Active Administrator 8.6.2 - User Guide

Using the GPO repository

Using the GPO repository

Active Administrator® provides an offline repository for editing Group Polices. The offline repository makes a copy of the Group Policy object (GPO) that you can edit without interfering with the normal operation of Active Directory®. When editing is complete, you can publish the changed GPO to Active Directory in a single operation.

The offline repository uses a system of checking in and out to maintain the integrity of the GPOs in the repository. When a GPO is added to the repository, it is actually a copy of the GPO that gets added; the actual GPO is not affected. The copy in the repository can then be checked out and changed, and then checked in and applied when needed. When a GPO is published from the repository, a copy of the GPO is then copied over the online GPO, thus effectively making any changes to that GPO live.

Topics 

•	Adding a GPO to the repository

•	Editing a GPO offline

To use the GPO repository

1	Select Group Policy | GPO Repository.

2	Select a domain.

NOTE: If you do not see a domain listed, you must first add a copy of the Active Directory GPO to the repository. See Adding a GPO to the repository.

Group policy objects that in the repository display in the upper pane. These GPOs are copies of the GPOs in Active Directory. You can edit these GPOs without affecting the live GPOs.

The bottom pane displays the check in/out history for the selected GPO. To view the history of publishing the GPO to Active Directory, click Publish to Active Directory History.

3	Use the options on the tool bar to edit Group Policy objects offline.

 

Table 83. GPO repository tool bar

Option	Description
Refresh	Refresh the GPO’s in Offline Repository list.
Publish	Write over the GPO in Active Directory with the selected GPO in the offline repository. See Editing a GPO offline.
Add	Add a copy of the Active Directory GPO to the repository. See Adding a GPO to the repository.
Remove	Remove the selected GPOs from the repository. NOTE: Removing a GPO from the repository does not remove the GPO from the system. The GPO in the repository is a read-only copy of the GPO that resides in Active Directory.
Edit GPO	Edit a checked-out offline GPO. See Editing a GPO offline.
Check In/Out	Check out a GPO for offline editing. When you are finished editing, check the GPO back into the repository. See Editing a GPO offline.
More | Offline GPO Settings	Show the unique id, number of revisions, created date, modified date, status of computer and user settings, Group Policy filters and Group Policy links for the selected Group Policy object in the selected domain.
More | Compare Offline GPO to Live GPO	Prior to publishing an offline GPO to Active Directory, you can compare the offline GPO to the live GPO. See Comparing Group Policy objects.

Adding a GPO to the repository

Adding a GPO to the repository

During installation, Active Administrator® creates the GPORepository folder, which is located in the Active Administrator folder. When you check in a GPO into the repository, a copy of the GPO is placed in this folder. All changes you make to the GPO are stored in this folder until you choose to publish the GPO or discard the changes.

NOTE: You also can select Group Policy | Group Policy Objects, select a Group Policy object, and select More | Add to Repository. See Managing Group Policy objects.

To add a GPO to the repository

1	Select Group Policy | GPO Repository.

2	Click Add.

3	Select a domain.

If you do not see the desired domain, click Add Forest and locate the forest with the desired domain.

4	Select a Group Policy, and click Add.

5	Repeat for additional group policies.

6

Click OK.

7	Click Refresh, if necessary.

When the checkout is complete, you can edit the GPO offline. See Editing a GPO offline.

Editing a GPO offline

Editing a GPO offline

Once GPO is in the repository, you can check it out for editing offline. When you are done editing offline, check the GPO in, and publish it to Active Directory®.

To edit a GPO offline

1	Select Group Policy | GPO Repository.

2	Select a domain.

3	Select a GPO, and select Check In/Out | Check Out.

4	Select the checked out GPO, and click Edit GPO.

5	Modify the GPO in the Group Policy Management Editor, and then close the window.

NOTE: To cancel the checkout without applying the changes, select the GPO, and then select Check In/Out | Check In (discard).

6	To check in the selected GPO, select Check In/Out | Check In.

7	Type a comment that describes the changes you made to the GPO.

8	Click Check In.

The GPO is read-only in the repository. The change is not applied to the live GPO until you publish it to Active Directory.

NOTE: Before publishing the GPO, you may want to compare the settings of the GPO in the repository to those in Active Directory by running the Compare Offline GPO to Live GPO report.

9	To publish the edited GPO to Active Directory, select the GPO, and click Publish.

Modeling GPO changes

Modeling GPO changes

Active Administrator® provides increased levels of manageability by way of GPO modeling, which allows you to select a user and computer and view or report on the Group Policy objects that affect those accounts. To get an exact picture of how your actions will affect Group Policy application, you can perform several calculations of what if scenarios, including the addition or removal of these objects from OUs, sites, or security groups, which allows you to quickly view Group Policy object application and errors on remote computers. Recent calculations are automatically saved for easy retrieval at a later time.

Reporting on GPO Modeling allow administrators to see exactly how objects are affected by Group Policy objects and to quickly troubleshoot where application of Group Policies were not handled correctly. Active Administrator provides clear and concise reports that not only show what Group Policy objects are applied, but the effective settings of such policies.

Topics 

•	Creating a simulation

To model GPO changes

1	Select Group Policy | GPO Modeling.

Existing simulations display in a list. You can sort each column in ascending or descending order by clicking on the column heading.

2	Use the tool bar to manage GPO modeling simulations.

 

Table 84. GPO modeling tool bar

Option	Description
Refresh	Refresh the display.
New	Create and run a new simulation. See Creating a simulation.
Run Again	Run a selected simulation.
Copy Simulation	Copy a selected simulation to make changes to create a new simulation. See Creating a simulation.
View Report	View the report for the selected simulation.
Save Report	Save the selected simulation report to an HTML file.
Delete	Delete selected simulations.