Simplify management of your virtual infrastructure by automation management tasks and gaining insight into specific areas of your virtual infrastructure with PowerCLI.  PowerCLI is a Windows PowerShell interface to the vSphere API.  PowerCLI cmdlets along with View APIs, ThinApp APIs, VIX APIs, and other management tools allows you to script tasks in very short commands without having to write the code to access the APIs.  Scripted tasks can be utilized to configure vSphere (Hosts, VMs, DataCenters,etc...), extract performance metrics, gather environment information and ANY OTHER TASK THAT CAN BE DONE VIA VMware vSphere CLIENT.

Why PowerCLI and what can you do with it?  PowerCLI is not just a different way to administer systems and applications, it is rapidly becoming THE WAY.  PowerCLI unleashes the ability to interact with APIs in a command line way familar to administrators, something that once was only available to developers.  Developers can integrate PowerCLI and PowerShell CMDLETS ("CommandLets") into their applications to further ease the task of systems and application administration.  CMDLETS can be scripted to automate or repeat routine tasks over large environments.  CMDLETS can also be utilized to make configuration changes to multiple targets at once.  CMDLETS additionally can be utilized to colllect valuable information for maintenance (Average CPU usage, What VMs have CDROMs connected, Show me orphaned VMDKs).  All of which save valuable time proactively and reactively.

eGroup can help, getting started with PowerCLI and PowerShell isn't as difficult as you would think but mastery takes time and experience.  Best thing about it is you can do most of the stuff you need from exisitng scripts and build your own scripts over time.  eGroup offers a multi-day engagement designed at enabling IT administrators to utilize PowerCLI and PowerShell to save valuable time and gain valuable insight into the operations of their Virtual Infrastructure.  These same skills can easily be utilized in the management of Exchange, SharePoint, Citix XA/XD/PVS, VMware View and ThinApp, etc... 

