PSSession management in PowerShell - Interactive Code Practice

Practice - 5 Tasks

1fill in blank

easy

Complete the code to create a new PowerShell session to a remote computer named 'Server01'.

PowerShell

$session = New-PSSession -ComputerName [1]

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

ARemotePC

Blocalhost

CServer01

DMyServer

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Using 'localhost' instead of the remote computer name.

Using a generic name not matching the remote computer.

The New-PSSession cmdlet creates a new session to the specified computer. Here, 'Server01' is the correct remote computer name.

2fill in blank

medium

Complete the code to enter an existing PSSession stored in the variable $session.

PowerShell

Enter-PSSession -[1] $session

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

AComputerName

BSessionId

CName

DSession

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Using -SessionId instead of -Session.

Using -ComputerName which expects a string, not a session object.

The Enter-PSSession cmdlet uses the -Session parameter to specify the session object to enter.

3fill in blank

hard

Fix the error in the code to remove all PSSessions.

PowerShell

Get-PSSession | [1]-PSSession

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

ARemove

BDelete

CClear

DClose

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Using 'Delete-PSSession' which does not exist.

Using 'Clear-PSSession' or 'Close-PSSession' which are invalid.

The correct cmdlet to remove sessions is Remove-PSSession. It deletes the sessions returned by Get-PSSession.

4fill in blank

hard

Fill both blanks to create a new PSSession to 'Server02' and store it in $sess.

PowerShell

$sess = [1] -ComputerName [2]

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

ANew-PSSession

BEnter-PSSession

CServer02

DServer01

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Using Enter-PSSession instead of New-PSSession.

Using the wrong computer name.

New-PSSession creates a new session, and the computer name must be 'Server02' as specified.

5fill in blank

hard

Fill all three blanks to filter PSSessions with state 'Opened' and remove them.

PowerShell

Get-PSSession | Where-Object { $_.State -eq '[1]' } | [2]-PSSession -[3]

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

AClosed

BRemove

CForce

DOpened

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Filtering for 'Closed' instead of 'Opened'.

Using 'Delete-PSSession' which is invalid.

Omitting the '-Force' parameter causing removal failure.

This code filters sessions with state 'Opened', removes them using Remove-PSSession, and uses the -Force parameter to ensure removal.

Practice

1. What is the primary purpose of a PSSession in PowerShell?

easy

A. To store variables locally on your computer

B. To create a persistent connection to a remote computer for running commands

C. To display graphical user interfaces

D. To compile PowerShell scripts into executables

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand what PSSession does

   A PSSession creates a persistent connection to a remote computer, allowing you to run commands there without reconnecting each time.

2. Step 2: Compare options to this definition

   Only To create a persistent connection to a remote computer for running commands describes this purpose. Other options describe unrelated tasks.

3. Final Answer:

   To create a persistent connection to a remote computer for running commands -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   PSSession = persistent remote connection [OK]

Hint: PSSession = persistent remote connection [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing PSSession with local variable storage
• Thinking PSSession creates GUIs
• Assuming PSSession compiles scripts

2. Which of the following is the correct syntax to create a new PSSession to a computer named 'Server01'?

easy

A. Get-PSSession -ComputerName Server01

B. Invoke-Command -ComputerName Server01

C. New-PSSession -ComputerName Server01

D. Remove-PSSession -ComputerName Server01

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify the cmdlet to create a session

   The cmdlet to create a new session is New-PSSession.

2. Step 2: Check the syntax for specifying the remote computer

   The parameter -ComputerName followed by the computer's name is correct for New-PSSession.

3. Final Answer:

   New-PSSession -ComputerName Server01 -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   Create session = New-PSSession [OK]

Hint: New-PSSession creates sessions; use -ComputerName for target [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using Invoke-Command instead of New-PSSession to create session
• Using Remove-PSSession to create session
• Confusing Get-PSSession with creation

3. What will be the output of this PowerShell code?

 $session = New-PSSession -ComputerName localhost
Invoke-Command -Session $session -ScriptBlock { Get-Process | Select-Object -First 1 }
Remove-PSSession -Session $session 

medium

A. Displays the first process running on the local computer

B. Creates a session but does not display any output

C. Throws an error because Remove-PSSession is called too early

D. Displays all processes running on the local computer

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand the commands

   The code creates a session to localhost, runs a command to get the first process, then removes the session.

2. Step 2: Analyze the Invoke-Command output

   The Invoke-Command runs Get-Process | Select-Object -First 1 remotely, so it outputs the first process object.

3. Final Answer:

   Displays the first process running on the local computer -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Invoke-Command outputs first process [OK]

Hint: Invoke-Command outputs scriptblock result before Remove-PSSession [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Thinking Remove-PSSession stops output
• Assuming no output from Invoke-Command
• Confusing output with all processes

4. You run this script:

 $session = New-PSSession -ComputerName Server01
Invoke-Command -Session $session -ScriptBlock { Get-Date }
Remove-PSSession -Session 

But it throws an error: "Remove-PSSession : Cannot bind argument to parameter 'Session' because it is null." What is the problem?

medium

A. Invoke-Command syntax is incorrect

B. New-PSSession failed to create a session

C. Get-Date cannot run inside a PSSession

D. Remove-PSSession is missing the -Session parameter with the session variable

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify the error cause

   The error says Remove-PSSession has a null argument for -Session, meaning it was called without specifying which session to remove.

2. Step 2: Check the Remove-PSSession command usage

   The script calls Remove-PSSession -Session without the $session value, so PowerShell doesn't know which session to close.

3. Final Answer:

   Remove-PSSession is missing the -Session parameter with the session variable -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   Remove-PSSession needs -Session argument [OK]

Hint: Always specify -Session when removing sessions [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Forgetting to pass the session variable to Remove-PSSession
• Assuming Remove-PSSession closes all sessions by default
• Blaming Invoke-Command or New-PSSession incorrectly

5. You want to run a command on multiple remote computers and keep the sessions open for later use. Which approach correctly creates sessions for 'Server01' and 'Server02' and stores them for reuse?

hard

A. $sessions = New-PSSession -ComputerName Server01
$sessions += New-PSSession -ComputerName Server02
Invoke-Command -Session $sessions -ScriptBlock { hostname }

B. $sessions = New-PSSession -ComputerName Server01, Server02
Invoke-Command -ComputerName Server01, Server02 -ScriptBlock { hostname }

C. Invoke-Command -ComputerName Server01, Server02 -ScriptBlock { hostname }
$sessions = $null

D. $sessions = New-PSSession -ComputerName Server01
Invoke-Command -Session $sessions -ScriptBlock { hostname }
Remove-PSSession -Session $sessions

Solution

1. Step 1: Recall how to create persistent sessions for multiple computers

   New-PSSession can take multiple ComputerName values or create separately and collect into an array with +=. Invoke-Command must use -Session $sessions (array) to run on persistent sessions.

2. Step 2: Evaluate each option

   A creates sessions but uses -ComputerName on Invoke-Command, creating temporary connections instead of using persistent ones. B builds the array explicitly and uses -Session. C uses temporary only. D removes sessions.

3. Final Answer:

   $sessions = New-PSSession -ComputerName Server01 $sessions += New-PSSession -ComputerName Server02 Invoke-Command -Session $sessions -ScriptBlock { hostname } -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Build session array with +=, use -Session [OK]

Hint: Create and store sessions in a variable array for reuse [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Removing sessions immediately before reuse
• Not storing sessions in a variable
• Using Invoke-Command without sessions for reuse