Why is RIS a part of GPO?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Greg Lloyd
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Greg Lloyd

Hello all, I'm newly learning Group Policy for my MSCE, and I'm coming
across something I really don't understand:

If Group Policy has to do with user and computer behavior/allowances,
then what does that have to do with installations?

I am completely confused as to why someone would use GPO to push an
application. Shouldn't that be a function of a set of tools used for
nothing but desktop deployment?

It's like an insurance agent selling ice cream - why would he? Sure,
he COULD sell ice cream, but is it logical that you go to him after
dinner for a tasty treat? Or is it just that, GPO can push
applications whether it makes sense or not, so why not use it?

Any help on clarifying the REASON that GPO is used to push
applications sure would help me further understand GPOs purpose in a
domain.

Thanks,

Greg Lloyd
(e-mail address removed)
 
Greg said:
Hello all, I'm newly learning Group Policy for my MSCE, and I'm coming
across something I really don't understand:

If Group Policy has to do with user and computer behavior/allowances,
then what does that have to do with installations?
Click to expand...

Because packages are sometimes assigned to users or sometimes to computers.
 
Group Policy is exactly that - a means of enforcing a set of "policies". I
can have a policy that users shouldn't have screensavers. I can also have a
policy that users should have Microsoft Word. GPOs allow both of the above
to happen.

Saying "well, that's a behavior" and "that's an allowance" and "that's a
software - it don't belong here" has more to do with semantics than useful
administrative distinctions. As a sysadmin you know what you want your
workstations to look like, based on how users will interact with your setup.
GPOs simply provide a very nice set of tools to enforce a common state
("state" == set of policies) across many machines.
 
Robert Moir said:
Because packages are sometimes assigned to users or sometimes to computers.
Click to expand...

I can appreciate this, but it still does not justify the use of GPOs
to deliver applications. My thought is that the aim of GPOs is to set
user and computer configurations and policies. Why using GPOs for
application delivery? Did AD replace SMS so GPOs were grandfathered
into the application delivery concept?

My only justification is:

GPOs deal with the setup of a computer to some degree and its change
per the admins wishes, so delivering applications and controlling how
they change the computer would fall in line of the purpose of GPOs.

Is this true, or can someone help me further understand why GPOs are
used to deliver applications?

Thanks again,

Greg
 
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