Group Policy Preferences, Templates, and Scripting
Level 300
• New Group Policy Features
• Group Policy Preferences
• Administrative Templates
• Managing Group Policy Through Scripting
What Will We Cover?
• Reviewing New Group Policy Features
• Using Group Policy Preferences
• Exploring the New Template Format
• Scripting Group Policy
Agenda
New Features of Group Policy
New Policy Management Settings
Starter Group Policy Objects (GPOs)
Network Location Awareness
Comments for GPOs and Policy Settings
Group Policy Enhancements
Group Policy ServiceComplete isolation from Winlogon
Events and LoggingNo longer relies on trace logging found in userenv.log
Multiple Local GPOsExtends managing shared computing on a single computer
Finding Specific Administrative Template Policy Settings
New options for searching and filtering Administrative Template policy settings
demonstrationReviewing Group Policy Features
Explore New Group Policy Management Settings
Review Starter Group Policy ObjectsConfigure Multiple Local Group Policy
Objects
• Reviewing New Group Policy Features
• Using Group Policy Preferences
• Exploring the New Template Format
• Scripting Group Policy
Agenda
Group Policy Preferences
Improves IT Productivity
Reduces Need for Logon Scripts
Limits Configuration Errors
Enhances End-User Satisfaction
Minimizes Image Maintenance
Reduces Overall Image Count
Group Policy Preference SettingsCreate
Create dynamic drive mapping to network share
ReplaceDelete and recreate mapped drive
UpdateModify settings of an existing mapped drive
DeleteDelete mapped drive or mapped drives
Preferences vs. Policy SettingsGroup Policy Preferences Group Policy Settings
Enforcement • Preferences are not enforced.• User interface is not disabled.• Can be refreshed or applied once.
• Settings are enforced.• User interface is disabled.• Settings are refreshed.
Flexibility • Easily create preference items for registry settings and files.
• Import individual registry settings or entire registry branches.
• Adding requires application support and creating administrative templates.
• Cannot create policy settings to manage files or folders.
Local Policy • Not available in local Group Policy. • Available in local Group Policy.
Awareness • Supports non-Group Policy–aware applications.
• Requires Group Policy–aware applications.
Storage • Original settings are overwritten.• Removing the preference item does not restore the original setting.
• Original settings are not changed.• Stored in registry policy branches.• Removing setting restores original settings.
Targeting and Filtering
• Targeting is granular, with a user interface for each type of targeting item.
• Supports targeting at the individual preference item level.
• Filtering is based on Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) and requires writing WMI queries.
• Supports filtering at a GPO level.
User Interface • Provides a familiar, easy-to-use interface for configuring most settings.
• Provides an alternative user interface for most policy settings.
demonstrationUsing Group Policy Preferences
Explore Group Policy PreferencesConfigure Group Policy Settings and
PreferencesLog In and Review Group Policy
Preferences and Settings
• Reviewing New Group Policy Features
• Using Group Policy Preferences
• Exploring the New Template Format
• Scripting Group Policy
Agenda
ADMX Administrative Template Files
XML-Based Policy Definition Files
Central Store of ADMX Files
Manage Both ADMX and ADM Files
Convert ADM Files to ADMX Format
Multilanguage Support
demonstrationExploring the ADMX Template Format
Explore ADMX Administrative Template Files
Configure the Central StoreExplore ADMX Filter Options
• Reviewing New Group Policy Features
• Using Group Policy Preferences
• Exploring the New Template Format
• Scripting Group Policy
Agenda
Scripting and the GPMC
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=109520
Scripts for Managing Group Policy
Make Cscript.exe default scripting host
Lib_CommonGPMCFunctions.js should be in same location as scripts
Import and Export GPOs
Copy and Paste GPOs
Back Up and Restore GPOs
Search for Existing GPOs
Group Policy Modeling
Group Policy Results
Support for Migration Tables
Reporting Capabilities
GPMC Interfaces
• IGPMGPO Interface– CopyTo
– GenerateReport
• IGPMRSOP Interface– CreateQueryResults
– GenerateReporthttp://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa814147(VS.85).aspx
demonstrationScripting Group Policy
Review GPMC Sample ScriptsRun GPMC Scripts
• There are many exciting new Group
Policy features in Windows Server 2008
• Take advantage of Group Policy
Preferences
• Almost all the functionality of GPMC can
be scripted
Session Summary
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www.microsoft.com/technet/srv-302
Supporting Publications
Course ID Title
6436A Designing a Windows Server 2008 Active
Directory Infrastructure and Services
For more training information
www.microsoft.com/technet/srv-302
Training Resources
Become a Microsoft Certified Professional
• What Are MCP Certifications?
Validation in performing critical IT functions
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WW recognition of skills gained via experience
More effective deployments with reduced costs
• What Certifications Are There for IT Pros?
MCTS, MCITP
www.microsoft.com/certification
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