How to keep remote powershell command alive after session end?

Question

I use the following command to run setup_server.exe on remote Windows box:

powershell -command "$encpass=convertto-securestring -asplaintext RPASSWORD -force;$cred = New-Object System.Management.Automation.PSCredential -ArgumentList RUSER,$encpass; invoke-command -computername RCOMPUTERNAME -scriptblock {setup_server.exe} -credential $cred;"

setup_server.exe's task is to create some configuration files and start my_server.exe (some daemon process), then it finishes. And I want my_server.exe to keep running after setup_server.exe is finished.

So when I do it via CMD on local box (i.e. just run setup_server.exe from CMD) it works, but when I do it via powershell on remote host it doesn't work. Namely the my_server.exe gets started, but right after setup_server.exe is closed the server also gets closed(killed).

So the question is following: Which powershell flags/cmdlets should I use to make the described scenario to work as in local mode?

NOTE: I want synchronously get output of setup_server.exe, so running remote command with -AsJob flag, probably wouldn't work for me, though I even don't know if it will keep the server alive after setup_server.exe's end.

Solution 1

The way to keep the remote PowerShell session running after the command has finished is to use a PSSession e.g.:

$s = new-PSSession computername
Invoke-Command -session $s { ..script.. }
... do other stuff, remote powershell.exe continues to run
Remove-PSSession $s # when you're done with the remote session

Generally though exes should run independently from the app that launched them.

Solution 2

Why are you using Invoke-Command. If you want a persistent Session, use Enter-PSSession.

$s = New-PSSession -Computername "Computername";
Enter-PSSession -Session $s;

setup_server.exe

# Once you are finnished
Exit-PSSession

With 'Enter-PSSession' you are not just Invoking some Command on the Server, you are directly logged-in like you probably know from SSH.

Solution 3

If you want your powershell session to keep running because you are running an exe, try using the -InDisconnectedSession switch. From what I understand, it will run the executable on the remote machine in a session that isn't actually connected to your computer. In essence, your computer will not destroy the session, when it disconnects, allowing the exe to continue to run.

invoke-command -computername RCOMPUTERNAME -scriptblock {start-process setup_server.exe} -InDisconnectedSession

If you need to do this on multiple computers. Setup an array of all the computer names.

Note: I don't believe this works with sessions that are already created.

Comments

[Mihran Hovsepyan]

Thank you for your time and answer @Keith Hill, but it doesn't work. I've tried this: powershell -command \"\$encpass=convertto-securestring -asplaintext mypassword -force;\$cred = New-Object System.Management.Automation.PSCredential -ArgumentList myuser,\$encpass;\$session = new-PSSession -computername HOSTNAME -credential \$cred; invoke-command -session \$session -scriptblock {setup_server.exe};\" but again the server was killed right after setup_server is done.

[Mihran Hovsepyan]

# Once you are finnished this would not happen. I want to start remote server and that is all. Then I want to exit the session keeping the server running on remote host.

[algorhythm]

If you don't close the shell, I think the session should remain open. At least for some time... With 'New-PSSessionOption -IdleTimeOut ??? -OperationTimeOut ??? -CancelTimeOut ??? -OpenTimeOut ???' you can setup the Timeouts: technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh849703.aspx

[Mihran Hovsepyan]

I do it in script, so shell gets closed.