Technical Service Management Report: Windows Configuration & Policies

This report delves into the realm of Technical Service Management, exploring various methods of Windows management. It begins by examining System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM), its components, and its role in patch management, client control, and device management across platforms like Android and iOS. The report then contrasts SCCM with alternative approaches, such as installing individual programs with their own update services, highlighting the potential security vulnerabilities this poses. A significant portion of the report is dedicated to Group Policies, detailing their use in configuring and managing settings within an Active Directory network. It explains how to access and utilize Group Policy in Windows 10, including tips for restricting access to Control Panel, delaying updates, disabling restarts, and preventing software installations. The report also breaks down the structure of Group Policies, differentiating between the Group Policy Template (GPT), Group Policy Container (GPC), and Client-Side Extensions (CSE). Furthermore, it describes the Local Group Policy Editor, its functionality, and its availability across different Windows versions, providing guidance on how to launch and use this tool for both user and computer configurations.

Running head: TECHNICAL SERVICE MANAGEMENT
TECHNICAL SERVICE MANAGEMENT
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Managing Windows
Windows can be managed in various ways; System Center Configuration Manager
(SCCM) is one of the ways. SCCM can be used in order to manage patches and updates,
controlling client machines and manage Android and iOS devices. SCCM consists of
components such as Reporting, Policy infrastructure, Software distribution, State system and
many more. SCCM has a licensing cost for every device (Jiang, Yan, Xiongfeng & 2016).
Another way to manage windows is to install few programs. Every program that is installed
would rely on its own update service as well as connection to internet. All the update services
correspond a particular attack vector for the network and machine. This is the reason that
only essentials should be installed.
Policing Windows 10 with Group Policies
Group policy is an easy method to configure as well as manage all type of settings in
computers. This can be done in an Active Directory network. A domain controller maintains
these settings. Individual computers cannot override the settings. Accessing group policy is
comparatively easier is windows 10. The following method can be followed for doing so,
open Start Menu, then search Edit Group Policy and launch it. Group policy would not be
available in Windows’s Home editions (Ready, & Young, 2015). Some tips can be used
while using group policy , they include restriction of access to Control Panel, Command
Prompt, delay or prevent windows update, disable force restart, disable media drivers that are
removable, prevent installation of software and turn off the windows defender.
Understanding Group Policies
Group policies usually consists of two parts namely the Group Policy Template (GPT)
and Group Policy Container (GPC). In GPT, the original content of GPO exists (Stewart,

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2016). GPC is located in Active Directory. Group policy has third component called Client-
Side Extensions (CSE). The component is found on client’s devices and it is necessary to
process the Group Policies properly. In order to see the GPC following steps should be
carried out, open Active Directory Users and Computers then select View from the menu bar
and make sure that Advanced Feature has been selected. Now the System container needs to
be expanded and then navigate the Policy container.
Local Group Policy Editor
Local Group Policy Editor is a MMC, Microsoft Management Console, which
provides one user interface (Arya, 2016). Through this interface, the user configuration and
computer configuration settings can be managed. Admins can use the computer configuration
in order to set the policies, which are practical to computers. This does to depend on who logs
on the computer. Compute configuration contains items, which are necessary for software
settings, administrative templates and window settings. Administrators can use user
configuration in order to set policies that can be applied to users. This does not depend on
which computer the user logs on to. This confirmation contains items used for software
settings, administrative templates and windows settings.
Launching the Local Group Policy Editor
Local Group Policy Editor is an advanced tool. This is the reason that it is not
available in the Window’s Home editions. It will be accessed and used in Windows 7
Professional, Windows 7 enterprise and Windows 7 Ultimate only. It can be used in
Windows 8.1 Enterprise as well as Windows 8.1 Professional Windows 10 Enterprise and
Windows 10 Pro (He et al., 2016). In windows seven Local Group Policy could be opened by

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using the search feature. First open the Start Menu, enter gpedit.msc in the search box and
then gpedit would be seen, click it.

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Reference List
Arya, K. (2016). Windows Group Policy Troubleshooting: A Best Practice Guide for
Managing Users and PCs Through Group Policy. Apress.
He, Z., Zhang, H., Gao, S., Lercher, M. J., Chen, W. H., & Hu, S. (2016). Evolview v2: an
online visualization and management tool for customized and annotated phylogenetic
trees. Nucleic acids research, 44(W1), W236-W241.
Jiang, X., Yan, J., Xiongfeng, Y. U., & Xu, M. (2016). U.S. Patent Application No.
14/382,744.
Ready, J. T., & Young, J. T. (2015). The impact of on-officer video cameras on police–
citizen contacts: Findings from a controlled experiment in Mesa, AZ. Journal of
Experimental Criminology, 11(3), 445-458.
Stewart, F. (Ed.). (2016). Horizontal inequalities and conflict: Understanding group violence
in multiethnic societies. Springer.