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Group Policy Administration
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 Group Policy skills, this path is highly recommended.
Get StartedBeginner
This section provides a foundation for learning and leveraging Group Policy in your Windows environment.
Group Policy Fundamentals
Intermediate • 11h 34m
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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
- Introduction to Group Policy42m 12s
- Group Policy's Capabilities43m 7s
- Group Policy Processing51m 29s
- Tools of the Trade38m 10s
- How Group Policy Gets Applied38m 11s
- Policy Scenarios - Desktop and Server Lockdown31m 48s
- Policy Scenarios - Security Policy40m 41s
- Policy Scenarios - Managing Internet Explorer Configuration40m 53s
- Policy Scenarios - Deploying Software Using Group Policy38m 45s
- Policy Scenarios - Folder Redirection, User Settings, and Data37m 5s
- Policy Scenarios - Introduction to Group Policy Preferences58m 26s
- Policy Scenarios - Managing Startup/Logon Scripts35m 13s
- Policy Scenarios - Kiosks and Remote Desktop Services30m 3s
- Group Policy Management Tasks43m
- Basic Group Policy Troubleshooting54m 53s
- Group Policy Deployment Strategies35m 41s
- Introduction to Group Policy Scripting35m 18s
Intermediate
Learn more advanced Group Policy skills in this section.
Group Policy: Advanced Targeting
Intermediate • 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
- Course Overview1m 22s
- Understanding Default GPO Targeting Limitations12m
- Applying GPO Settings Using Security Groups23m 23s
- Applying GPO Settings Based on Computer Features33m 9s
- Using Item-level Targeting to Customize Preference Settings39m 17s
- Simplifying Your GPO Infrastructure31m 9s
Group Policy: Troubleshooting
Intermediate • 1h 59m
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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
- Course Overview1m 33s
- Want to Be a Group Policy Superhero?2m 20s
- Phase 1: Check the 'Obvious'38m 43s
- Phase 2: Check the Infrastructure31m 10s
- Phase 3: Deep Dive Troubleshooting33m 49s
- Summarizing the Journey12m 2s
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
Intermediate • 1h 56m
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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
- Course Introduction7m 9s
- Overcoming Common Issues in Group Policy23m 46s
- Best Practices for Good Group Policy Design48m 21s
- Troubleshooting Group Policy19m 50s
- Wrap Up17m 47s