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Introducing Group Policy Preferences

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Hi, Mike here. Have you ever wanted to map a drive for specific users at logon—without using a logon script? Have you ever wanted to change the local administrator’s password on all your client computers? Have you ever wanted to add items to a user’s Start menu? Now you can with Windows Server 2008, which includes Group Policy preferences.

What are Group Policy preferences? Group Policy preferences allow administrators to configure and deploy Windows and application settings that were previously unavailable using Group Policy. The Windows Server 2008 Group Policy Management Console (GPMC) includes Group Policy preferences, which are available when editing domain-based Group Policies. Also, you can manage Group Policy preferences from a Windows Vista Service Pack 1 computer by installing the Remote Server Administration Tools (RSAT), which included the updated version of GPMC.

You first notice a change in the namespace and node structure when editing a domain-based Group Policy object with GPMC. Computer and User Configuration remain; however there are now two categories under each configuration: Policies and Preferences.

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Figure 1- Group Policy Preferences nodes

The Policies node contains the familiar node structure found when editing earlier versions of Group Policy. The Preferences node contains all the preference settings, which are a categorized into Windows Settings and Control Panel Settings.

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Figure 2- Windows and Control Panel Settings

With Group Policy preferences there are many different ways to accomplish a specific task. Each Group Policy preference extension provides configuration properties specific to the extension and common among most preference extensions.

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Figure 3 – Extension specific configuration properties

Preference items allow you to fine tune how they apply to users and computer by offering sophisticated targeting features. Using the targeting editor, you can create various targeting conditions to ensure the correct preference item applies to the correct user or computer.

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Figure 4 - Targeting Editor

The Client-Side Extensions for GP Preferences are included in Windows Server 2008, and down-level versions will be available as a separate download for:

1. Windows XP Service Pack 2 and above
2. Windows Vista RTM and above
3. Windows Server 2003 SP1 and above

Finally, it’s important to understand that Group Policy preferences are just that – preferences. Unlike policy-enabled components that apply managed policy settings, preferences simply configure the settings as if a person did it. Users can change these settings until the next refresh of Group Policy. For example, when you use Group Policy to configure a screensaver, the option to change it is unavailable (grayed out) for the user. When using preferences, the screensaver is preconfigured per the preference settings; however, the user still has the ability to change the settings (until the next Group Policy refresh—depending on how you configure the preference item).

You can read more details on Group Policy preferences by downloading the Group Policy preferences whitepaper from the Microsoft Download Center (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=103735)

- Mike Stephens

Comments

  • Anonymous
    December 04, 2007
    PingBack from http://www.radians.com.ar/blog/?p=238

  • Anonymous
    December 06, 2007
    Would've loved to see this is part of XP SP3 / Vista SP1. But beggars can't be choosers, so this is better than nothing ;)

  • Anonymous
    December 26, 2007
    For those of you gearing up for a new year of administering Group Policy, here's some links to articles

  • Anonymous
    March 11, 2008
    The comment has been removed

  • Anonymous
    August 13, 2008
    Hi. Jim from DS here again to show you how to quickly access the properties of your network interface

  • Anonymous
    October 02, 2008
    The comment has been removed

  • Anonymous
    February 02, 2009
    Are there any plans to support XP SP3?  I would love to use Group Policy Preferences but we can't because all of our workstations have SP3 and it still isn't supported.  Any ideas when it might? Thanks! Mike

  • Anonymous
    February 02, 2009
    It is supported. From the GPP download page for XP: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=E60B5C8F-D7DC-4B27-A261-247CE3F6C4F8&displaylang=en System Requirements Supported Operating Systems: Windows XP Service Pack 2; Windows XP Service Pack 3

  • Anonymous
    August 24, 2009
    sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet.  I've been waiting a long time. Thanks! Mike

  • Anonymous
    March 16, 2010
    If a user logs on via VPN or WiFi will the Group Policy apply the drive mappings via the 90 minute GPO refresh?

  • Anonymous
    March 16, 2010
    Hi MSBob, The answer is no. GPP drive mappings only occurs during foreground processing (at user logon). This is done to prevent a drive mapping from being remove out from under the user or an application during the Group Policy refresh. I've always encouraged customers to establish the VPN before the user logon. This allows Group Policy to locate a domain controller and apply normally. Mike Stephens