Using the Command-line Administration Tools

The graphical tools provide just about everything you need to work with Exchange Server. Still, there are many times when you might want to work from the command line, especially if you want to automate installation, administration, or maintenance with scripts. To help with all your command-line needs, Exchange Server includes Exchange Management Shell.

Exchange Management Shell is an extension shell for the Microsoft Command Shell that includes a wide array of built-in commands for working with Exchange Server. Microsoft Command Shell commands are referred to as cmdlets (pronounced as commandlets) to differentiate these commands from less powerful commands built into the command prompt and from more full-featured utility programs that can be invoked at the command prompt.

Note 

For ease of reading and reference, I'll usually refer to command prompt commands, command shell cmdlets, and command-line invoked utilities simply as commands.

Exchange Management Shell, shown in Figure 1-2, is accessible by selecting Start, choosing Programs or All Programs, choosing Microsoft Exchange Server 2007, and then choosing Exchange Management Shell.

Figure 1-2: The Exchange Management Shell.

The basics of working with the Exchange Management Shell are fairly straightforward:

• Type get-command to get a full list of all available cmdlets on the server.

• Type get-excommand to get a full list of all Exchange-specific cmdlets available.

• Type help cmdletName to get help information, where cmdletName is the name of the command you are looking up.

You'll find a comprehensive discussion of Exchange Management Shell and Microsoft Command Shell in Chapter 6, "Configuring Exchange Server with Exchange Management Shell," as well as examples of using cmdlets for Exchange Server management throughout the book.