Testing Remote Server Management with PowerShell Web Access

Back to the Powershell Web Access remote use topic . The first article looked at how to install PSWA on a new web server; in the second, we discussed configuration. In this post we test PSWA on various devices (computer, Android tablet).

How to test the PSWA application

First, open Internet Explorer and go to chi-web01 / pswa . (Note that we are using https.) I specified the server name CHI-WEB01. However, you can use its IP address. Since I am using a test certificate, a warning is displayed.



I will choose to continue, as we are testing the application. The application login screen appears, enter the credentials.



Pay attention to the advanced connection settings.



I will use the default ones. Click Sign In and a PowerShell session starts inside the browser.



Enter any command.



By clicking on the arrow arrow we get access to the previously entered commands. The font can be increased via Ctrl + ..
Please note that opening a new tab and starting a new session in it will fail.



So, with a remote connection from a computer, everything is clear, let's see how it is with connecting from a tablet.



Since I am using a test certificate, security warnings will appear again. When we use a valid certificate on a web server, you will need to deploy it to devices that are not in the domain, or just ignore the warnings in the browser.
Also enter the login password.



Please note that I am connecting via IP address. Depending on the configuration of mobile devices, you can use both it and the web server address.



If you use mobile devices to work with PSWA, it is better to learn the abbreviations of cmdlets (cmdlet aliases ).
To end the session, you can write Exit and press Enter, or click Sign Out.
The last thing to test is unauthorized access. The test rule I set allows only the user Globomantics \ Jeff to log in. Even if I use an administrator account, the PSWA will deny me access.

PowerShell Web Access: Limitations

The PowerShell web console has its limitations. Firstly, this is just a console. You cannot run graphical applications such as PowerShell ISE or Notepad. Remember, PSWA is a remote session displayed in a browser, so you do not have a profile script. You can run command-line tools such as Ping and Netstat, however, you will not be able to access anything interactive like nslookup or netsh.
Finally, saving the session and starting it later will fail. Using PSWA is similar to using New-PSSession, so by closing the session you will lose everything you created (jobs, variables).
The next (and last) article will discuss how to configure PowerShell Web Access for use in a domain.