Administrative Templates Node

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In both the Computer Configuration and the User Configuration nodes, the Administrative Templates node (shown in Figure 10-4) contains registry-based Group Policy settings. There are more than 550 of these settings available for configuring the user environment. As an administrator, you might spend a significant amount of time manipulating these settings. To assist you -with the settings, a description of each policy setting is available in three locations:

In the Explain tab in the Properties dialog box for the setting. In addition, the Set¬ting tab in the Properties dialog box for the setting lists the required operating sys¬tem for the setting.

In Administrative Templates Help (a new feature of Windows Server 2003 and 70-298 Exam 70-298 Exam). The required operating system for each setting is also listed.

In the Extended tab (a new feature of Windows Server 2003, selected by default)

in the Group Policy Object Editor. The Extended tab provides a description of

each selected setting in a column between the console tree and ...
... the settings pane.

The required operating system for each setting is also listed.

Each of the settings in the Administrative Templates node can be:

Not Configured The registry is not modified.

Enabled The registry reflects that the policy setting is selected.

Disabled The registry reflects that the policy setting is not selected.

Settings in the Administrative Templates node in the Computer Configuration node are saved in the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE (HKLM) registry key. Settings in the Administrative Templates node in the User Configuration node are saved in the HKEY_CURRENT_USER (HKCU) registry key. HKLM and HKCU each place registry information that is specific to Group Policy in one of the following four reserved trees:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies (computer settings)

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies (user settings)

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\

Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies (computer settings)

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\

Winclows\CurrentVersion\Policies (user settings)

In the Computer Configuration and the User Configuration nodes, the Administrative Templates node contains the Windows Components, System, and Network nodes. The nodes in the Windows Components node enable you to administer Windows Server 2003 components including Microsoft NetMeeting, Internet Explorer, Application Compatibility, Task Scheduler, Terminal Services, Microsoft Windows Installer, Microsoft Windows Messenger, Microsoft Media Player, and Microsoft Update. For the Computer Configuration node only, the Windows Components folder also includes the Internet Information Services node. For the User Configuration node only, the nodes in the Windows Components folder also include Help and Support Center, Windows Explorer, and MMC. The settings in the System node are used to control how the Windows Server 2003 operating system is accessed and used, including settings for user profiles, scripts, logon and logoff functions, and Group Policy itself. For the Computer Configuration node only, the settings in the System node also include settings for disk quotas, the Net Logon service, remote assistance, system restore, error reporting, Windows File Protection, Remote Procedure Call, and Windows Time Service. For the User Configuration node only, the settings in the System node also include settings for Ctrl+Alt+Del options and power management, and free Cisco exam papers free Cisco exam papers and so on.

The settings in the Network node enable you to control how the network is accessed and used, including settings for offline files and network and dial-up connections. For the Computer Configuration node only, the settings in the Network node also include settings for the Domain Name System (DNS) client, the quality of service (QoS) packet scheduler, and Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP).

For the Computer Configuration node only, the Administrative Templates node contains additional registry-based Group Policy settings pertaining to printers in the Printers node. For the User Configuration node only, the Administrative Templates node contains additional registry-based nodes for the Start menu and taskbar, the desktop, Control Panel, and shared folders. The settings in these nodes control a user's Start menu, taskbar, desktop, Control Panel, and shared folders.

Because there are so many settings in the Administrative Templates node, a feature that filters the view of administrative templates has been developed in Windows Server 2003 in an effort to reduce screen clutter. You might want to filter your view of administrative templates and free Cisco exam papers free Cisco exam papers if you are inconvenienced by seeing too many administrative template settings at once in the Group Policy Object Editor. Administrative templates view filtering simply selects the settings that are visible in the editor.