Windows Management Framework 4.0 Is Available For Download

Microsoft has made available for download the Final version of Windows Management Framework (WMF) 4.0. WMF 4.0 makes updated management functionality available for installation on Windows 7 SP1, Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1, and Windows Server 2012.

Overview
Windows Management Framework (WMF) 4.0 contains functionality that has been updated from WMF 3.0, and is available for installation on Windows 7 with Service Pack 1 (SP1), Windows Server 2008 R2 with SP1, and Windows Server 2012. WMF 4.0 contains updated versions of the following features:
  • Windows PowerShell 4.0
  • Windows PowerShell Integrated Scripting Environment (ISE)
  • Windows PowerShell Web Services (Management OData IIS Extension)
  • Windows Remote Management (WinRM)
  • Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI)
  • The Server Manager WMI provider
  • A new feature for 4.0, Windows PowerShell Desired State Configuration (DSC)

To use this updated management infrastructure to manage Windows 7 SP1, Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1, and Windows Server 2012, WMF 4.0 must be installed on computers that are running the older operating systems. WMF 4.0 cannot be installed on Windows 8. However, you can obtain updated functionality included in WMF 4.0 by installing Windows 8.1.

Windows Management Framework 4.0 including the following:

Windows PowerShell 4.0
Some of the new features in Windows PowerShell 4.0 include:
  • Support for workflow and remote script debugging.
  • Improved workflow authoring experience to make it more consistent with script authoring.
  • Added PipelineVariable as a common parameter.
  • Better support for downloading updatable help by using Save-Help and Update-Help in offline scenarios.
  • Updated version from 3.0 to 4.0.
  • Several bug fixes and performance improvements.

Windows PowerShell Integrated Scripting Environment
Windows PowerShell ISE in Windows Management Framework 4.0 introduces:
  • Support for Windows PowerShell Workflow debugging.
  • Support for remote script debugging.
  • IntelliSense support for Windows PowerShell Desired State Configuration resources and configurations.

Windows PowerShell Web Services
Windows PowerShell Web Services (Management OData IIS Extension) enables an administrator to expose a set of Windows PowerShell cmdlets as a RESTful web endpoint accessible by using OData (Open Data Protocol). This provides remote access to run cmdlets from both Windows-based and non-Windows-based client computers or devices.
  • Improved error messages in event logs.
  • Endpoint versioning support.
  • Autopopulation of OData dispatch schema fields.
  • Support for complex types.
  • Multilevel association support.
  • Ability to perform large binary stream transfers.
  • Support for non-Create/Read/Update/Delete (CRUD) actions.
  • Key-As-Segment URL syntax support.
  • Constrained resource operations.

WMI, WinRM, and Server Manager CIM Provider
These features were included with WMF 3.0, and continue to be included in WMF 4.0. There are no significant changes to these features.

Windows PowerShell Desired State Configuration
Windows Management Framework 4.0 introduces Windows PowerShell Desired State Configuration (DSC), with the following highlights:
  • Local configuration manager for applying configurations on the local computer.
  • Windows PowerShell language extensions for authoring DSC documents.
  • PSDesiredStateConfiguration module and DSC-related cmdlets.
  • A set of built-in DSC configuration resources.
  • DSC service for distributed access to DSC resources.

Download Windows Management Framework 4.0
The links in this section correspond to files available for this download. Once you click on the "Download" button, you will be prompted to select the files you need.

System requirements
Supported operating systems: Windows 7 Service Pack 1, Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1, Windows Server 2012

WMF 4.0 Preview requires Microsoft .NET Framework 4.5. You can install Microsoft .NET Framework 4.5 from the Microsoft Download Center.

Source:
Windows PowerShell Blog

Updated:
May 28, 2015

No comments: