Group Policy Overview and GPOs

A feature in Windows NT operating systems that centrally manages users and computers in a network.

An object that contains a set of rules or policies, controlling user and computer settings.

Group Policy settings are defined once and continually enforced by Windows Server, ensuring a consistent environment for all users.

Group Policy settings apply to users and computers, impacting their environment, account configurations, and security.

GPOs can be applied to various Active Directory objects like domains, sites, or organizational units, affecting their child functions.

There are two main types: Computer Configuration and User Configuration, affecting computer and user settings respectively.

No, Group Policy settings override user profile settings, providing a centralized and consistent approach.

You can create GPOs using tools like Active Directory Users and Computers (ADUC), Group Policy Management Console (GPMC), or Active Directory Sites And Services (ADSS).

A group of registry-based settings used to configure the user environment. It contains over 550 settings that control various aspects of the operating system and user experience.

The registry is not modified by the policy setting. The settings in the Administrative Templates node are not applied to the user environment.

The registry reflects the selected policy setting. The user environment will be configured according to the applied policy.

The registry reflects that the policy setting is not selected. The policy does not affect the user environment.

Group Policy Object that is stored on the local computer. It is applied before any Active Directory policy.

Applying a Group Policy Object (GPO) to a specific organizational unit (OU), domain, or site by associating the GPO with it using the Group Policy Management Console (GPMC).

Modifying the default settings within a GPO using the Group Policy Object Editor snap-in, which allows for customization of configurations.

The Group Policy Management Console (GPMC) offers functionalities for managing Group Policies on Windows Server 2000/2012 domains. It allows backing up, restoring, importing, copying, pasting, creating, deleting, renaming, linking, and searching GPOs.

A type of Group Policy that applies to a single computer and offers a more restricted set of configuration options compared to Active Directory Group Policy.

A type of Group Policy created within Active Directory to control the linked objects like domains, sites, and OUs. Takes precedence over local Group Policies on domain-joined computers.

Many Group Policies primarily focus on updating and managing Registry configuration data, which includes database settings and options for the Windows operating system. These changes affect system policies, installations, and user preferences.

A node in both Computer Configuration and User Configuration that contains settings related to software installation, user/computer software configurations, and potentially custom settings from independent software vendors (ISVs).

A node in both Computer Configuration and User Configuration that contains settings related to Windows operating system. This includes Security Settings, Scripts, Startup/Shutdown (for Computer Configuration) and Logon/Logoff (for User Configuration).

The child container's GPO will override the parent container's GPO.

Both the parent and child container's GPOs will apply.

The parent container's GPO will apply to the child container.

An administrator can disable inheritance for a specific container, preventing it from receiving GPOs from its parent.

An administrator can set a GPO to 'No Override', preventing its policy settings from being overridden by any other GPO.

Group Policy is a powerful feature in Windows NT systems that allows administrators to control user and computer settings across a network, ensuring consistent configurations and security.

Group Policy Objects (GPOs) are the containers for specific policy settings. They define the rules that govern user and computer behavior.

This type of Group Policy setting focuses on controlling computer-specific settings like security options, software installations, and system configurations.

This type of Group Policy setting focuses on controlling user-specific settings like desktop appearance, application settings, and security restrictions.

GPOs can be applied to various Active Directory objects like domains, sites, or organizational units (OUs) to control the settings of those objects and their children.

When a GPO is applied to a parent object, it usually affects all child objects as well. This is called inheritance.

The AD GPO overrides the local GPO. This ensures that centralized policies take precedence over local configurations.

Local GPOs are applied first, followed by AD GPOs in a specific order: Site GPOs, Domain GPOs, then OU and child OU policies.

Policies are passed down from parent to child containers within a domain, so settings applied to a domain will affect all OUs within it.

Registry-based settings that control user environment configurations, including options for software, security, and user experience.