About Group Policy API
Centralized policy-based administration enables an administrator to control the following settings.
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Registry-based policy | Specify registry-based settings using the Administrative Templates node of the Group Policy Object Editor. |
| Security | Define security settings for the local computer, domain, and network. |
| Software installation | Deploy applications as either assigned (you mandate the installation) or published (you provide applications that users can choose to install). Update or remove applications. |
| Scripts | Specify scripts to run at computer startup and operating system shutdown, or when a user logs on or logs off. |
| Remote Installation Services | Control the behavior of the remote installation feature, as displayed to client computers. |
| Internet Explorer maintenance | Manage and customize Microsoft Internet Explorer for computers running on Windows. |
| Folder redirection | Redirect Shell special folders to the network. |
The administrator can apply these settings to groups of computers or users using the infrastructure provided by the Microsoft Active Directory. The administrator can manage these settings from a single central location. For more information, see Group Policy Architecture.
Application developers should adhere to system-level policy settings. In addition, they can provide policy settings that are specific to their applications. For more information, see Providing Policy for Your Applications.