SQL Server and PowerShell (SQLPS) Starter

The following two snippets of code are two ways to achieve the same outcome, which is the $Server object containing the default instance.

$Server = New-Object "Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Smo.Server" "(local)";

Or when opening a SQL PS (Powershell) prompt at the default location. e.g. PS SQLSERVER:\SQL\SB01\DEFAULT>

$Server = (Get-Item .)

I mention this because I was asked what the simplist entry point to PowerShell for SQL person was. I can think of nothing simpler than opening the SQL PS shell from SSMS and typing the folllowing:

(gi .)

Note that gi is shorthand for Get-Item.
For example now that we have a reference to out instance we can then start to explore.

(gi .).Databases.FileGroups.Files|Select @{Name="UsedSpace_MiB";Expression={($_.UsedSpace/1KB)}},Name

(gi .).Databases|Select Name,LastBackupDate

(gi .).Databases

(gi SQLSERVER:\SQL\$ENV:ComputerName\DEFAULT).Databases