Group Policy has over 3000 settings. This video looks at how to perform the basic configuration of Group Policy and how to find a setting that you require.
Demonstration InterfaceGroup Policy Management is done via the Group Policy Management Tool. This is found under administrative tools under the start menu.
When a domain is created, two Group Polices will be created with it. These are the Default Domain Policy and the Default Domain Controllers Policy.
It is important to understand that when Group Policy is created it is stored under Group Policy Objects. If you want to apply this Group Policy Object to an OU it must be linked. A single Group Policy can be linked as many times as required. If it is not linked to any OU’s, it will not have any effect on any computers in the domain until it is linked.
If you want to create a Group Policy Object and link it in one step, you can achieve this by right clicking on an OU and selecting the option “Create a GPO in the domain, and link it here”.
Demonstration GPO Editor
Each Group Policy is divided into two parts, computer and user configuration.
These sections are further sub divided into two more sections called Polices and Preferences.
Later videos will look at the other sections, this video will look at the Administrative Templates under polices. This contains the majority of the Group Policy settings.
Since there are so many settings under Administrative Templates there is an option to filter the setting. This is done by right clicking on Administrative Templates on any folder found under Administrative Templates and selecting the option “Filter On”. Once the filter has been enabled, by right clicking any folder under Administrative Templates and selecting the option “Filter Options” you can configure which settings you want to look for.
When configuring group policy settings, it is a good idea to read the help text associated with that Group Policy setting. Particular Group Policy settings require certain operating systems in order to work. Also Group Policy settings many rely on other Group Policy settings to be configured. Reading the help text will help you configure Group Policy correctly in order to meet your needs.
References
“MCTS 70-640 Configuring Windows Server 2008 Active Directory Second Edition” pg 250-253
“Administrative Templates in Server 2008 R2 Group Policy Objects (GPO)” http://www.petri.co.il/administrative-templates-for-group-policy-objects.htm
Credits
