBlock {Get-Process}

The following example shows how to use Invoke-Command to run a command on multiple computers:

Invoke-Command -ComputerName , -ScriptBlock {Get-Process}

Tips for Using Invoke-Command

  • Make sure that the remote computer has PowerShell remoting enabled.
  • Make sure that the user account that is running the command has the necessary permissions to run the command on the remote computer.
  • Use the -AsJob parameter to run the command as a background job.
  • Use the -ThrottleLimit parameter to limit the number of concurrent connections.
  • Use the -InputObject parameter to pass input objects to the script block.
  • Use the -OutputType parameter to specify the type of output to be returned.

Conclusion

Invoke-Command is a powerful PowerShell cmdlet that can be used to run commands on remote computers. It is a useful tool for managing and automating tasks on remote computers. In this article, we have explored the syntax, parameters, inputs, outputs, examples, and tips for using Invoke-Command.

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