Chapter 5: Managing Desktops

Overview

Deploying standard desktop configurations and managing users computers and settings reduces the time required to support computer users in an organization. Microsoft Windows XP Professional includes desktop management technologies collectively known as Microsoft IntelliMirror that allow you to centrally manage the privileges, permissions, and capabilities of users and client computers and ensure that users data, software, and settings are available to them when they move from one computer to another. Most IntelliMirror features rely on Group Policy, which requires the Microsoft Active Directory directory service, which is included with Microsoft Windows 2000 Server. Several of these desktop management tools and features can also be used to manage desktop computers in non Active Directory environments.

Related Information

• For more information about deploying Group Policy and security policies, see the Designing a Managed Environment book in the Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Deployment Kit.

• For more information about implementing security for Windows-based client computers and servers, see the Microsoft Windows Security Resource Kit.

• For information about IntelliMirror and Group Policy, especially implementation and troubleshooting, see Desktop Configuration Management in the Distributed Systems Guide of the Microsoft Windows 2000 Server Resource Kit.

• For information about deploying Group Policy and Active Directory, see the Deployment Planning Guide of the Microsoft Windows 2000 Server Resource Kit.

• For information about IntelliMirror and Group Policy, especially deployment information, see the Change and Configuration Management Deployment Guide link on the Web Resources page at http://www.microsoft.com/windows/reskits/webresources.