Table 11-2. Group Policy Management Editor Container Structure
| Component | Description |
|---|
| Root container | Defines the focus of the Group Policy Management Editor by showing the GPO being edited plus the fully qualified domain name (FQDN) of the domain controller from which you are working. |
| Computer Configuration | Contains all computer-specific policy settings. Remember that these settings are processed first when the computer starts up and before the user logs on. |
| User Configuration | Contains all user-specific policy settings. Remember that these settings are processed after the user logs on. |
| Policies | Includes classic and new Group Policy settings for Software Settings, Windows Settings, and Administrative Templates. |
| Preferences | Include new Group Policy extensions that expand the range of configurable policy settings. Included are items such as folder options, mapped drives, printers, local users and groups, scheduled tasks, services, and Start menu settings. You can manage these items without using scripts. |
| Software Settings | A subcontainer found under both the Computer and User Configuration Policies containers that holds software installation settings for computers and users. |
| Windows Settings | A subcontainer found under both the Computer and User Configuration Policies and Preferences containers that holds script and security settings, plus other policy settings that affect the behavior of the Windows environment. |
| Administrative Templates | A subcontainer found under both the Computer and User Configuration Policies containers that holds most of the settings that control the appearance of the desktop environment. New to Windows Server 2008 is an All Settings subnode that provides a comprehensive list of all policy settings that you can sort according to name, state, comment, or path, or filter according to several criteria. |
| Control Panel Settings | A subcontainer found under both the Computer and User Configuration Preferences containers that holds most of the preferences settings related to Control Panel applets. |
