Group Policy on sites

Applies To: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP1, Windows Server 2003 with SP2

Group Policy on sites

Group Policy objects that are applied to Active Directory site objects affect all computers in the site. Directory information is replicated and available among all the domain controllers in the site and to any domain controllers in sites for which a site link has been established. Therefore, any Group Policy object that is linked to a site is applied to all computers in that site, without regard to which domain (in the forest) contains the computers.

This allows multiple domains within a forest to receive the same Group Policy object (and included policies), although the Group Policy object exists only as a stored entity on a single domain and it must be read from that domain when the affected clients read their site-linked Group Policy.

If child domains are set up across wide area network (WAN) boundaries, the site setup should take this into account. If it does not, the computers in a child domain access a site-linked Group Policy object across a WAN link. This increases the processing time for Group Policy.

For more information, see Group Policy in replicated environments and Group Policy over slow links.

Note

• Group Policy is not usually applied to sites. It is usually applied to domains and organizational units. For more information, see Ways to open Group Policy Object Editor.