Implementing and Using

Group Policy
 Objectives
• Create and manage Group Policy objects to
control user desktop settings, security, scripts, and
folder redirection
• Manage and troubleshoot Group Policy
inheritance
• Deploy and manage software using Group Policy

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 Introduction to Group Policy
• Group policy centralizes management of user and
computer configuration settings throughout a
network
• A group policy object is an Active Directory
object used to configure policy settings for user
and computer objects
• There are two default Group Policy Objects:
• Default Domain Policy (linked to domain container)
• Default Domain Controllers Policy (linked to domain
controller OU)
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 Introduction to Group Policy
(continued)
• You can modify default GPOs
• You can create new GPOs and link them to
particular sites, domains, and OUs
• Policy settings will be propagated to all users and
computers in container including child OUs
• Group policy can only be applied to computers
running Windows Server 2003, Windows 2000,
and Windows XP

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 Creating a Group Policy
Object
• Two ways to create a GPO:
• Group Policy standalone Microsoft Management
Console (MMC) snap-in
• Group Policy extension in Active Directory Users and
Computers

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Activity 9-1: Creating a Group
Policy Object Using the MMC

• Objective: To create a GPO using the Group

Policy Object Editor MMC snap-in
• Locate the MMC Group Policy Object Editor snap-in
• Create a new GPO

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Activity 9-1 (continued)

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Activity 9-2: Creating OUs and
Moving User Accounts
• Objective: To create new Organizational Units
and move existing user accounts into them.
• Must be familiar with using OUs for controlling the
application of Group Policy settings
• Create new OUs using Active Directory Users and
Computers
• Move users into the new OUs

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Activity 9-3: Creating a Group
Policy Object and Browsing
Settings Using Active Directory
Users and Computers
• Objective: Create a GPO using Active Directory
Users and Computers as an alternative to MMC
snap-in
• From Active Directory Users and Computers, use the
Group Policy tab of the Properties of an existing OU to
add and create GPOs
• Browse configuration settings of a Group Policy Object

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Editing a GPO

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 Editing a GPO (continued)
• Table 9-1 shows configuration categories for both
computer and user configurations
• Two tabs in Properties of each setting:
• Setting allows you to enable or disable the setting
• Explain provides information about the setting
• GPO content is stored in 2 locations:
• Group Policy container (GPC)
• Group Policy template (GPT)
• A GPO is identified by a 128-bit globally unique
identifier (GUID)
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 Application of Group Policy
• Two main categories to a Group Policy
• Computer configuration (settings apply to computers in
the container)
• User configuration (settings apply to users in the
container)
• Upon computer startup (or user logon)
• Computer queries domain controller for GPOs. Domain
controller finds applicable GPOs.
• Domain controller presents list of GPOs. The client
gets Group Policy templates, applies the settings and
runs the scripts.
• Same basic process happens for user logons

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 Controlling User Desktop
Settings
• Administrative templates
• Used to limit user manipulation of user desktop and
computer configurations
• Aim is to reduce administrative costs
• Seven main categories of configuration settings can be
applied to either computer or user section of a GPO

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Controlling User Desktop
Settings (continued)

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 Activity 9-5: Configuring
Group Policy Object User
Desktop Settings
• Objective: To configure and test the application of
Group Policy settings
• Use Active Directory Users and Computers to
access the desired configuration settings
• Configure settings using the Group Policy Object
Editor
• Verify that the configured settings have the
expected results

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 Managing Security Settings
with Group Policy
• Password Policy, Account Policy, and Kerberos
Policy settings are only applicable to domain
objects
• Other nodes in Security Settings category can be
applied at both domain and OU levels
• Local Policies
• Audit Policy
• User Rights Assignment
• Security Options

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 Managing Security Settings
with Group Policy (continued)
• Event Log
• Restricted Groups
• System Services
• Registry
• File System
• Wireless Network Policies
• Public Key Policies
• Software Restriction Policies
• IP Security Policies on Active Directory
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 Activity 9-6: Configuring
Group Policy Object Security
Settings
• Objective: Use Group Policy settings to configure
a logon banner for domain users
• Use Active Directory Users and Computers to
access the Default Domain Policy GPO
• Create a logon banner
• Verify that the banner appears

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 Assigning Scripts
• Windows Server 2003 can run scripts during:
• User logon or logoff
• User section of GPO
• Computer startup and shutdown
• Computer section of GPO
• Default is for scripts to run synchronously from
top to bottom
• Can specify script time-outs, asynchronous
execution, and hiding of scripts

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 Activity 9-8: Assigning Logon
Scripts to Users Using Group
Policy
• Objective: Use GPOs to assign logon scripts to
domain users
• Create a script file
• Add the script to the logon policies of a particular
group using Active Directory Users and
Computers
• Verify that the script runs for members of the
group and not for other users
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 Managing Group Policy
Inheritance
• Specific order for GPO application:
• Local computer  Site  Domain  Parent OU 
Child OU
• By default, all GPO settings are inherited
• At each level, there can be multiple GPOs
• Policies are applied in the order that they appear on the
Group Policy tab for each container, bottom GPO first
• Applying a large number of GPOs can affect
startup and logon performance
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 Deploying Software Using
Group Policy
• Applications that can be deployed using Group
Policy include:
• Business applications (e.g., Microsoft Office)
• Anti-virus software
• Software updates (e.g., service packs)
• Four phases of software rollout
• Software preparation
• Deployment
• Software maintenance
• Software removal
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 Software Preparation
• Microsoft Windows installer package (MSI)
• MSI file contains all of the information needed to
install an application in a variety of configurations
• Software vendors include preconfigured MSI packages
• For older applications, can create MSI packages using
3rd party utilities (e.g., VERITAS)
• To install, place MSI file in a shared folder and
configure Group Policy to access for installation

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 Software Preparation
(continued)
• If application doesn’t have an MSI package can
use ZAP file
• Text file used by Group Policy to deploy an application
• Can only be published and not assigned
• Is not resilient
• Requires user intervention and proper permissions

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 Summary
• A Group Policy Object is an object in Active
Directory used to configure and apply settings for
user and computer objects
• Two default GPOs created when Active Directory
is installed:
• Default Domain Policy
• Default Domain Controllers Policy
• Two mechanisms for creating GPOs
• Microsoft Management Console Group Policy snap-in
• Group Policy extension in Active Directory Users and
Computers

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 Summary
• GPOs can be used:
• to control user desktop settings and security settings
• to apply scripts on user logon and logoff and computer
startup and shutdown
• for folder redirection
• GPOs are applied in a specific order
• GPOs are inherited by default
• Can be changed by blocking Group Policy inheritance,
configuring No Override, or filtering using user
permissions
• Use GPRESULT or Resultant Set of Policy tool to view
effective Group Policy settings
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 Summary
• GPOs are useful in deploying and maintaining
software applications
• GPOs are used for four main phases of software
rollout: preparation, deployment, maintenance,
removal
• For deployment, Group Policy uses an MSI file
containing information needed to install in a variety
of configurations
• Deployed applications can be either assigned or
published

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