How To Add Group Policy In Windows 2008 R2

Using Windows Server 2008 R2 grouping policy to make life easier

Windows Server 2008 R2'south grouping policy can be quite benign. Here'due south a look at how yous can get better utilization using Windows Server 2008 group policy.

It's essential to accept a walk through Windows Server 2008 R2'southward group policy features in order to get an understanding of how to apply the Group Policy preferences and PowerShell together. Group Policy is a new Windows term (for Windows Server 2008 R2 and Windows 7) for common configuration settings. Now, an administrator tin create his own group policy, which applies to users.

Windows Server 2008 Grouping Policy can enable you to exercise the following tasks with ease: check and compare settings across domains, reduce complication of your group policy environment, manage power settings, use the new Windows 7 Group Policy-enabled features such as BitLocker, and create a baseline of compliance for new grouping policy objects (GPO).

Grouping Policy was earlier a part of WINLOGON. Now, Windows Server 2008 group policy runs as a function of shared services. 1 of the new additions to Windows Server 2008 grouping policy is the PowerShell, which has the post-obit features:

You tin can configure Active Directory using PowerShell.
Ability management features in Windows Server 2008 R2: group policy filtering, group policy logview, and grouping policy event viewer log.
Deployment guidance, firewall policy, and IPsec capabilities.

PowerShell cmdlets in Windows Server 2008 R2 can be used through the Group Policy Management Panel (GPMC). These cmdlets allow you to automate many of the same tasks that you usually perform in the graphical user interface.

To use the Windows PowerShell cmdlets for Windows Server 2008's Group Policy, y'all must be running either:

Windows Server 2008 R2 on a domain controller, or
Windows Server 2008 R2 on a member server with GPMC installed, or
Windows 7 with Remote Server Assistants Tools installed.

Microsoft provides a programme snap-in which allows you to use the Grouping Policy Microsoft Management Console (MMC) for Windows Server 2008 R2. Through MMC, you can create a GPO which defines registry-based policies, security options, software installation, maintenance options, script options, and folder redirection options.

Before using Windows Server 2008'southward Group Policy cmdlets, it's essential to use the import-module Group Policy command (which will help you lot import the Grouping Policy module). You can modify Windows PowerShell's profile to import the Group Policy module every time you offset a session. You can use the get-control module Group Policy to become a listing of all Grouping Policy commands.

There is a split up group policy for Windows Vista/vii machines. Information technology is the old user interface (UI) for pre-Vista, and a new UI for Vista. Three methods for policy separation tin can be used: grouping (read/utilise control), separate organizational unit of measurement (OU) with the GPO link, or the windows management instrumentation (WMI) Filter.

Nigh the author: In his nowadays role, Aviraj Ajgekar manages the IT infrastructure of Microsoft India (Western region). He has conducted preparation sessions on Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer and Dominicus Solaris Arrangement Administration. Ajgekar discussed the present topic at Microsoft TechEd 2010, Bengaluru.

(As told to Jasmine Desai)