If you are not already utilizing Windows PowerShell 3.0 then I encourage you to step back and take a look at it. If you are completely new to using PowerShell cmdlets basically in a nutshell they are in the form of a <verb>-<noun>, you will see common verbs like set, get, clear, write and stop to name a few and each belong to a group of actions. Basically PowerShell can accomplish everything commandline,  batch, and vbs and a whole lot more. PowerShell 3 was release as a part of Windows Management Framework 3.0 and in addition to being based on the Dynamic Language Runtime (DLR), it has a lot of new features such as better workflows, simpler syntax, delegation of credentials, robust sessions and more.

Some of the new features in this version are:

• PowerShell workflow
• Sessions automatically recover from network failures, interruptions or even shutdowns
• Commands that can be executed with a delegated set of credentials
• Simplified language syntax
• Improved cmdlet discovery and automatic module loading
• New cmdlets for DHCP
• Web Access: access PowerShell remotely using a browser/mobile devices.

A couple of CmdLets I recommend the new user checking out:

Show - Command

The new "Show - Command" cmdlet lets beginners run cmdlets from a dialog box. Running Show- Command without parameters displays a list of available cmdlets. Like "Get - Command", it lists all cmdlets, functions, aliases, and scripts installed on the system.

Get - ChildItem

Get - ChildItem has been made more powerful with the addition of the following switch parameters:

• Directory
• File
• Hidden
• ReadOnly · System

When used in conjunction with one of the switch parameters in the same command, Get - ChildItem assumes an AND connector and gets only the items that meet all of the specified criteria.

So I could spend hours going over the additional features in PowerShell 3.0 but I encourage you to take a look for your self if you are on hook for managing and or automating windows machines.