Windows Management Framework 4.0 Preview Now Available for Download

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

Note: This software is a prerelease version. Features and behavior are likely to change before the final release.

Download Windows Management Framework 4.0 Preview
The following file is available for download from the Microsoft Download Center:

• Windows Management Framework 4.0 Preview

Details
Windows Management Framework 4.0 Preview enables you explore new features and functionality in Windows Management Framework 4.0, including the following:

• Windows PowerShell 4.0.
• Windows PowerShell 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).

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 Preview introduces:

• Support for Windows PowerShell Workflow debugging.
• Support for remote script debugging.
• IntelliSense support for Windows PowerShell Desired State Configuration providers 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 Preview. There are no significant changes to these features.

Windows PowerShell Desired State Configuration
Windows Management Framework 4.0 Preview 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 providers.
• DSC service for distributed access to DSC resources .

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.