path: root/docs/docbook/projdoc/PolicyMgmt.sgml

<chapter id="PolicyMgmt">
<chapterinfo>
	&author.jht;
    <pubdate>April 3 2003</pubdate>
</chapterinfo>
<title>System and Account Policies</title>

<sect1>
<title>Creating and Managing System Policies</title>

<para>
Under MS Windows platforms, particularly those following the release of MS Windows
NT4 and MS Windows 95) it is possible to create a type of file that would be placed
in the NETLOGON share of a domain controller. As the client logs onto the network
this file is read and the contents initiate changes to the registry of the client
machine. This file allows changes to be made to those parts of the registry that
affect users, groups of users, or machines.
</para>

<para>
For MS Windows 9x/Me this file must be called <filename>Config.POL</filename> and may
be generated using a tool called <filename>poledit.exe</filename>, better known as the
Policy Editor. The policy editor was provided on the Windows 98 installation CD, but
dissappeared again with the introduction of MS Windows Me (Millenium Edition). From
comments from MS Windows network administrators it would appear that this tool became
a part of the MS Windows Me Resource Kit.
</para>

<para>
MS Windows NT4 Server products include the <emphasis>System Policy Editor</emphasis>
under the <filename>Start -> Programs -> Administrative Tools</filename> menu item.
For MS Windows NT4 and later clients this file must be called <filename>NTConfig.POL</filename>.
</para>

<para>
New with the introduction of MS Windows 2000 was the Microsoft Management Console
or MMC.  This tool is the new wave in the ever changing landscape of Microsoft
methods for management of network access and security. Every new Microsoft product
or technology seems to obsolete the old rules and to introduce newer and more
complex tools and methods. To Microsoft's credit though, the MMC does appear to
be a step forward, but improved functionality comes at a great price.
</para>

<para>
Before embarking on the configuration of network and system policies it is highly
advisable to read the documentation available from Microsoft's web site regarding
<ulink url="http://www.microsoft.com/ntserver/management/deployment/planguide/prof_policies.asp">
Implementing Profiles and Policies in Windows NT 4.0 from http://www.microsoft.com/ntserver/management/deployment/planguide/prof_policies.asp</ulink> available from Microsoft.
There are a large number of documents in addition to this old one that should also
be read and understood. Try searching on the Microsoft web site for "Group Policies".
</para>

<para>
What follows is a very discussion with some helpful notes. The information provided
here is incomplete - you are warned.
</para>

<sect2>
<title>Windows 9x/Me Policies</title>

<para>
You need the Win98 Group Policy Editor to set Group Profiles up under Windows 9x/Me.
It can be found on the Original full product Win98 installation CD under
<filename>tools/reskit/netadmin/poledit</filename>.  Install this using the
Add/Remove Programs facility and then click on the 'Have Disk' tab.
</para>

<para>
Use the Group Policy Editor to create a policy file that specifies the location of
user profiles and/or the <filename>My Documents</filename> etc.  stuff. Then
save these settings in a file called <filename>Config.POL</filename> that needs to
be placed in the root of the [NETLOGON] share. If Win98 is configured to log onto
the Samba Domain, it will automatically read this file and update the Win9x/Me registry
of the machine as it logs on.
</para>

<para>
Further details are covered in the Win98 Resource Kit documentation.
</para>

<para>
If you do not take the right steps, then every so often Win9x/Me will check the
integrity of the registry and will restore it's settings from the back-up
copy of the registry it stores on each Win9x/Me machine. Hence, you will
occasionally notice things changing back to the original settings.
</para>

<para>
Install the group policy handler for Win9x to pick up group policies. Look on the
Win98 CD in <filename>\tools\reskit\netadmin\poledit</filename>.
Install group policies on a Win9x client by double-clicking
<filename>grouppol.inf</filename>. Log off and on again a couple of times and see
if Win98 picks up group policies.  Unfortunately this needs to be done on every
Win9x/Me machine that uses group policies.
</para>

</sect2>
<sect2>
<title>Windows NT4 Style Policy Files</title>

<para>
To create or edit <filename>ntconfig.pol</filename> you must use the NT Server
Policy Editor, <command>poledit.exe</command> which is included with NT4 Server
but <emphasis>not NT Workstation</emphasis>. There is a Policy Editor on a NT4
Workstation but it is not suitable for creating <emphasis>Domain Policies</emphasis>.
Further, although the Windows 95 Policy Editor can be installed on an NT4
Workstation/Server, it will not work with NT clients. However, the files from
the NT Server will run happily enough on an NT4 Workstation.
</para>

<para>
You need <filename>poledit.exe, common.adm</filename> and <filename>winnt.adm</filename>.
It is convenient to put the two *.adm files in  the <filename>c:\winnt\inf</filename> 
directory which is where the binary will look for them unless told otherwise. Note also that that
directory is normally 'hidden'.
</para>

<para>
The Windows NT policy editor is also included with the Service Pack 3 (and
later) for Windows NT 4.0. Extract the files using <command>servicepackname /x</command>,
i.e. that's <command>Nt4sp6ai.exe /x</command> for service pack 6a.  The policy editor,
<command>poledit.exe</command> and the associated template files (*.adm) should
be extracted as well.  It is also possible to downloaded the policy template
files for Office97 and get a copy of the policy editor.  Another possible
location is with the Zero Administration Kit available for download from Microsoft.
</para>

<sect3>
<title>Registry Tattoos</title>

	<para>
	With NT4 style registry based policy changes, a large number of settings are not
	automatically reversed as the user logs off. Since the settings that were in the
	NTConfig.POL file were applied to the client machine registry and that apply to the
	hive key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE are permanent until explicitly reversed. This is known
	as tattooing. It can have serious consequences down-stream and the administrator must
	be extremely careful not to lock out the ability to manage the machine at a later date.
	</para>


</sect3>
</sect2>
<sect2>
<title>MS Windows 200x / XP Professional Policies</title>

<para>
Windows NT4 System policies allows setting of registry parameters specific to
users, groups and computers (client workstations) that are members of the NT4
style domain. Such policy file will work with MS Windows 2000 / XP clients also.
</para>

<para>
New to MS Windows 2000 Microsoft introduced a new style of group policy that confers
a superset of capabilities compared with NT4 style policies. Obviously, the tool used
to create them is different, and the mechanism for implementing them is much changed.
</para>

<para>
The older NT4 style registry based policies are known as <emphasis>Administrative Templates</emphasis>
in MS Windows 2000/XP Group Policy Objects (GPOs). The later includes ability to set various security
configurations, enforce Internet Explorer browser settings, change and redirect aspects of the
users' desktop (including: the location of <emphasis>My Documents</emphasis> files (directory), as
well as intrinsics of where menu items will appear in the Start menu). An additional new
feature is the ability to make available particular software Windows applications to particular
users and/or groups.
</para>

<para>
Remember: NT4 policy files are named <filename>NTConfig.POL</filename> and are stored in the root
of the NETLOGON share on the domain controllers. A Windows NT4 user enters a username, a password
and selects the domain name to which the logon will attempt to take place. During the logon
process the client machine reads the NTConfig.POL file from the NETLOGON share on the authenticating
server, modifies the local registry values according to the settings in this file.
</para>

<para>
Windows 2K GPOs are very feature rich. They are NOT stored in the NETLOGON share, rather part of
a Windows 200x policy file is stored in the Active Directory itself and the other part is stored
in a shared (and replicated) volume called the SYSVOL folder. This folder is present on all Active
Directory domain controllers. The part that is stored in the Active Directory itself is called the
group policy container (GPC), and the part that is stored in the replicated share called SYSVOL is
known as the group policy template (GPT).
</para>

<para>
With NT4 clients the policy file is read and executed upon only aas each user log onto the network.
MS Windows 200x policies are much more complex - GPOs are processed and applied at client machine
startup (machine specific part) and when the user logs onto the network the user specific part
is applied. In MS Windows 200x style policy management each machine and/or user may be subject
to any number of concurently applicable (and applied) policy sets (GPOs). Active Directory allows
the administrator to also set filters over the policy settings. No such equivalent capability
exists with NT4 style policy files.
</para>

<sect3>
<title>Administration of Win2K / XP Policies</title>

<procedure>
<title>Instructions</title>
<para>
Instead of using the tool called "The System Policy Editor", commonly called Poledit (from the
executable name poledit.exe), GPOs are created and managed using a Microsoft Management Console
(MMC) snap-in as follows:</para>

<step>
<para>
Go to the Windows 200x / XP menu <filename>Start->Programs->Administrative Tools</filename>
	and select the MMC snap-in called "Active Directory Users and Computers"
<para></step>

<step><para>
Select the domain or organizational unit (OU) that you wish to manage, then right click
to open the context menu for that object, select the properties item.
</para></step>

<step><para>
Now left click on the Group Policy tab, then left click on the New tab. Type a name
for the new policy you will create.
</para></step>

<step><para>
Now left click on the Edit tab to commence the steps needed to create the GPO.
</para></step>
</procedure>

<para>
All policy configuration options are controlled through the use of policy administrative
templates. These files have a .adm extension, both in NT4 as well as in Windows 200x / XP.
Beware however, since the .adm files are NOT interchangible across NT4 and Windows 200x.
The later introduces many new features as well as extended definition capabilities. It is
well beyond the scope of this documentation to explain how to program .adm files, for that
the adminsitrator is referred to the Microsoft Windows Resource Kit for your particular
version of MS Windows.
</para>

<note>
<para>
The MS Windows 2000 Resource Kit contains a tool called gpolmig.exe. This tool can be used
to migrate an NT4 NTConfig.POL file into a Windows 200x style GPO. Be VERY careful how you
use this powerful tool. Please refer to the resource kit manuals for specific usage information.
</para>
</note>

</sect2>
</sect1>

<sect1>
<title>Managing Account/User Policies</title>

<para>
Document what are user policies (ie: Account Policies) here.
</para>

<sect2>
<title>With Windows NT4/200x</title>

<para>
Brief overview of the tools and how to use them.
</para>

<sect3>
<title>Windows NT4 Tools</title>

<para>
Blah, blah, blah ...
</para>

</sect3>

<sect3>
<title>Windows 200x Tools</title>

<para>
Blah, blah, blah ...
</para>

</sect3>
</sect2>

<sect2>
<title>With a Samba PDC</title>

<para>
Document the HOWTO here.
</para>

</sect1>

</chapter>