Powershell needs installing as a feature on Windows Server 2008. Powershell is also backwards compatible with the standard command prompt (cmd.exe).

PS C:\Windows\System32> .\myscript.ps1


A list of all the services and the status:
get-service

Stop a service:
stop-service -name spooler

Start a service:
start-service -name spooler

Help on a cmdlet:
get-help get-service

Get services details via WMI on a remote computer:
Get-WmiObject Win32_Service -computername lon-dc1

Use a variable to store a command:
$wmi = Get-WmiObject Win32_Service -computername lon-dc1
$wmi

List directory:
get-ChildItem (also dir)

Create a new powershell alias:
new-alias np notepad
np

List all powershell aliases:
get-alias

Note: Variables and Aliases created are per session:

Creating an AD user account with powershell using variables:
$ou=[ADSI] "LDAP://ou=London,dc=domain,dc=local"
$newUser=$ou.create("user","cn=JoeUser2")
$newUser.Put("sAMAccountName","JUser2")
$newUser.SetInfo()

Only allow remote scripts to run if they are signed:
set-executionpolicy remotesigned