Extend Microsoft Group Policy to UNIX, Linux and Mac

Authentication, Group Policy, Audit and Reporting

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Likewise Enterprise includes several thousand Gnome group policies for Linux user and computer settings -- policies that are based on the Gnome GConf project to define desktop and application preferences such as the default web browser. These Gnome policies, which can be applied to Linux computers running the Gnome desktop, are integrated into the Group Policy Object Editor, making them easy to manage and apply. Likewise prepackages the schemas for the GPO settings in ZIP file format for a number of common platforms, including the following:

• CentOS
• Debian
• Fedora
• Novell SLES and SLED
• Open SUSE
• Red Hat
• SUSE
• Ubuntu

In the Group Policy Object Editor, the policies appear in Likewise's Unix and Linux User Settings folder under User Configuration or under Computer Configuration.

The policies include user and computer settings for applications like the browser, help viewer, main menu, screensaver, and display. For example, a user policy can define whether the Gnome volume manager automatically mounts removable storage drives when they are inserted into a computer. Another Gnome policy can lock down Linux desktops on some platforms.

GConf

GConf is a system for storing user and computer preferences for applications that makes managing preferences easier for system administrators. On target computers with desktops running Gnome, the preferences that you set in the group policies are stored in a series of storage locations called configuration sources. The addresses of the sources are specified in a file called /etc/gconf/version/path -- for example, /etc/gconf/2/path. (The location of the sources can vary by platform.) Each configuration source has an XML backend that stores data in XML files. Likewise uses GConf version 2.

Gnome Schemas

A Gnome schema is a set of meta-information that describes a configuration setting. The meta-information includes the type of value, documentation on the setting, and the factory default for the value. On target computers running the Gnome desktop, the schema files are stored in /etc/gconf/schemas. When you define or change a Gnome-based group policy, the Likewise agent on the target Linux computer automatically pulls the change and modifies the schema accordingly.

If the schemas for your target platform are not included with Likewise, you can copy them from your Linux platform to a location that you can access from a Windows administrative desktop that runs the Likewise Management Console.

        

 

Sample Policies

Some Gnome policies can help improve compliance with Sarbanes-Oxley and the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard.

Different Linux distributions with the same Gnome desktop version may contain different Gnome-based user settings. The Gnome-based group policies that are available for Red Hat, for example, might differ from those that are available for SUSE.

The following policies are examples of Gnome display settings that can be set with Likewise.

Gnome Group Policy	Description
Display Screen Saver When a Session Is Idle	This policy displays the screen saver after a session becomes idle on target computers running a version of Linux or Unix that includes Gnome desktop 2.12 or later.
Set the Screen Saver Idle Delay	This policy specifies the minutes of inactivity before the screen saver is displayed.
Change the Screen Saver Theme Interval	This policy sets the interval when the screen saver's theme changes on target Unix or Linux computers.
Display a Keyboard in the Screen Saver	This policy displays a virtual keyboard in the screen saver. You can use this policy to help a user with limited dexterity unlock a computer. You can also use this policy for kiosk installations that have a touch screen and no keyboard.
Embed a Keyboard Command in the Screen Saver	This policy embeds a keyboard command in the screen saver. You can use the embedded keyboard command for kiosk installations that have a touch screen and no keyboard. The command that you associate with this policy implements an XEmbed plug interface and output a window XID on the standard output.
Show a Screen Saver Logout Option	This policy shows a logout option in the screen saver's unlock dialog.
Screen Saver Time till the Logout Option Is Available	This policy sets a delay before the logout option becomes available in the unlock dialog.
Run a Logout Command from the Screen Saver Dialog	This policy runs a command when a user logs out from the screen saver's dialog. For example, you could use this policy to save any unsaved files when the user logs out.
Show a Switch User Option with the Screen Saver	This policy displays an option to switch user in the screen saver's unlock dialog.

Viewing Reports on Group Policy Objects

The Likewise Gnome group policies are integrated into the Microsoft Group Policy Management Console so that you manage the policies in the console. For example, you can view a report that shows the settings for a Likewise Gnome group policy. Here's an example:

        

Learn more about Red Hat Group Policy

Learn more about Ubuntu Group Policy

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