Find below best group policy interview questions asked in windows server, active directory and system admin interviews. The answers provide you immense knowledge on group policies and you can use these answers for latest windows 2008 and 2012 servers.
1. Why should we use Group Policy?
- For deploying software
- We can apply security
- For controlling Users environment, settings, per computer settings
- To manage desktop environment (To standardize environment)
- To modify the registry
2. What is Group policy object?
We call the actual unit that we are creating, deleting, managing, working with is called Group Policy object. Group Policy objects have two components:
- Group Policy container
- Group Policy template
3. What is Group policy container?
It is the container in the Active Directory where the Group Policy can be applied. (i.e., either Organizational unit or Domain or Site)
4. What is Group policy template?
When you create a group policy container automatically a template will be created in the hard drive, in sysvol folder of the Domain Controller that is called Group Policy template.
5. Where is Group policy template stored?
Group Policy template stored in sysvol folder.
6. How to create a Group Policy?
Start –>Programs –>Administrative tools ->Active Directory Users and computers ->Right click on the container on which you want to apply Group Policy->Select properties-> Click on Group Policy tab->Click on New
7. What are the steps do we have when we are creating Group Policy?
There are two steps, one is creating Group policy and linking to the container. Generally we create the group policy at container only so when you click on New it creates and links the GPO to that container at a time. Suppose if you want to link a group policy object to a container which is already created click on Add select the group policy.
8. What are the buttons available on Group policy tab in properties of a container?
- New (Creates new GPO)
- Add (links a GPO to this container which has created already)
- Edit (Edits the existing GPO)
- Delete Deletes the GPO
- Options (here you get the following check boxes): (i) No override – Prevent other GPO from overriding policy set in this one; and (ii) Disabled – This GPO is not applicable to this container
- Properties
Note: When you are deleting a GPO it asks two things:
- Remove the link from this list
- Remove the link and delete the GPO permanently
9. What is no override option in GPO?
Generally the policies set at one level will be overridden in other level, so if don’t want to override this policy under the sub levels of this one you can set this.
Ex: If you set No override at Domain level then that GPO will be applied through out the Domain, even though you have the same policy differently at OU level.
10. What is Block inheritance of GPO and where it is?
The Block inheritance GPO option blocks the group policies inheriting from the top level, and takes effect of this present GPO.
Right click on the container –> click on Group Policy –ègo to properties >on the bottom of the General tab you will find Block inheritance check box
Ex: If you select Block inheritance at OU level then no policy from the Domain level, or Site level or local policy will not applied to this OU.
11. You have set the No override option at Domain level and Block inheritance at OU level. Which policy will take effect?
If you have set both then No override wins over the Block inheritance. So No override will take effect.
12. What are the options that are available when you click on option button on general tab?
- General
- Disable computer configuration settings (The settings those are set under computer configuration of this GPO will not take effect.)
- Disable user configuration settings (The settings those are set under User configuration of this GPO will not take effect.)
- Links (Displays the containers which have links to this GPO)
- Security (With security option you can set level of permissions and settings to the individual users and groups. Ex: If you want to disable this GPO to a particular user on this container, on security tab select that user and select the deny check box for apply the Group Policy. Then the GPO will not take effect to that user even though he is in that container.)
13. What will you see in the Group Policy snap in?
You will see two major portions, and under those you have sub portions, they are
- Computer Configuration
- Software settings
- Software installations
- Windows settings
- Administrative templates
- User configuration
- Software settings
- Software installations
- Windows settings
- Administrative templates
Note: Administrative templates are for modifying the registry of windows 2000 clients.
14. What is the hierarchy of Group Policy?
- Local policy
- Site Policy
- Domain Policy
- OU Policy
- Sub OU Policy (If any are there)
15. Who can create site level Group Policy?
Enterprise Admin
16. Who can create Domain lever Group Policy?
Domain Admin
17. Who can create Organization Unit lever Group Policy?
Domain Admin
18. Who can create Local Group Policy?
Local Administrator or Domain Administrator
19. What is the Refresh interval for Group Policy?
Refresh interval for Domain Controllers is 5 minutes, and the refresh interval for all other computers in the network is 45 minutes (this one doubt).
20. Why do we need to manage and control desktop environment?
- To decrease support time
- Eliminate potential for problems
- One standard environment to support
- Eliminate distractions
- To increase productivity
21. What is Group policy loop back process? How to set it?
Start –>programs –>Administrative tools –>Active Directory users and computers –>Right click on the container –>click on Group policy tab –>Click on edit –>click on Computer settings –>click on Administrative templates –>system –>Group policy –>click on User group policy loop back processing mode –> click OK –> Select enable
22. What are the players that are involved in deploying software?
- Group Policy: Within GP we specify that this software application gets installed to this particular computer or to this particular user.
- Active Directory: Group Policy will be applied somewhere in Active Directory.
- Microsoft Installer service
- Windows installer packages: The type of package that can be used by Group Policy to deploy applications is .msi packages i.e., Microsoft Installer packages.
23. What is the package that can be used to deploy software through Group Policy?
Windows installer packages (.msi files)
24. What is Microsoft installer service?
Microsoft Installer Service runs on the client machines in the Windows 2000 domain. It installs the minimum amount of an application, as you extend functionality it installs the remaining part of application. It is responsible for installing software in the client. It is also responsible for modifying, upgrading, applying service packs.
25. What is Local security policy, Domain security policy, and Domain controller security policy in the administrative tools?
- Local Security policy: This is group policy applied to local machine
- Domain Security Policy: Group Policy applied at domain level
- Domain Controller Security Policy: Group Policy applied at domain controller level.
26. What are the design considerations for Group policy?
The following should be considered for designing group policies.
- Minimize linking: Because there may be a chance deleting the original one with seeing who else are using this GPO. Minimizing linking for simplicity.
- Minimum number of GPO’s: Microsoft suggests that one GPO with 100 settings will process faster than 100 GPO’s each with one setting. This is for performance.
- Delegate
- Minimize filtering: To keep simple your environment, try to minimize filtering.
If you have more number of GPO’s for a container, whatever GPO is on top will be applied first. If you want, you can move GPO’s up and down.
If there is conflict between two GPO’s of same container, the last applied GPO will be effective. i.e., the bottom one will be effective.
