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Microsoft Server 2008 R2. Group Policies & AD. Group Policies-Refresher. Policies are “all or nothing” You cannot selectively choose within a policy Only policy settings that are enabled are read. Not configured are ignored. Policies are inherited and cumulative LSDOU
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Microsoft Server 2008 R2 Group Policies & AD
Group Policies-Refresher • Policies are “all or nothing” • You cannot selectively choose within a policy • Only policy settings that are enabled are read. • Not configured are ignored. • Policies are inherited and cumulative • LSDOU • Policies are refreshed ever 90 minutes with a 30 minute randomization • DC’s are refreshed every 5 minutes
GPO Concepts • Policies are applied from the bottom up. Rules that apply. • Listen to the last policy you heard from • Execute policies from the bottom up as they appear in the GUI
GPO PlanningOU Design • Create separate OUs for computers and users • Segment machines/users into roles by OU; Examples • Servers: Exchange Servers, Terminal Servers, Web Servers, File and Print, etc • Workstations: Desktops; Laptops, task stations etc. • Prestage computers/servers • Users: IT Staff, Engineers, Shop Floor, Laptop Users, etc.
GPO PlanningOU Design • Pre-staging PC/Servers • Create computer objects before joining to domain. • Allows for immediate GPO application to the system.
GPO Planning • GPO naming conventions – make it consistent and easy to interpret • Simply use a clear name to describe intent of the GPO • How significant is the number of GPOs applied? • 999 is the maximum number of GPOs applied
Planning: DeploymentTest, Stage, And Production • It’s a “good thing” if you: Test -> Stage -> Test -> Deploy -> Validate • Backup/Copy/Import (including migration tables) • Documentation: HTML or XML Reports • Save Report…
PlanningDisaster Recovery • GPMC Backup / Restore handles GPO as a logical entity • Automate GPO backup using GPMC scripts - BackupAllGPOs or BackupGPO • Regularly test GPO restore in your environment – RestoreAllGPOs or RestoreGPO • Think about building/rebuilding your staging environment
PlanningDisaster Recovery • Be aware of what is NOT included in a backup of a GPO and plan accordingly • IPSec Settings, which live in CN=IP Security, CN=System,DC=xxxx (AD backup handles this); The GPO includes just the link to this data • WMI Filter (only the filter link is backed up); The filter itself is stored in AD so your AD backup covers this • GPO links from sites, domains or OUs, since they are not an attribute of the GPO (again, AD backup covers this) • Don’t rely on DCGPOFix (last resort tool!) DCGPOFix returns default GPOs to the clean install state (not an upgrade) and they are unlinked; Use your own backup instead
PlanningGroup Policy Dependencies • DNS: Many “Group Policy problems” turn out to be related to DNS misconfiguration • Don’t touch the Policies directory in Sysvol (including playing with ACLs) – manage through supported tools only; If you plan to delete Sysvol – well, don’t!
GPO and 2008 R2 & Windows 7 • Group Policy Preferences (GPP) • Extensions or “new settings” • Adds more than 3000 policy settings! • Modify the local administrator password on every desktop • Different than normal GPO settings as they are duplicate under user and computer settings • Multiple Local Group Policies • Improvements to existing policies • Folder redirection • Cleaner
GPO and 2008 R2 & Windows 7 • Multiple Local Group Policy Objects (MLGPO) • Different Local Group Policies for different folks
Folder Redirection • Cleaner view and handles most profile folders.
Troubleshooting • Know where you GPOs live • Local GPOs%windir%\system32\grouppolicy • MLGPOs%windir%\system32\grouppolicyusers • Domain GPOsDC%windir%\sysvol\sysvol • Know your reporting options • Group Policy Modeling • Group Policy Results • Event Log (exposed through GPMC) • Know your tools • With Operating System: GPUpdate.exe • GPResults.exe • WS 2003 Resource Kit: GPOTool, GPMonitor • Download Center: GPInventory • Know your log files • UserEnv (Core Engine), WinLogon (Security), FDeploy (Folder Redirection), Appmgmt.log (software installation), Gpmgmt (GPMC), GPedit (GPEdit), GPText (CSE-specific)
Troubleshooting • Using the Local GPO (LGPO) • A good option if you don’t have access to change GPOs in a domain (not all settings will be available – software installation and folder redirection, for example) • Updating the LGPO on a domain-joined PC has no impact when using cached credentials • Read the Explain Text for Admin Templates and Help for Security Settings • Use the “force”…. gpupdate.exe /force switch • Forces the policy update. • If you move a user/computer to a new OU, the change will not take place immediately. Reboot/Logon/Force • Consider using a Virtualization - especially helpful for tattooing security settings; Undo when done!
Reference • http://www.microsoft.com