Group Policy Objects can be used to apply settings to client computers from a central location. This article lists the new functionality added to the Group Policy in Windows Server 2008. This article doesn't explain the features in the detail.
- XML-based policy template files are used now (ADMX and ADML).
- Central Stores are used to reduce the disk space.
- ADMX and ADML are not stored in each GPO now
- Local GPO Store Location is:
- ADM=%SystemRoot\INF
- ADMX=%SystemRoot%\PolicyDefinitions,
- ADML=%SystemRoot%\PolicyDefinitions\EN-US
- GPEditor and GPMC don't copy ADM and ADMX files to SYSVOL now
- GPEditor and GPMC reads from the CentralStore in SYSVOL now
- Central Store is not available by default. You must create the Central Store
- Domain Central Store Location is:
- %SystemRoot%\SYSVOL\Domain\policies\PolicyDefinitions (ADMX)
- %SystemRoot%\SYSVOL\Domain\policies\PolicyDefinitions\en-us (ADML)
- Search for GPOs using GPMC
- StarterGPO feature makes you import/export GPO settings quickly across domains
- More than 20 GPOs Extensions are provided for Preferences.
- Preferences contains the two major Extensions:
- Windows Settings
- Control Panel