Manage GPOs - MCSA Windows Server 2012 R2: Installation and Configuration Study Guide - page 316

Note that you can change the order in which the scripts are run by using the Up and
Down buttons. The Show Files button opens the directory folder in which you should store
the Logon script files. To ensure that the files are replicated to all domain controllers, you
should be sure you place the files within the SYSVOL share.

Understanding the Loopback Policy

There may be times when the user settings of a Group Policy object should be applied to
a computer based on its location instead of the user object. Usually, the user Group Policy
processing dictates that the GPOs be applied in order during computer startup based on the
computers located in their organizational unit. User GPOs, on the other hand, are applied
in order during logon, regardless of the computer to which they log on.
In some situations, this processing order may not be appropriate. A good example is a
kiosk machine. You would not want applications that have been assigned or published to
a user to be installed when the user is logged on to the kiosk machine. Loopback Policy
allows two ways to retrieve the list of GPOs for any user when they are using a specific
computer in an OU.
Merge Mode The GPOs for the computer are added to the end of the GPOs for the user.
Because of this, the computer's GPOs have higher precedence than the user's GPOs.
Replace Mode In Replace mode, the user's GPOs are not used. Only the GPOs of the
Computer object are used.

Managing Network Configuration

Group policies are also useful in network configuration. Although administrators can han-
dle network settings at the protocol level using many different methods, such as Dynamic
Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP), Group Policy allows them to set which functions
and operations are available to users and computers.
Figure 6.8 shows some of the features that are available for managing Group Policy
settings. The paths to these settings are as follows:
Computer Network Options These settings are located within the Computer
Coniguration ➢ Administrative Templates ➢ Network ➢ Network Connections folder.
User Network Options These settings are located within User Configuration ➢
Administrative Templates ➢ Network.

Here are some examples of the types of settings available:

■

The ability to allow or disallow the modification of network settings.

In many environments, the improper changing of network configurations and protocol
settings is a common cause of help desk calls.

■

The ability to allow or disallow the creation of Remote Access Service (RAS) connec-
tions.