Group Policy Administration

Paths

Group Policy Administration

Authors: Darren Mar-Elia, Peter Grant, Gary Eimerman

Group Policy allows enterprises to centrally manage the configuration and security settings of users and computers in an Active Directory environment. If you want to advance your... Read more

Related topics

System Administrator Network Administrator Windows Server Active Directory

What you will learn

  • Group Policy Management item
  • Computer and User Settings
  • Security Settings
  • Preferences
  • Managing Group Policy with PowerShell
  • Group Policy Maintenance
  • Troubleshooting

Pre-requisites

Familiarity with Active Directory and Windows Server is recommended.

Beginner

This section provides a foundation for learning and leveraging Group Policy in your Windows environment.

Group Policy Fundamentals

by Darren Mar-Elia

Feb 5, 2015 / 11h 35m

11h 35m

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Description

This course, presented by 12-time Group Policy MVP Darren Mar-Elia, aka the "GPOGUY," provides you with all the information and tools you need to become a Group Policy expert. Starting with the basics around how Group Policy works, Darren shares his 15 years of Group Policy experience to teach you Group Policy, which parts to leverage for key scenarios, and the best ways to deploy it in your Windows desktop and server environments.

Table of contents
  1. Introduction to Group Policy
  2. Group Policy's Capabilities
  3. Group Policy Processing
  4. Tools of the Trade
  5. How Group Policy Gets Applied
  6. Policy Scenarios - Desktop and Server Lockdown
  7. Policy Scenarios - Security Policy
  8. Policy Scenarios - Managing Internet Explorer Configuration
  9. Policy Scenarios - Deploying Software Using Group Policy
  10. Policy Scenarios - Folder Redirection, User Settings, and Data
  11. Policy Scenarios - Introduction to Group Policy Preferences
  12. Policy Scenarios - Managing Startup/Logon Scripts
  13. Policy Scenarios - Kiosks and Remote Desktop Services
  14. Group Policy Management Tasks
  15. Basic Group Policy Troubleshooting
  16. Group Policy Deployment Strategies
  17. Introduction to Group Policy Scripting

Intermediate

Learn more advanced Group Policy skills in this section.

Group Policy: Advanced Targeting

by Peter Grant

Sep 13, 2016 / 2h 20m

2h 20m

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Description

If you thought GPO settings can only be applied by linking GPOs to OUs, then you've just barely touched the surface. In this course, Group Policy: Advanced Targeting, you will learn how to get the most out of group policy and this course may also enlighten you to features you didn't know existed. First, you'll learn how to control Group Policy settings using security groups rather than the GPMC. Next, you'll be walked through the end-to-end process for dynamic WMI filtering, as well as shown tools to help you decipher the WMI query language. Finally, you'll be shown how to replace logon scripts and other manual tasks quickly and easily by using Item Level Targeting and Group Policy Preferences. By the end of this course, you'll know how to address almost any edge case and understand how to replace your legacy logon scripts.

Table of contents
  1. Course Overview
  2. Understanding Default GPO Targeting Limitations
  3. Applying GPO Settings Using Security Groups
  4. Applying GPO Settings Based on Computer Features
  5. Using Item-level Targeting to Customize Preference Settings
  6. Simplifying Your GPO Infrastructure

Group Policy: Troubleshooting

by Peter Grant

May 31, 2016 / 1h 60m

1h 60m

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Description

Group Policy processing is at the heart of any Active Directory infrastructure. Knowing how to set it up is one thing, but being able to troubleshoot and resolve complex issues can really make you stand out from the crowd. In this course, you'll learn a three-phased, practical approach for methodically tackling any Group Policy problem. You'll start by looking at the 'obvious' problems and you'll learn where to start troubleshooting any issue. Next, you'll learn what the common infrastructure issues are and how to resolve them, and finally you'll gain a low level understanding of the Group Policy mechanics. By the end of this course, you will have learned more than just how to troubleshoot Group Policy; you'll have seen computers querying DNS for their domain controllers, you'll learn how to use tools such as LDP in order to look under the hood at the Group Policy Active Directory attributes, and you'll understand in more detail how Active Directory replication operates and how to fix it when it's broken. By using the methodology in this course combined with the deeper understanding of how group Policy works, you'll be able to solve the most complex issues, fast.

Table of contents
  1. Course Overview
  2. Want to Be a Group Policy Superhero?
  3. Phase 1: Check the 'Obvious'
  4. Phase 2: Check the Infrastructure
  5. Phase 3: Deep Dive Troubleshooting
  6. Summarizing the Journey

Advanced

This section includes a lively discussion on the pitfalls and issues of using Group Policy and the best ways to avoid them.

Play by Play: Group Policy Best Practices with Darren Mar-Elia

by Gary Eimerman

Dec 10, 2014 / 1h 57m

1h 57m

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Description

In this course, Darren Mar-Elia (GPOGUY) discusses the common pitfalls and issues involved in using Group Policy, how to avoid them with good design principles, and how to troubleshoot the all-too-common bloated GP infrastructure. We give Darren a scenario environment overloaded with policies, including several conflicting policies, and watch as he walks through inventory, normalizing, and deployment of revised policies. Play by Play is a series in which we sit down with top industry experts and discuss technologies, problems and solutions in real time, unscripted and unrehearsed. Have you ever wished you could watch one of your tech heroes work through a problem in real time, using their own tools and tricks? This is the series for you.

Table of contents
  1. Course Introduction
  2. Overcoming Common Issues in Group Policy
  3. Best Practices for Good Group Policy Design
  4. Troubleshooting Group Policy
  5. Wrap Up
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