Group Policy: Fundamentals, Security, and the Managed Desktop

The Ultimate Book on Group Policy

Freshly updated to include Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012, Group Policy: Fundamentals, Security, and the Managed Desktop, Second Edition is the book for learning everything you need to know about Group Policy, no matter which version of Windows you use. Microsoft Group Policy MVP Jeremy Moskowitz covers it all—major Group Policy categories, what Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012 bring to the table, and smart ways to tackle tough desktop management problems. Topics include troubleshooting, security, scripting, using Windows PowerShell when necessary, and much more.

Inside this book, you'll learn to:
Master all Group Policy functions of Windows, including Windows XP through Windows 8 and Windows Server 2003 through Windows Server 2012
Enhance your Group Policy reach with the Group Policy Preferences, ADMX files, and additional add-ons
Use every feature of the GPMC and become a top-notch administrator
Troubleshoot Group Policy using tools, logs, Resource Kit utilities, Registry hacks, and third-party tools
Manage printers, restrict hardware, and configure Internet Explorer
Deploy software to your desktops, set up roaming profiles, and configure Offline Files for all your Windows clients—and manage it all with Group Policy settings
Secure your desktops and servers with AppLocker, Windows Firewall with Advanced Security, and the Security Configuration Manager

Download bonus chapters and:
Script complex GPMC operations with PowerShell, including linking, backup, restore, permissions changes, and more
Create a "change management" system with Advanced Group Policy Management (AGPM v4)
Understand Windows Intune service and its relationship to Group Policy

Coverage Includes:
Updated GPMC
New Windows 8 GPMC Features
ADMX/ADML Files
Group Policy Preferences
Item-Level Targeting
The Central Store
AppLocker
Fine-Grained Password Policy
Offline Files Updates
Inheritance Blocking
Prioritization
Linking
Loopback Policy Processing
Security Policy Processing
Enforcing
WMI Filters
Third-Party Tools
Cross-Forest Trusts
Filters
Commenting
Searching
Advanced Logging and Troubleshooting
Advanced Auditing Controls
Group Policy and VDI
Security Configuration Manager
Windows Intune