Group Policy simplifies administration and reduces information technology (IT) costs by automating the management of user accounts and computer accounts. By using the Group Policy Management Console (GPMC), an administrator can implement security settings efficiently; enforce IT policies; and distribute software consistently across sites, domains, or organizational units (OUs) that the administrator selects.

Using Group Policy

The following table lists the steps that you can take to use Group Policy on a server running Windows Server 2008.

  Step Reference
Check box

If necessary, install the Group Policy Management Console by using the Add Features Wizard in Server Manager. If you are prompted to do so, restart the server after you install the Group Policy Management Console.

Click Start, click Server Manager, and then click Add Features. Select the Group Policy Management Console check box, click Next, and then click Install.

Check box

Review information about using Group Policy, including references for creating and editing custom ADMX files.

Group Policy (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=93212)