Export-BinaryMiLog

Unlocking PowerShell: Mastering Export-BinaryMiLog

Welcome back to Wahmans PowerShell Blog! Today, we explore one of the lesser-known but highly useful cmdlets in PowerShell — Export-BinaryMiLog. This cmdlet allows you to create a binary encoded representation of an object or objects and stores them in a file. It’s particularly helpful when dealing with system diagnostics, performance reports, or object persistence in a compact format.

What is Export-BinaryMiLog?

According to the official Microsoft documentation, Export-BinaryMiLog “creates a binary encoded representation of an object or objects and stores it in a file.” While it’s not the most commonly used cmdlet, it certainly has its place when you need to save objects in a more structured, efficient manner than plain text or XML.

Example 1: Basic Usage — Exporting a Single Object

$process = Get-Process -Name "explorer"
Export-BinaryMiLog -InputObject $process -Path "C:\Logs\explorerProcess.bin"

This simple example fetches the explorer process and stores it in a binary format. This is an entry-level use case just to get started.

Example 2: Exporting Multiple Services

$services = Get-Service | Where-Object { $_.Status -eq 'Running' }
Export-BinaryMiLog -InputObject $services -Path "C:\Logs\RunningServices.bin"

This exports all currently running services into a binary log file. This helps if you’re auditing system services periodically.

Example 3: Use in Scheduled Diagnostic Task

$cpuInfo = Get-CimInstance -ClassName Win32_Processor
Export-BinaryMiLog -InputObject $cpuInfo -Path "C:\SystemDiagnostics\CPUinfo.bin"

# Schedule this script to run daily using Task Scheduler for automated CPU diagnostics

Automate the collection of CPU information for later analysis or compliance checks. Storing it in binary form ensures it’s compact and structured.

Example 4: Advanced — Export Output of Complex Script

$report = foreach ($server in Get-Content -Path "C:\Servers\serverList.txt") {
    try {
        $ping = Test-Connection -ComputerName $server -Count 2 -ErrorAction Stop
        [PSCustomObject]@{
            Server = $server
            Status = 'Online'
            AvgLatency = ($ping | Measure-Object -Property ResponseTime -Average).Average
        }
    } catch {
        [PSCustomObject]@{
            Server = $server
            Status = 'Offline'
            AvgLatency = $null
        }
    }
}

Export-BinaryMiLog -InputObject $report -Path "C:\Reports\ServerStatusReport.bin"

In this advanced use case, we ping a list of servers and export a structured object containing the status and latency. This binary log can then be imported back for historical monitoring or automated remediation triggers.

When to Use Export-BinaryMiLog

Use this cmdlet when:

• You need efficient storage
• You want to persist object structure
• You plan to deserialize the data later

Just remember, binary logs are not human-readable — they shine in automated scripts and system-to-system data transfers!

Happy scripting, and I will see you in the next post!