Question

Tools for GPO

Asked by: Tiras25

Hello -

So this new client of mine (100+ users) got about 50 GPO for users, laptops, and desktops.  Is there a tool that can go through these GPOs and create a report?  See the consistency?  Maybe some of them empty or some the same, etc.

Thanks!

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Asked On
2009-10-29 at 21:46:50ID24857115
Tags

GPO Windows 2003 AD

Topics

Active Directory

,

Windows 2003 Server

,

Security Software

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Answers

 

by: mkline71Posted on 2009-10-29 at 21:51:22ID: 25700241

Group policy management console http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc739083(WS.10).aspx is the number one tool for group policy, with that there are some built in scripts that can give you some reports

http://wmug.co.uk/blogs/1972/archive/2006/05/01/39.aspx

If you want a tool to compare two GPOs GPO Compare is really the only tool on the market (and it is reasonably priced), I reviewed it here http://adisfun.blogspot.com/2009/05/product-review-gpo-compare-from.html

Thanks

Mike

 

by: mboppePosted on 2009-10-29 at 22:11:07ID: 25700289

You could use this built in tools in windows2003

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc776655(WS.10).aspx

 

by: Red-KingPosted on 2009-10-30 at 11:08:25ID: 25705453

As said already you will need the Group policy Management Console which you can get on your workstation by installing the windows server 2003 adminpak
http://www.microsoft.com/downLoads/details.aspx?familyid=86B71A4F-4122-44AF-BE79-3F101E533D95&displaylang=en

The RSOP (Resultant Set Of Policy) snapin for the MMC is also highly useful. It lets you see what group policies are effecting the client computer i.e. it shows you the effective group policy a client gets when all policies have been applied.

Lasty there's 2 command line tools to use on the client workstation;
gpresult - shows which policies are being applied (but not the settings within the policies)
gpupdate - Re-applies the policies from teh domain.

 

by: Red-KingPosted on 2009-10-30 at 11:10:11ID: 25705466

Oh, in the Group Policy Management Console, when you highlight a policy in the AD tree on the left  and click on the "settings" tab on the right it will show you a report of what settings are enable within that policy.

 

by: mkline71Posted on 2009-10-30 at 11:12:38ID: 25705486

Darren (top GP MVP) also has some great free videos that are helpful. 4 part series on GPMC is included

http://www.gpoguy.com/Group-Policy-Video-Training.aspx

Thanks

Mike

 

by: Tiras25Posted on 2009-11-07 at 13:15:07ID: 31647862

Thank you all.

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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