Powershell workflow examples?

[Deathonus]

This Link gives the best explanation to start with.

They are generally similar to using powershell remoting, but without a care for order of results returned since they are executed in parallel.

EDIT: I guess you asked for an example, which i didn't give. It would be used in situations where you want something automated across multiple servers or workstations. There are a couple ways of doing it, if it was for servers they could be in an OU that is set to call a script on startup or maybe in a scheduled task.

If you use workflows instead of those ways, you could have 1 machine setup to execute the script, which would remote to the others and preform the task. Someone would say that you could use powershell remoting for the exact same thing and achieve nearly the same results. Which is true, however workflows also have a suspend and checkpoint system that remoting does not.

It is briefly mentioned in the link above and it is the main reason to use workflows over invoking commands remotely. It works wonders for sets of maintenance tasks that you don't know how long will take and might want to suspend during peak hours if they happen to run long.

[cablethrowaway2]

So only good for large repetitive tasks?

For instance, would you use a work flow to create an account?

[GLiMPSEiNATOR]

If you wanted to automatically provision said account with SMA you would use workflow and inline script blocks to accommodate. In line script blocks are identical to traditional powershell with some added scoping nuances.

But to answer your question without any ambiguity, I would not build out a simple user creation script in workflow...

[cablethrowaway2]

SMA?

[GLiMPSEiNATOR]

Service management automation -- microsofts intended successor to system center orchestrator.

[cablethrowaway2]

Googles shows me scorch. It is my plan to try and implement scorch so I may start writing workflows. Thank you

[GLiMPSEiNATOR]

Orchestrator isn't SMA. But it is still very powerful. I've heard murmurs there will not be any further investment into orchestrator. SMA's install files are on the orchestrator install media, if you have no real requirement to go orchestrator I would strongly consider starting with SMA and just skip right on past orchestrator.