PowerGUI versus EcoShell

[dwchan]

Can anyone help me clear up a question. What is the difference between PowerGUI versus EcoShell? I have been using MS Powershell 1.0 with VI toolkit 1.5, and about to check out the GUI feature set of PowerGUI. But I also hear about this new EcoShell from Vizioncore. So does the 2 do the same thing? is it a new shell? Any feedback would strongly be appreciated

[scott_herold · Accepted solution]

dwchan,

EcoShel is based off the codebase of PowerGUI. When tasked with creating "The Ultimate VMware Admin Toolkit" i decided that instead of starting from scratch that I would just go to our PowerGUI team and steal their code, as they had many of the key elements I needed for an efficient toolkit. While the two products look and feel very similar today, EcoShell will be branched into its own unique virtualization management product (Still using the awesomeness that is PowerShell), but will have the UI and features much more refined and tailored to the needs of the virtualization administrator (Hypervisor, Storage, Network, etc). PowerGUI will maintain the path of its core competency which is in the Windows management and script development areas. There will always be some overlap, as we like the idea of sharing features and technologies. For example, a virtualization admin wmay have a need to see the size of an Exchange mailbox, but will never move a user from one mail server to another. Likewise, an Exchange admin may need to see virtualization resource allocations, but would never VMotion a machine.

If you are interested in cutting edge features and capabilities in Virtualization, go Virtualization EcoShell. If you are looking for cutting edge features in Windows managemnet/Development, go with PowerGUI.

-Scott (Quest Software)

[halr9000]

Quest owns Vizioncore. PowerGUI came first. Ecoshell is a branch of PowerGUI with different end goals. Long term, you'll see them diverge, and the one that will be more pertinent to those reading this forum will definitely be Ecoshell. PowerGUI is extensible by power packs, Ecoshell is PowerGUI + the VMware powerpack and others in the future--ones that further their stated goal which is:

>The goal of the Vizioncore Virtualization EcoShell is to provide a freeware desktop application for novice and expert IT administrators leveraging Windows PowerShell scripts across their multi-platform virtual environments.

[vExpert|http://www.vmware.com/communities/vexpert/], PowerShell MVP, VI Toolkit forum moderator

Author of the book: Managing VMware Infrastructure with PowerShell

Co-Host, PowerScripting Podcast (http://powerscripting.net)

Need general, non-VMware-related PowerShell Help? Try the forums at PowerShellCommunity.org

[dwchan]

OK, can you install both on the same workstation, would they step on top of each other? Also, for PowerGUI, looks like you also have to install the couple additional compoents, in additon to the core before it will works with VMware (i.e. Active Directory cmdlets and VMware Infrastructure Management ). is this the case with ecoshell also?

[halr9000]

They can both be installed and that's correct, you would need the VMware powerpack to work with VI (although not the AD one). VESI does not require additional software, and that is the point.

[vExpert|http://www.vmware.com/communities/vexpert/], PowerShell MVP, VI Toolkit forum moderator

Author of the book: Managing VMware Infrastructure with PowerShell

Co-Host, PowerScripting Podcast (http://powerscripting.net)

Need general, non-VMware-related PowerShell Help? Try the forums at PowerShellCommunity.org

[dwchan]

Nice, so VESI seem to be a cleaner packages, thanks