System and method for implementing group policy

Abstract

A method and system for implementing policy by accumulating policies for a policy recipient from policy objects associated with a hierarchically organized structure of containers, such as directory containers (sites, domains and organizational units) that includes the policy recipient. Based on administrator input, policy settings for the policy recipient may be accumulated into a specific order by inheriting policy from higher containers, which may enforce their policy settings over those of lower containers. Policy that is not enforced may be blocked at a container. The result is an accumulated set of group policy objects that are ordered by relative strength to resolve any policy conflicts. Policy may be applied to a policy recipient by calling extensions, such as an extension that layers the policy settings into the registry or an extension that uses policy information from the objects according to the ordering thereof. Linking of group policy objects to one or more containers (e.g., sites, domains and organizational units) is provided, as is exception management. The effects of group policy may be filtered based on users' or computers' membership in security groups.

1 . A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing a method, comprising: 
 placing policy settings into a plurality of group policy objects, each policy object associated with at least one directory container;    accumulating the policy settings of the plurality of group policy objects into an accumulated policy for a policy recipient; and    associating the accumulated policy with the policy recipient.    
   
   
       2 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 1  wherein accumulating the policy settings comprises, determining the accumulated policy for the policy recipient.  
   
   
       3 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 2  wherein the policy recipient is logically below a hierarchy of directory containers, and wherein determining the policy settings of the plurality of group policy objects comprises, inheriting at least some of the settings from a policy object associated with a directory container hierarchically above another directory container.  
   
   
       4 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 3  wherein the directory container hierarchically above the other directory container corresponds to a site.  
   
   
       5 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 3  wherein the directory container hierarchically above the other directory container corresponds to a domain.  
   
   
       6 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 3  wherein the directory container hierarchically above the other directory container corresponds to an organizational unit.  
   
   
       7 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 3  wherein the directory container hierarchically above the other directory container corresponds to an enterprise having a plurality of domains thereunder.  
   
   
       8 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 1  wherein accumulating the policy settings of the plurality of group policy objects comprises, blocking least some of the settings from a policy object associated with a directory container hierarchically above another directory container  
   
   
       9 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 1  wherein each of the policy objects is associated with a directory container organized in a hierarchy of directory containers, and wherein accumulating the policy settings of the plurality of group policy objects comprises, inheriting the settings from at least one policy object associated with a directory container hierarchically above the policy recipient, and blocking the inheritance of settings from at least one other policy object associated with a directory container hierarchically above the policy recipient.  
   
   
       10 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 1  wherein accumulating the policy settings of the plurality of group policy objects comprises ordering the group policy objects.  
   
   
       11 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 10  having further computer-executable instructions comprising, applying the accumulated policy to the policy recipient.  
   
   
       12 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 1  having further computer-executable instructions comprising, associating a plurality of directory containers with a common group policy object.  
   
   
       13 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 1  having further computer-executable instructions comprising, associating a directory container with a plurality of group policy objects.  
   
   
       14 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 1  wherein each of the policy objects is associated with a directory container organized in a hierarchy of directory containers, and having further computer-executable instructions comprising, separating the policy settings of a directory container hierarchically above the policy recipient into enforced and non-enforced settings, and wherein the step of accumulating the policy settings of the plurality of group policy objects comprises, inheriting the enforced settings, and blocking the inheritance of the non-enforced settings.  
   
   
       15 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 1  wherein accumulating the policy settings includes receiving administrator input.