Windows PowerShell Invoke-Command
PowerShell’s Invoke-Command is ideal for running a quick command on a remote computer. This is similar to using Invoke-Expression for string commands.
Remoting in Microsoft PowerShell v 2.0 with Invoke-Command
- Three Key Parameters for Invoke-Command
- Example of Invoke-Command with -ScriptBlock
- Invoke-Command -FilePath
- Example of Invoke-Expression
- Basic PowerShell Remoting Commands
Three Key Parameters for Invoke-Command
The secret of success with Invoke-Command is to pay particular attention to these three parameters:
- -ComputerName to make that remote connection, (-Computer is unambiguous and works just as well).
- -ScriptBlock place the payload of your command is inside the {Braces}.
- -FilePath store the PowerShell instructions in a file, then run against multiple machines.
Get-Help
When investigating the scope and parameters for any new command, I call for Get-Help followed by the name of the cmdlet, this is how I learned about the above parameters.
Get-Help Invoke-Command -full
Simple Example of Invoke-Command with -ScriptBlock
Before you run the script block on a remote computer, I always like to get it working on the local machine:
Local Machine
# PowerShell Invoke-Command Local Machine Example
Clear-Host
Invoke-Command -ScriptBlock {"C:\Program files" | Get-ChildItem}
Remote Computer
Now we are ready to progress to a remote computer. Please substitute a computer on your network for Victim1.
# PowerShell Invoke-Command Remote Computer
Clear-Host
Invoke-Command -Computer Victim1 -ScriptBlock {"C:\Program files" | GCI}
{“C:\Program files” | GCI or Get-ChildItem} is just for illustration, a more common usage would be PowerShell cmdlets such as Get-Service or Get-Eventlog.
Invoke-Command -Computer Srv1, Srv2 -ScriptBlock {Get-Service}
# PowerShell Invoke-Command System Log Example
Clear-Host
Invoke-Command -ScriptBlock {Get-EventLog system -Newest 50}
Get-Process Example of Invoke-Command
# Invoke-Command -ScriptBlock example in PowerShell 2.0
Invoke-Command -ComputerName BigServer, LittleServer -ScriptBlock {
Get-Process | Where-Object {$_.name -Like 'W*'}
}
Note 1: You could also store a list of computer names in a file and call the file with:
Invoke-Command -ComputerName (Get-Content “E:\PowerShell\com\ServerList.txt”)
Note 2: If the ScriptBlock does not do what you want, and you wish to append string commands, try Invoke-Expression instead.
Note 3: If you format the ScriptBlock with { at the end of the line, you don’t need the backtick `, PowerShell can deduce that the command continues on the next line.
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Invoke-Command -FilePath
Using the -FilePath parameter is an alternative technique to employing -ScriptBlock. The idea is that you store all the PowerShell instructions in a .ps1 file. Then instead of looking for a ScriptBlock, you point Invoke-Command at the -FilePath. The benefit is that you don’t have to keep a copy of the file on all the remote servers for which you want to run the script.
# PowerShell Invoke-Command -FilePath example
Invoke-Command -ComputerName BigServer `
-FilePath "C:\Services.ps1"
Note 4: Naturally for this to work you need suitable PowerShell instructions in the file that I have called Services.ps1.
Note 5: I find that you always need the name of a server, even when testing on the local machine.
Note 6: Talking of files, you could also store a list the servers, which you want to run the instructions, in a file and then call that file.
# Invoke-Command -FilePath example in PowerShell 2.0
-ComputerName (Get-Content "C:\ServerList.txt") `
-FilePath "C:\Services.ps1"
Other Useful Techniques
Jobs and -asJob
For scripts that take a long time to complete you could consider appending the –asJob parameter. This has the pleasant effect of running the commands in the background. However, to actually see the results, you need to master the cmdlet receive-Job.
As an alternative to -asJob you could be to employ the -session parameter then run Start-job. However, from a learning perspective, I normally like to concentrate on one technique at a time and combining Invoke-Command with start-Job is a tricky task for a beginner.
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Invoke-Expression
Invoke-Expression is a sister PowerShell cmdlet useful for mimicking the CMD dos box. A typical scenario is where you can typing command-line instructions, but now you want to execute the same string using PowerShell.
With Invoke-Expression you can either save the string values in a text file, then execute them, else append the string directly to Invoke-Expression. See more about Invoke-Expression here.
Introduction to the Rest of the PowerShell Invoke Family
To investigate PowerShell’s ‘invoke’ verb, let us start with the trusty Get-Command, thus:
Get-Command -Verb invoke
- Invoke-Command
- Invoke-Expression
- Invoke-History
- Invoke-Item
- Invoke-WmiMethod
- Invoke-WsManAction
Summary of PowerShell Invoke-Command
Here is handy remoting technique for running PowerShell commands on a batch of network machines. Learn more about the syntax and parameters with help Invoke-Command, the key to this cmdlet is what you put between the -ScriptBlock {Braces}.
See more Microsoft PowerShell tasks:
• PowerShell Home • Shell Application • New-Object • PowerShell Add Printer • PowerShell -com
• PowerShell Logon Script • Map Network Drive • PowerShell Create Shortcut • Free CSV Import Tool
• Invoke-Expression • Invoke-Command • Invoke-Item • PowerShell Expression v Command Mode
Please email me if you have a better example script. Also please report any factual mistakes, grammatical errors or broken links, I will be happy to correct the fault.
