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PowerShell Commands

Invoke-Command

Invoke-Command [[-ConnectionUri] <Uri[]>] [-ScriptBlock*] <ScriptBlock> [-AllowRedirection] [-ArgumentList<Object[]>] [-AsJob] [-Authentication {Default | Basic | Negotiate | NegotiateWithImplicitCredential | Credssp |Digest | Kerberos}] [-CertificateThumbprint <String>] [-ConfigurationName <String>] [-Credential <PSCredential>][-EnableNetworkAccess] [-HideComputerName] [-InDisconnectedSession] [-InputObject <PSObject>] [-JobName <String>][-SessionOption <PSSessionOption>] [-ThrottleLimit <Int32>] [<CommonParameters>]
Invoke-Command [[-ConnectionUri] <Uri[]>] [-FilePath*] <String> [-AllowRedirection] [-ArgumentList <Object[]>][-AsJob] [-Authentication {Default | Basic | Negotiate | NegotiateWithImplicitCredential | Credssp | Digest |Kerberos}] [-ConfigurationName <String>] [-Credential <PSCredential>] [-EnableNetworkAccess] [-HideComputerName][-InDisconnectedSession] [-InputObject <PSObject>] [-JobName <String>] [-SessionOption <PSSessionOption>][-ThrottleLimit <Int32>] [<CommonParameters>]
Invoke-Command [[-ComputerName] <String[]>] [-ScriptBlock*] <ScriptBlock> [-ApplicationName <String>][-ArgumentList <Object[]>] [-AsJob] [-Authentication {Default | Basic | Negotiate |NegotiateWithImplicitCredential | Credssp | Digest | Kerberos}] [-CertificateThumbprint <String>][-ConfigurationName <String>] [-Credential <PSCredential>] [-EnableNetworkAccess] [-HideComputerName][-InDisconnectedSession] [-InputObject <PSObject>] [-JobName <String>] [-Port <Int32>] [-SessionName <String[]>][-SessionOption <PSSessionOption>] [-ThrottleLimit <Int32>] [-UseSSL] [<CommonParameters>]
Invoke-Command [[-ComputerName] <String[]>] [-FilePath*] <String> [-ApplicationName <String>] [-ArgumentList<Object[]>] [-AsJob] [-Authentication {Default | Basic | Negotiate | NegotiateWithImplicitCredential | Credssp |Digest | Kerberos}] [-ConfigurationName <String>] [-Credential <PSCredential>] [-EnableNetworkAccess][-HideComputerName] [-InDisconnectedSession] [-InputObject <PSObject>] [-JobName <String>] [-Port <Int32>][-SessionName <String[]>] [-SessionOption <PSSessionOption>] [-ThrottleLimit <Int32>] [-UseSSL][<CommonParameters>]
Invoke-Command [[-Session] <PSSession[]>] [-ScriptBlock*] <ScriptBlock> [-ArgumentList <Object[]>] [-AsJob][-HideComputerName] [-InputObject <PSObject>] [-JobName <String>] [-ThrottleLimit <Int32>] [<CommonParameters>]
Invoke-Command [[-Session] <PSSession[]>] [-FilePath*] <String> [-ArgumentList <Object[]>] [-AsJob][-HideComputerName] [-InputObject <PSObject>] [-JobName <String>] [-ThrottleLimit <Int32>] [<CommonParameters>]
Invoke-Command [-VMId*] <Guid[]> [-ScriptBlock*] <ScriptBlock> [-ArgumentList <Object[]>] [-AsJob][-ConfigurationName <String>] -Credential <PSCredential> [-HideComputerName] [-InputObject <PSObject>][-ThrottleLimit <Int32>] [<CommonParameters>]
Invoke-Command [-ScriptBlock*] <ScriptBlock> [-ArgumentList <Object[]>] [-AsJob] [-ConfigurationName <String>]-Credential <PSCredential> [-HideComputerName] [-InputObject <PSObject>] [-ThrottleLimit <Int32>] -VMName*<String[]> [<CommonParameters>]
Invoke-Command [-VMId*] <Guid[]> [-FilePath*] <String> [-ArgumentList <Object[]>] [-AsJob] [-ConfigurationName<String>] -Credential <PSCredential> [-HideComputerName] [-InputObject <PSObject>] [-ThrottleLimit <Int32>][<CommonParameters>]
Invoke-Command [-FilePath*] <String> [-ArgumentList <Object[]>] [-AsJob] [-ConfigurationName <String>] -Credential<PSCredential> [-HideComputerName] [-InputObject <PSObject>] [-ThrottleLimit <Int32>] -VMName* <String[]>[<CommonParameters>]
Invoke-Command [-ScriptBlock*] <ScriptBlock> [-ArgumentList <Object[]>] [-AsJob] [-ConfigurationName <String>]-ContainerId* <String[]> [-HideComputerName] [-InputObject <PSObject>] [-JobName <String>] [-RunAsAdministrator][-ThrottleLimit <Int32>] [<CommonParameters>]
Invoke-Command [-FilePath*] <String> [-ArgumentList <Object[]>] [-AsJob] [-ConfigurationName <String>] -ContainerId*<String[]> [-HideComputerName] [-InputObject <PSObject>] [-JobName <String>] [-RunAsAdministrator] [-ThrottleLimit<Int32>] [<CommonParameters>]
Invoke-Command [-ScriptBlock*] <ScriptBlock> [-ArgumentList <Object[]>] [-InputObject <PSObject>] [-NoNewScope][<CommonParameters>]

The Invoke-Command cmdlet runs commands on a local or remote computer and returns all output from the commands, including errors. By using a single Invoke-Command command, you can run commands on multiple computers.

To run a single command on a remote computer, use the ComputerName parameter. To run a series of related commands that share data, use the New-PSSession cmdlet to create a PSSession (a persistent connection) on the remote computer, and then use the Session parameter of Invoke-Command to run the command in the PSSession. To run a command in a disconnected session, use the InDisconnectedSession parameter. To run a command in a background job, use the AsJob parameter.

You can also use Invoke-Command on a local computer to evaluate or run a string in a script block as a command. Windows PowerShell converts the script block to a command and runs the command immediately in the current scope, instead of just echoing the string at the command line.

To start an interactive session with a remote computer, use the Enter-PSSession cmdlet. To establish a persistent connection to a remote computer, use the New-PSSession cmdlet.

Before using Invoke-Command to run commands on a remote computer, read about_Remote (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=135182).

Parameters

-AllowRedirection [<SwitchParameter>]

  • Default value is False
  • Accepts pipeline input False

Allows redirection of this connection to an alternate Uniform Resource Identifier (URI).

When you use the ConnectionURI parameter, the remote destination can return an instruction to redirect to a different URI. By default, Windows PowerShell does not redirect connections, but you can use this parameter to allow it to redirect the connection.

You can also limit the number of times the connection is redirected by changing the MaximumConnectionRedirectionCount session option value. Use the MaximumRedirection parameter of the New-PSSessionOption cmdlet or set the MaximumConnectionRedirectionCount property of the $PSSessionOption preference variable. The default value is 5.

-ApplicationName <String>

  • Default value is None
  • Accepts pipeline input ByPropertyName

Specifies the application name segment of the connection URI. Use this parameter to specify the application name when you are not using the ConnectionURI parameter in the command.

The default value is the value of the $PSSessionApplicationName preference variable on the local computer. If this preference variable is not defined, the default value is WSMAN. This value is appropriate for most uses.

The WinRM service uses the application name to select a listener to service the connection request. The value of this parameter should match the value of the URLPrefix property of a listener on the remote computer.

-ArgumentList <Object[]>

  • Default value is None
  • Accepts pipeline input False

Supplies the values of local variables in the command. The variables in the command are replaced by these values before the command is run on the remote computer. Enter the values in a comma-separated list. Values are associated with variables in the order that they are listed. The alias for ArgumentList is Args.

The values in the ArgumentList parameter can be actual values, such as 1024, or they can be references to local variables, such as $max.

To use local variables in a command, use the following command format:

`{param($<name1>[, $<name2>]...) <command-with-local-variables>} -ArgumentList <value> -or- <local-variable>`

The param keyword lists the local variables that are used in the command. ArgumentList supplies the values of the variables, in the order that they are listed.

-AsJob [<SwitchParameter>]

  • Default value is False
  • Accepts pipeline input False

Indicates that this cmdlet runs the command as a background job on a remote computer. Use this parameter to run commands that take an extensive time to finish.

When you use the AsJob parameter, the command returns an object that represents the job, and then displays the command prompt. You can continue to work in the session while the job finishes. To manage the job, use the Job cmdlets. To get the job results, use the Receive-Job cmdlet.

The AsJob parameter resembles using the Invoke-Command cmdlet to run a Start-Job command remotely. However, with AsJob , the job is created on the local computer, even though the job runs on a remote computer, and the results of the remote job are automatically returned to the local computer.

-Authentication <AuthenticationMechanism>

  • Default value is None
  • Accepts pipeline input False

Specifies the mechanism that is used to authenticate the user's credentials. The acceptable values for this parameter are:

- Default

- Basic

- Credssp

- Digest

- Kerberos

- Negotiate

- NegotiateWithImplicitCredential

The default value is Default.

CredSSP authentication is available only in Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008, and later versions of the Windows operating system.

For information about the values of this parameter, see the description of the AuthenticationMechanism Enumerationhttp://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=144382 (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=144382) in the Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN) library.CAUTION: Credential Security Support Provider (CredSSP) authentication, in which the user's credentials are passed to a remote computer to be authenticated, is designed for commands that require authentication on more than one resource, such as accessing a remote network share. This mechanism increases the security risk of the remote operation. If the remote computer is compromised, the credentials that are passed to it can be used to control the network session.

-CertificateThumbprint <String>

  • Default value is None
  • Accepts pipeline input False

Specifies the digital public key certificate (X509) of a user account that has permission to connect to the disconnected session. Enter the certificate thumbprint of the certificate.

Certificates are used in client certificate-based authentication. They can be mapped only to local user accounts; they do not work with domain accounts.

To get a certificate thumbprint, use a Get-Item or Get-ChildItem command in the Windows PowerShell Cert: drive.

-ComputerName <String[]>

  • Default value is None
  • Accepts pipeline input False

Specifies the computers on which the command runs. The default is the local computer.

When you use the ComputerName parameter, Windows PowerShell creates a temporary connection that is used only to run the specified command and is then closed. If you need a persistent connection, use the Session parameter.

Type the NETBIOS name, IP address, or fully qualified domain name of one or more computers in a comma-separated list. To specify the local computer, type the computer name, localhost, or a dot (.).

To use an IP address in the value of ComputerName , the command must include the Credential parameter. Also, the computer must be configured for HTTPS transport or the IP address of the remote computer must be included in the WinRM TrustedHosts list on the local computer. For instructions for adding a computer name to the TrustedHosts list, see "How to Add a Computer to the Trusted Host List" in about_Remote_Troubleshooting.

On Windows Vista and later versions of the Windows operating system, to include the local computer in the value of ComputerName , you must open Windows PowerShell by using the Run as administrator option.

-ConfigurationName <String>

  • Default value is None
  • Accepts pipeline input ByPropertyName

Specifies the session configuration that is used for the new PSSession .

Enter a configuration name or the fully qualified resource URI for a session configuration. If you specify only the configuration name, the following schema URI is prepended: http://schemas.microsoft.com/PowerShell.

The session configuration for a session is located on the remote computer. If the specified session configuration does not exist on the remote computer, the command fails.

The default value is the value of the $PSSessionConfigurationName preference variable on the local computer. If this preference variable is not set, the default is Microsoft.PowerShell.

-ConnectionUri <Uri[]>

  • Default value is None
  • Accepts pipeline input False

Specifies a URI that defines the connection endpoint of the session. The URI must be fully qualified.

The format of this string is as follows:

`<Transport>://<ComputerName>:<Port>/<ApplicationName>`

The default value is as follows:

`http://localhost:5985/WSMAN`

If you do not specify a connection URI, you can use the UseSSL and Port parameters to specify the connection URI values.

Valid values for the Transport segment of the URI are HTTP and HTTPS. If you specify a connection URI with a Transport segment, but do not specify a port, the session is created with standards ports: 80 for HTTP and 443 for HTTPS. To use the default ports for Windows PowerShell remoting, specify port 5985 for HTTP or 5986 for HTTPS.

If the destination computer redirects the connection to a different URI, Windows PowerShell prevents the redirection unless you use the AllowRedirection parameter in the command.

-ContainerId <String[]>

  • This value is required
  • Default value is None
  • Accepts pipeline input ByPropertyName

Specifies an array of container IDs.

-Credential <PSCredential>

  • Default value is None
  • Accepts pipeline input ByPropertyName

Specifies a user account that has permission to perform this action. The default is the current user.

Type a user name, such as User01 or Domain01\User01. Or, enter a PSCredential object, such as one generated by the Get-Credential cmdlet. If you type a user name, this cmdlet prompts you for a password.

-EnableNetworkAccess [<SwitchParameter>]

  • Default value is False
  • Accepts pipeline input False

Indicates that this cmdlet adds an interactive security token to loopback sessions. The interactive token lets you run commands in the loopback session that get data from other computers. For example, you can run a command in the session that copies XML files from a remote computer to the local computer.

A loopback session is a PSSession that originates and ends on the same computer. To create a loopback session, omit the ComputerName parameter or set its value to . (dot), localhost, or the name of the local computer.

By default, loopback sessions are created by using a network token, which might not provide sufficient permission to authenticate to remote computers.

The EnableNetworkAccess parameter is effective only in loopback sessions. If you use EnableNetworkAccess when you create a session on a remote computer, the command succeeds, but the parameter is ignored.

You can also allow remote access in a loopback session by using the CredSSP value of the Authentication parameter, which delegates the session credentials to other computers.

To protect the computer from malicious access, disconnected loopback sessions that have interactive tokens, which are those created by using EnableNetworkAccess , can be reconnected only from the computer on which the session was created. Disconnected sessions that use CredSSP authentication can be reconnected from other computers.

This parameter was introduced in Windows PowerShell 3.0.

-FilePath <String>

  • This value is required
  • Default value is None
  • Accepts pipeline input False

Specifies a local script that this cmdlet runs on one or more remote computers. Enter the path and file name of the script, or pipe a script path to Invoke-Command . The script must reside on the local computer or in a directory that the local computer can access. Use ArgumentList to specify the values of parameters in the script.

When you use this parameter, Windows PowerShell converts the contents of the specified script file to a script block, transmits the script block to the remote computer, and runs it on the remote computer.

-HideComputerName [<SwitchParameter>]

  • Default value is False
  • Accepts pipeline input False

Indicates that this cmdlet omits the computer name of each object from the output display. By default, the name of the computer that generated the object appears in the display.

This parameter affects only the output display. It does not change the object.

-InDisconnectedSession [<SwitchParameter>]

  • Default value is False
  • Accepts pipeline input False

Indicates that this cmdlet runs a command or script in a disconnected session.

When you use the InDisconnectedSession parameter, Invoke-Command creates a persistent session on each remote computer, starts the command specified by the ScriptBlock or FilePath parameter, and then disconnects from the session. The commands continue to run in the disconnected sessions. InDisconnectedSession enables you to run commands without maintaining a connection to the remote sessions. Also, because the session is disconnected before any results are returned, InDisconnectedSession makes sure that all command results are returned to the reconnected session, instead of being split between sessions.

You cannot use InDisconnectedSession with the Session parameter or the AsJob parameter.

Commands that use InDisconnectedSession return a PSSession object that represents the disconnected session. They do not return the command output. To connect to the disconnected session, use the Connect-PSSession or Receive-PSSession cmdlets. To get the results of commands that ran in the session, use the Receive-PSSession cmdlet. To run commands that generate output in a disconnected session, set the value of the OutputBufferingMode session option to Drop. If you intend to connect to the disconnected session, set the idle time-out in the session so that it provides sufficient time for you to connect before deleting the session.

You can set the output buffering mode and idle time-out in the SessionOption parameter or in the $PSSessionOption preference variable.

This parameter was introduced in Windows PowerShell 3.0.

-InputObject <PSObject>

  • Default value is None
  • Accepts pipeline input ByValue

Specifies input to the command. Enter a variable that contains the objects or type a command or expression that gets the objects.

When using the InputObject parameter, use the $Input automatic variable in the value of the ScriptBlock parameter to represent the input objects.

-JobName <String>

  • Default value is None
  • Accepts pipeline input False

Specifies a friendly name for the background job. By default, jobs are named Job<n>, where <n> is an ordinal number.

If you use the JobName parameter in a command, the command is run as a job, and Invoke-Command returns a job object, even if you do not include AsJob in the command.

-NoNewScope [<SwitchParameter>]

  • Default value is False
  • Accepts pipeline input False

Indicates that this cmdlet runs the specified command in the current scope. By default, Invoke-Command runs commands in their own scope.

This parameter is valid only in commands that are run in the current session, that is, commands that omit both the ComputerName and Session parameters.

This parameter was introduced in Windows PowerShell 3.0.

-Port <Int32>

  • Default value is None
  • Accepts pipeline input False

Specifies the network port on the remote computer that is used for this command. To connect to a remote computer, the remote computer must be listening on the port that the connection uses. The default ports are 5985, which is the WinRM port for HTTP, and 5986, which is the WinRM port for HTTPS.

Before using an alternate port, configure the WinRM listener on the remote computer to listen at that port. To configure the listener, type the following two commands at the Windows PowerShell prompt:

`Remove-Item -Path WSMan:\Localhost\listener\listener* -Recurse`

`New-Item -Path WSMan:\Localhost\listener -Transport http -Address * -Port <port-number>`

Do not use the Port parameter unless you must. The port that is set in the command applies to all computers or sessions on which the command runs. An alternate port setting might prevent the command from running on all computers.

-RunAsAdministrator [<SwitchParameter>]

  • Default value is False
  • Accepts pipeline input False

Indicates that this cmdlet invokes a command as an Administrator.

-ScriptBlock <ScriptBlock>

  • This value is required
  • Default value is None
  • Accepts pipeline input False

Specifies the commands to run. Enclose the commands in braces ( { } ) to create a script block. This parameter is required.

By default, any variables in the command are evaluated on the remote computer. To include local variables in the command, use ArgumentList .

-Session <PSSession[]>

  • Default value is None
  • Accepts pipeline input False

Specifies an array of sessions in which this cmdlet runs the command. Enter a variable that contains PSSession objects or a command that creates or gets the PSSession objects, such as a New-PSSession or Get-PSSession command.

When you create a PSSession , Windows PowerShell establishes a persistent connection to the remote computer. Use a PSSession to run a series of related commands that share data. To run a single command or a series of unrelated commands, use the ComputerName parameter.

-SessionName <String[]>

  • Default value is None
  • Accepts pipeline input False

Specifies a friendly name for a disconnected session. You can use the name to refer to the session in subsequent commands, such as a Get-PSSession command. This parameter is valid only with the InDisconnectedSession parameter.

This parameter was introduced in Windows PowerShell 3.0.

-SessionOption <PSSessionOption>

  • Default value is None
  • Accepts pipeline input False

Specifies advanced options for the session. Enter a SessionOption object, such as one that you create by using the New-PSSessionOption cmdlet, or a hash table in which the keys are session option names and the values are session option values.

The default values for the options are determined by the value of the $PSSessionOption preference variable, if it is set. Otherwise, the default values are established by options set in the session configuration.

The session option values take precedence over default values for sessions set in the $PSSessionOption preference variable and in the session configuration. However, they do not take precedence over maximum values, quotas or limits set in the session configuration.

For a description of the session options that includes the default values, see New-PSSessionOption . For information about the $PSSessionOption preference variable, see about_Preference_Variables (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=113248).

-ThrottleLimit <Int32>

  • Default value is None
  • Accepts pipeline input False

Specifies the maximum number of concurrent connections that can be established to run this command. If you omit this parameter or enter a value of 0, the default value, 32, is used.

The throttle limit applies only to the current command, not to the session or to the computer.

-UseSSL [<SwitchParameter>]

  • Default value is False
  • Accepts pipeline input False

Indicates that this cmdlet uses the Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) protocol to establish a connection to the remote computer. By default, SSL is not used.

WS-Management encrypts all Windows PowerShell content transmitted over the network. The UseSSL parameter is an additional protection that sends the data across an HTTPS, instead of HTTP.

If you use this parameter, but SSL is not available on the port that is used for the command, the command fails.

-VMId <Guid[]>

  • This value is required
  • Default value is None
  • Accepts pipeline input ByPropertyName

Specifies an array of IDs of virtual machines.

-VMName <String[]>

  • This value is required
  • Default value is None
  • Accepts pipeline input ByPropertyName

Specifies an array of names of virtual machines.

<CommonParameters>

This cmdlet supports the common parameters: Verbose, Debug,ErrorAction, ErrorVariable, WarningAction, WarningVariable,OutBuffer, PipelineVariable, and OutVariable.

Inputs
System.Management.Automation.ScriptBlock
You can pipe a command in a script block to Invoke-Command . Use the $Input automatic variable to represent the input objects in the command.
Outputs
System.Management.Automation.PSRemotingJob, System.Management.Automation.Runspaces.PSSession, or the output of the
invoked command This cmdlet returns a job object, if you use the AsJob parameter. If you specify the InDisconnectedSession parameter, Invoke-Command returns a PSSession object. Otherwise, it returns the output of the invoked command, which is the value of the ScriptBlock parameter.
Examples
  1. Run a script on a server:
    PS C:\> Invoke-Command -FilePath c:\scripts\test.ps1 -ComputerName Server01

    This command runs the Test.ps1 script on the Server01 computer.

    The command uses the FilePath parameter to specify a script that is located on the local computer. The script runs on the remote computer and the results are returned to the local computer.

  2. Run a command on a remote server:
    PS C:\> Invoke-Command -ComputerName server01 -Credential domain01\user01 -ScriptBlock {Get-Culture}

    This command runs a Get-Culture command on the Server01 remote computer.

    It uses the ComputerName parameter to specify the computer name and the Credential parameter to run the command in the security context of Domain01\User01, a user who has permission to run commands. It uses the ScriptBlock parameter to specify the command to be run on the remote computer.

    In response, Windows PowerShell displays a dialog box that requests the password and an authentication method for the User01 account. It then runs the command on the Server01 computer and returns the result.

  3. Run a command in a persistent connection:
    PS C:\> $s = New-PSSession -ComputerName Server02 -Credential Domain01\User01
PS C:\>  Invoke-Command -Session $s -ScriptBlock {Get-Culture}

    This example runs the same Get-Culture command in a session, which is a persistent connection, on the remote computer named Server02. Typically, you create a session only when you run a series of commands on the remote computer.

    The first command uses the New-PSSession cmdlet to create a session on the Server02 remote computer. Then, it saves the session in the $s variable.

    The second command uses the Invoke-Command cmdlet to run the Get-Culture command on Server02. It uses the Session parameter to specify the session saved in the $s variable.

    In response, Windows PowerShell runs the command in the session on the Server02 computer.

  4. Use a session to run a series of commands that share data:
    PS C:\> Invoke-Command -ComputerName Server02 -ScriptBlock {$p = Get-Process PowerShell}
PS C:\>  Invoke-Command -ComputerName Server02 -ScriptBlock {$p.VirtualMemorySize}
PS C:\>
PS C:\>  $s = New-PSSession -ComputerName Server02
PS C:\>  Invoke-Command -Session $s -ScriptBlock {$p = Get-Process PowerShell}
PS C:\>  Invoke-Command -Session $s -ScriptBlock {$p.VirtualMemorySize}
17930240

    This example compares the effects of using ComputerName and Session parameters of Invoke-Command . It shows how to use a session to run a series of commands that share the same data.

    The first two commands use the ComputerName parameter of Invoke-Command to run commands on the Server02 remote computer. The first command uses the Get-Process cmdlet to get the PowerShell process on the remote computer and to save it in the $p variable. The second command gets the value of the VirtualMemorySize property of the PowerShell process.

    The first command succeeds. But the second command fails, because when you use the ComputerName parameter, Windows PowerShell creates a connection just to run the command. Then, it closes the connection when the command is completed. The $p variable was created in one connection, but it does not exist in the connection created for the second command.

    The problem is solved by creating a session, which is a persistent connection, on the remote computer and by running both of the related commands in the same session.

    The third command uses the New-PSSession cmdlet to create a session on the computer named Server02. Then it saves the session in the $s variable. The fourth and fifth commands repeat the series of commands that were used in the first set, but in this case, the Invoke-Command command uses the Session parameter to run both of the commands in the same session.

    In this case, because both commands run in the same session, the commands succeed, and the $p value remains active in the $s session for later use.

  5. Enter a command stored in a local variable:
    PS C:\> $command = { Get-EventLog -log "Windows PowerShell" | where {$_.Message -like "*certificate*"} }
PS C:\>  Invoke-Command -ComputerName S1, S2 -ScriptBlock $command

    This example shows how to enter a command that is stored in a local variable.

    When the whole command is saved in a local variable, you can specify the variable as the value of the ScriptBlock parameter. You do not have to use the param keyword or the ArgumentList variable to submit the value of the local variable.

    The first command saves a Get-EventLog command in the $command variable. The command is formatted as a script block.

    The second command uses Invoke-Command to run the command in $command on the S1 and S2 remote computers.

  6. Run a single command on several computers:
    PS C:\> Invoke-Command -ComputerName Server01, Server02, TST-0143, localhost -ConfigurationName MySession.PowerShell -ScriptBlock {Get-EventLog "Windows PowerShell"}

    This example demonstrates how to use Invoke-Command to run a single command on multiple computers.

    The command uses the ComputerName parameter to specify the computers. The computer names are presented in a comma-separated list. The list of computers includes the localhost value, which represents the local computer.

    The command uses the ConfigurationName parameter to specify an alternate session configuration for Windows PowerShell and the ScriptBlock parameter to specify the command.

    In this example, the command in the script block gets the events in the Windows PowerShell event log on each remote computer.

  7. Get the version of the host program on multiple computers:
    PS C:\> $version = Invoke-Command -ComputerName (Get-Content Machines.txt) -ScriptBlock {(Get-Host).Version}

    This command gets the version of the Windows PowerShell host program running on 200 remote computers.

    Because only one command is run, you do not have to create persistent connections to each of the computers. Instead, the command uses the ComputerName parameter to indicate the computers.

    The command uses the Invoke-Command cmdlet to run a Get-Host command. It uses dot notation to get the Version property of the Windows PowerShell host.

    To specify the computers, it uses the Get-Content cmdlet to get the contents of the Machine.txt file, a file of computer names.

    These commands run one at a time. When the commands complete, the output of the commands from all of the computers is saved in the $version variable. The output includes the name of the computer from which the data originated.

  8. Run a background job on several remote computers:
    PS C:\> $s = New-PSSession -ComputerName Server01, Server02
PS C:\>  Invoke-Command -Session $s -ScriptBlock {Get-EventLog system} -AsJob

   Id   Name    State      HasMoreData   Location           Command
   ---  ----    -----      -----         -----------        ---------------
   1    Job1    Running    True          Server01,Server02  Get-EventLog system

PS C:\>  $j = Get-Job


PS C:\>  $j | Format-List -Property *

   HasMoreData   : True
   StatusMessage :
   Location      : Server01,Server02
   Command       : Get-EventLog system
   JobStateInfo  : Running
   Finished      : System.Threading.ManualResetEvent
   InstanceId    : e124bb59-8cb2-498b-a0d2-2e07d4e030ca
   Id            : 1
   Name          : Job1
   ChildJobs     : {Job2, Job3}
   Output        : {}
   Error         : {}
   Progress      : {}
   Verbose       : {}
   Debug         : {}
   Warning       : {}
   StateChanged  :

PS C:\>  $results = $j | Receive-Job

    These commands run a background job on two remote computers. Because the Invoke-Command command uses the AsJob parameter, the commands run on the remote computers, but the job actually resides on the local computer and the results are transmitted to the local computer.

    The first command uses the New-PSSession cmdlet to create sessions on the Server01 and Server02 remote computers.

    The second command uses the Invoke-Command cmdlet to run a background job in each of the sessions. The command uses the AsJob parameter to run the command as a background job. This command returns a job object that contains two child job objects, one for each of the jobs run on the two remote computers.

    The third command uses a Get-Job command to save the job object in the $j variable.

    The fourth command uses a pipeline operator (|) to send the value of the $j variable to the Format-List cmdlet, which displays all properties of the job object in a list.

    The fifth command gets the results of the jobs. It pipes the job object in $j to the Receive-Job cmdlet and stores the results in the $results variable.

  9. Include local variables in a command run on a remote computer:
    PS C:\> $MWFO_Log = "Microsoft-Windows-Forwarding/Operational"
PS C:\>  Invoke-Command -ComputerName Server01 -ScriptBlock {Get-EventLog -LogName $Using:MWFO_Log -Newest 10}

    This example shows how to include the values of local variables in a command run on a remote computer. The command uses the Using scope modifier to identify a local variable in a remote command. By default, all variables are assumed to be defined in the remote session. The Using scope modifier was introduced in Windows PowerShell 3.0. For more information about the Using scope modifier, see about_Remote_Variables (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=252653).

    The first command stores the name of the Microsoft-Windows-Forwarding/Operational event log in the $MWFO_Log variable.

    The second command uses the Invoke-Command cmdlet to run a Get-EventLog command on the Server01 remote computer that gets the 10 newest events from the Microsoft-Windows-Forwarding/Operational event log on Server01. The value of the LogName parameter is the $MWFO_Log variable, which is prefixed by the Using scope modifier to indicate that it was created in the local session, not in the remote session.

  10. Hide the computer name:
    PS C:\> Invoke-Command -ComputerName S1, S2 -ScriptBlock {Get-Process PowerShell}

   PSComputerName    Handles  NPM(K)    PM(K)      WS(K) VM(M)   CPU(s)     Id   ProcessName
   --------------    -------  ------    -----      ----- -----   ------     --   -----------
   S1                575      15        45100      40988   200     4.68     1392 PowerShell
   S2                777      14        35100      30988   150     3.68     67   PowerShell

PS C:\> Invoke-Command -ComputerName S1, S2 -ScriptBlock {Get-Process PowerShell} -HideComputerName

   Handles  NPM(K)    PM(K)      WS(K) VM(M)   CPU(s)     Id   ProcessName
   -------  ------    -----      ----- -----   ------     --   -----------
   575      15        45100      40988   200     4.68     1392 PowerShell
   777      14        35100      30988   150     3.68     67   PowerShell

    This example shows the effect of using the HideComputerName parameter of Invoke-Command .

    The first two commands use Invoke-Command to run a Get-Process command for the PowerShell process. The output of the first command includes the PsComputerName property, which contains the name of the computer on which the command ran. The output of the second command, which uses HideComputerName , does not include the PsComputerName column.

    Using HideComputerName does not change the object that this cmdlet returns. It changes only the display. You can still use the Format cmdlets to display the PsComputerName property of any of the affected objects.

  11. Run a script on all the computers listed in a text file:
    PS C:\> Invoke-Command -ComputerName (Get-Content Servers.txt) -FilePath C:\Scripts\Sample.ps1 -ArgumentList Process, Service

    This example uses the Invoke-Command cmdlet to run the Sample.ps1 script on all of the computers listed in the Servers.txt file. The command uses the FilePath parameter to specify the script file. This command lets you run the script on the remote computers, even if the script file is not accessible to the remote computers.

    When you submit the command, the content of the Sample.ps1 file is copied into a script block and the script block is run on each of the remote computers. This procedure is equivalent to using the ScriptBlock parameter to submit the contents of the script.

  12. Run a command on a remote computer by using a URI:
    PS C:\> $LiveCred = Get-Credential
PS C:\> Invoke-Command -ConfigurationName Microsoft.Exchange -ConnectionUri https://ps.exchangelabs.com/PowerShell -Credential $LiveCred -Authentication Basic -ScriptBlock {Set-Mailbox Dan -DisplayName "Dan Park"}

    This example shows how to run a command on a remote computer that is identified by a URI. This particular example runs a Set-Mailbox command on a remote Exchange server. The backtick (`) in the command is the Windows PowerShell continuation character.

    The first command uses the Get-Credential cmdlet to store Windows Live ID credentials in the $LiveCred variable. A credentials dialog box prompts the user to enter Windows Live ID credentials.

    The second command uses the Invoke-Command cmdlet to run a Set-Mailbox command. The command uses the ConfigurationName parameter to specify that the command should run in a session that uses the Microsoft.Exchange session configuration. The ConnectionURI parameter specifies the URL of the Exchange server endpoint.

    The Credential parameter specifies the Windows Live credentials stored in the $LiveCred variable. The AuthenticationMechanism parameter specifies the use of basic authentication. The ScriptBlock parameter specifies a script block that contains the command.

  13. Manage URI redirection in a remote command:
    PS C:\> $max = New-PSSessionOption -MaximumRedirection 1


PS C:\> Invoke-Command -ConnectionUri https://ps.exchangelabs.com/PowerShell -ScriptBlock {Get-Mailbox dan} -AllowRedirection -SessionOption $max

    This command shows how to use the AllowRedirection and SessionOption parameters to manage URI redirection in a remote command.

    The first command uses the New-PSSessionOption cmdlet to create a PSSessionOpption object that it saves in the $Max variable. The command uses the MaximumRedirection parameter to set the MaximumConnectionRedirectionCount property of the PSSessionOption object to 1.

    The second command uses the Invoke-Command cmdlet to run a Get-Mailbox command on a remote server that runs Microsoft Exchange Server. The command uses the AllowRedirection parameter to provide explicit permission to redirect the connection to an alternate endpoint. It also uses the SessionOption parameter to specify the session object in the $max variable.

    As a result, if the remote computer specified by ConnectionURI returns a redirection message, Windows PowerShell redirects the connection, but if the new destination returns another redirection message, the redirection count value of 1 is exceeded, and Invoke-Command returns a non-terminating error.

  14. Use a session option:
    PS C:\> $so = New-PSSessionOption -SkipCACheck
PS C:\> Invoke-Command -Session $s -ScriptBlock { Get-HotFix } -SessionOption $so -Credential server01\user01

    This example shows how to create and use a SessionOption parameter.

    The first command uses the New-PSSessionOption cmdlet to create a session option. It saves the resulting SessionOption object in the $so parameter.

    The second command uses the Invoke-Command cmdlet to run a Get-HotFix command remotely. The value of the SessionOption parameter is the SessionOption object in the $so variable.

  15. Access a network share in a remote session:
    PS C:\> Enable-WSManCredSSP -Delegate Server02
PS C:\>  Connect-WSMan Server02
PS C:\>  Set-Item WSMan:\Server02*\Service\Auth\CredSSP -Value $True
PS C:\>  $s = New-PSSession Server02
PS C:\>  Invoke-Command -Session $s -ScriptBlock {Get-Item \\Net03\Scripts\LogFiles.ps1} -Authentication CredSSP -Credential Domain01\Admin01

    This example shows how to access a network share from a remote session.

    The command requires that CredSSP delegation be enabled in the client settings on the local computer and in the service settings on the remote computer. To run the commands in this example, you must be a member of the Administrators group on the local computer and the remote computer.

    The first command uses the Enable-WSManCredSSP cmdlet to enable CredSSP delegation from the Server01 local computer to the Server02 remote computer. This configures the CredSSP client setting on the local computer.

    The second command uses the Connect-WSMan cmdlet to connect to the Server02 computer. This action adds a node for the Server02 computer to the WSMan: drive on the local computer. This lets you view and change the WS-Management settings on the Server02 computer.

    The third command uses the Set-Item cmdlet to change the value of the CredSSP item in the Service node of the Server02 computer to True. This action enables CredSSP in the service settings on the remote computer.

    The fourth command uses the New-PSSession cmdlet to create a PSSession on the Server02 computer. It saves the PSSession in the $s variable.

    The fifth command uses the Invoke-Command cmdlet to run a Get-Item command in the session in $s that gets a script from the Net03\Scripts network share. The command uses the Credential parameter and it uses the Authentication parameter with a value of CredSSP .

  16. Start scripts on many remote computers:
    PS C:\> Invoke-Command -ComputerName (Get-Content Servers.txt) -InDisconnectedSession -FilePath \\Scripts\Public\ConfigInventory.ps1 -SessionOption @{OutputBufferingMode="Drop";IdleTimeout=43200000}

    This command runs a script on more than a hundred computers. To minimize the impact on the local computer, it connects to each computer, starts the script, and then disconnects from each computer. The script continues to run in the disconnected sessions.

    The command uses Invoke-Command to run the script. The value of the ComputerName parameter is a Get-Content command that gets the names of the remote computers from a text file. The InDisconnectedSession parameter disconnects the sessions as soon as it starts the command. The value of the FilePath parameter is the script that Invoke-Command runs on each computer that is named in the Servers.txt file.

    The value of SessionOption is a hash table that sets the value of the OutputBufferingMode option to Drop and the value of the IdleTimeout option to 43200000 milliseconds (12 hours).

    To get the results of commands and scripts that run in disconnected sessions, use the Receive-PSSession cmdlet.

Additional Notes
 On Windows Vista, and later versions of the Windows operating system, to use the ComputerName parameter of 
 Invoke-Command * to run a command on the local computer, you must open Windows PowerShell by using the Run as 
 administrator option.

 * When you run commands on multiple computers, Windows PowerShell connects to the computers in the order in 
 which they appear in the list. However, the command output is displayed in the order that it is received from 
 the remote computers, which might be different. Errors that result from the command that Invoke-Command * runs 
 are included in the command results. Errors that would be terminating errors in a local command are treated as 
 non-terminating errors in a remote command. This strategy makes sure that terminating errors on one computer 
 do not close the command on all computers on which it is run. This practice is used even when a remote command 
 is run on a single computer.

 * If the remote computer is not in a domain that the local computer trusts, the computer might not be able to 
 authenticate the credentials of the user. To add the remote computer to the list of trusted hosts in 
 WS-Management, use the following command in the WSMAN provider, where  is the name of 
 the remote computer:


 `Set-Item -Path WSMan:\Localhost\Client\TrustedHosts -Value ` In Windows PowerShell 2.0, 
 you cannot use the Select-Object cmdlet to select the PSComputerName property of the object that 
 Invoke-Command returns. Instead, to display the value of the PSComputerName property, use the dot method to 
 get the PSComputerName property value ($result.PSComputerName), use a Format cmdlet, such as the Format-Table 
 cmdlet, to display the value of the PSComputerName * property, or use a Select-Object command where the value 
 of the property parameter is a calculated property that has a label other than PSComputerName.

 This limitation does not apply to Windows PowerShell 3.0 or later versions of Windows PowerShell. When you 
 disconnect a PSSession , such as by using InDisconnectedSession*, the session state is Disconnected and the 
 availability is None.

 The value of the State property is relative to the current session. Therefore, a value of Disconnected means 
 that the PSSession is not connected to the current session. However, it does not mean that the PSSession is 
 disconnected from all sessions. It might be connected to a different session. To determine whether you can 
 connect or reconnect to the session, use the Availability property.

 An Availability value of None indicates that you can connect to the session. A value of Busy indicates that 
 you cannot connect to the PSSession because it is connected to another session.

 For more information about the values of the State property of sessions, see RunspaceState Enumerationhttp://ms
 dn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/system.management.automation.runspaces.runspacestate(v=VS.85).as
 px (http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/system.management.automation.runspaces.runspacestat
 e(v=VS.85).aspx) in the MSDN library.
 For more information about the values of the Availability property of sessions, see RunspaceAvailability Enumer
 ationhttp://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/system.management.automation.runspaces.runspaceava
 ilability(v=vs.85).aspx (http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/system.management.automation.r
 unspaces.runspaceavailability(v=vs.85).aspx) in MSDN.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International. It is attributed to Microsoft Corporation and can be found here.

PowerShell Commands