Group Policy Overview

Group Policy is an infrastructure that allows you to specify managed configurations for users and computers through Group Policy settings and Group Policy Preferences. For Group Policy settings that affect only a local computer or user, you can use the Local Group Policy Editor. You can manage Group Policy settings and Group Policy Preferences in an Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) environment through the Group Policy Management Console (GPMC). Group Policy management tools also are included in the Remote Server Administration Tools pack to provide a way for you to administer Group Policy settings from your desktop.

Whenever the GPMC is installed, whether on servers or client computers, the Windows PowerShell module is also installed. You have full Windows PowerShell functionality. If you install the Remote Server Administration Tools pack, the latest Windows PowerShell cmdlets for Group Policy are also installed. For more information about Windows PowerShell cmdlets and scripts that you can use to manage Group Policy, see Group Policy Cmdlets.

You can also configure the Group Policy feature by using Windows PowerShell cmdlets. For more information about using Server Manager cmdlets to install the Group Policy Management Console for the Group Policy feature, see Install or Uninstall Roles, Role Services, or Features and Server Manager deployment cmdlet module.

Using Group Policy, you can significantly reduce an organization’s total cost of ownership. Various factors, such as the large number of policy settings available, the interaction between multiple policies, and inheritance options, can make Group Policy design complex. By carefully planning, designing, testing, and deploying a solution based on your organization’s business requirements, you can provide the standardized functionality, security, and management control that your organization needs.

Here are some Windows Server 2012 scenarios that use Group Policy to implement a solution:

• Configuring Policy-based Quality of Service (QoS)
  
  
• Managing the New Wired Network (IEEE 802.3) Policies Settings
  
  
• Managing the Wireless Network (IEEE 802.11) Policies
  
  
• Securing End-to-End IPsec Connections by Using IKEv2 in Windows Server 2012
  
  

Group Policy design can become very complex. Various factors, such as the large number of policy settings and preference items available, the interaction between multiple policies, and inheritance options, can make it difficult to determine if Group Policy is functioning correctly on each computer.

In Windows Server 2012, Group Policy changes, as detailed below, are focused on improving the Group Policy troubleshooting experience. For more details about these changes, as well as additional changes in functionality that are not listed here, see What's New in Group Policy.