Chapter 9. Implementing Group Policy

Objective

This chapter covers information that you will most likely see on the testand on the job; however, it doesn't cover any specific objectives on the Microsoft Managing and Maintaining a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Environment exam.

Outline

Introduction		380
Group Policy Overview		380
	Refreshing Group Policy	384
Implementing Local Group Policy Objects		385
Implementing Group Policy Objects in a Domain		388
Managing Policy Objects		391
	Linking GPOs	391
	Default Group Policy Objects	393
	Group Policy Inheritance	393
	Blocking Group Policy Inheritance	395
	Enforcing Group Policy	397
	Group Policy Management Console	398
	Group Policy Filtering	400
Chapter Summary		404
	Key Terms	404
Apply Your Knowledge		404

Study Strategies

• In studying this section, be sure to practice all the activities described. Become very familiar with the Group Policy Management Console, how it is installed, its capabilities, and its limitations.

• To perform the exercises in this chapter, you should have the domain controller that you built in previous chapters, and at least one other machine, either a workstation or a server.

• The exercises in this chapter use the users and Organizational Unit (OU) structure that we first created in Chapter 2, "Managing User and Computer Accounts." If you do not already have them in place, review the exercises in that chapter and re-create them.

• Make sure that you nest your OUs to test the effects of inheritance and blocking inheritance. These two concepts will be important for the exam.

• Some of the exercises in this chapter have been written to reflect the use of the Group Policy Management Console. Most of them can still be performed from the Group Policy tab of the OU or domain object in the Active Directory Users and Computers Microsoft Management Console (MMC).

• Although it would seem that because Microsoft didn't devote any bullet points for Group Policy on the Skills Measured by Exam 70-290 listing on its website, it might not be covered on the exam. This is far from the case. Historically, Group Policy has been featured on the 70-290 exams, and it is an essential part of your duties as a system administrator.