Windows PowerShell Will Be Included into Windows Server Longhorn

PowerShell, originally know by the codename Monad, is Microsoft's command-line scripting shell. This is the first time that Microsoft is confirming the integration of PowerShell in Longhorn. Initially, there were plans to make Windows PowerShell a part of Windows Vista, but Microsoft scrapped them back in 2005. Also in 2005, the word started going around about the fact the PowerShell will make it into Longhorn server.

However, Microsoft has had a change of heart since then, and concomitantly with the Management Summit in San Diego this week, the Redmond Company announced that Windows PowerShell will ship in Windows Server Longhorn.

"At the Microsoft Management Summit in San Diego today we announced that Windows PowerShell will be included in Windows Server code-named "Longhorn" and will be available in Beta 3 of "Longhorn". That's right, every version of Windows Server will ship with PowerShell! It's a pretty big day for us in the PowerShell world," said Jeffrey Snover, Windows Management Partner Architect.

Currently, Microsoft plans to release Windows Server Longhorn in the second half of 2007. Sources are pointing to this fall as the availability date for Longhorn. Snover additionally revealed that PowerShell is performing excellent and that the adoption rate is beyond expectations. "We've all been amazed by the momentum. We have had well over 400,000 downloads of Windows PowerShell since we released in November!" he revealed.

Microsoft designed Windows PowerShell to integrate seamlessly with the existing scripting and IT infrastructure and is delivering support for Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2003 and Windows Server Longhorn.