5.7 Managing GPO Versions

The GP Repository maintains a history of changes you make to each GPO in the GP Repository. The history is a list of every version of the GPO in the GP Repository. The GPO history includes the following information for each version:

  • GP Repository action performed on the GPO

  • User account that performed the action

  • Date and time when the action occurred

The following table displays the list of GP Repository actions and their effect on the GPO version numbers.

GP Repository Action

Effect on GPO Version Number

Create a new GPO

Creates a new GPO in the GP Repository with the version number set to 1.

Import a GPO

If the GPO does not exist in the GP Repository, GPA creates a new GPO in the GP Repository with the version number set to 1.

If the GPO already exists in the GP Repository, GPA increments the Repository GPO version number by 1.

Check out a GPO

Creates a temporary GPO with a version number incriminated by 1. For example, if you check out GPO version 4, GPA creates a temporary GPO with version number 5.

Check in a GPO

Updates the GP Repository with the contents of the temporary GPO created at check out. GPA updates the version number of the GPO in the GP Repository with the same version number as the temporary GPO.

Undo check out

Deletes the temporary GPO created during check out. The version number remains the same as it was before the check out.

Rollback

Creates a new version number, but rolls back the contents of the GPO to a previous version. For example, if the current version of a GPO in the GP Repository is 5, and you roll back the GPO to version 3, GPA creates a new GPO with version number 6 that has the same settings as version 3. The GP Repository retains all previous versions.

Migrate

Creates a new version on the target GPO after migrating as new GPO or over an existing GPO.

Send for Approval

Moves the GPO to the GPOs Pending Approval folder. Sending a GPO for approval does not change the version number.

Reject

Moves the GPO out of the GPOs Pending Approval folder. Rejecting a GPO does not change the version number.

Approve

Approves the latest version of the GPO for export and moves it to the GPOs Pending Export folder. Approving a GPO does not change the version number.

Unapprove

Removes approved status of the GPO. Unapproving a GPO does not change the version number

Export to AD

Exports latest version of the GP Repository GPO to Active Directory. Exporting does not change the GP Repository GPO version number.

If the exported GPO does not exist in Active Directory, its revision number is set to: 1 (Computer) and 1 (User).

If the GPO already exists in Active Directory, its revision numbers are incremented by 1. For example, if a live GPO has revision numbers 24 (Computer) and 42 (User), the export of a GPO from the GP Repository changes the revision numbers to 25 (Computer) and 43 (User).

Import from backup

Creates a new GPO in the GP Repository with the version number set to 1. Checks in the GPO to the GP Repository.

5.7.1 Working with GPO Versions

You can alter the version history, compare versions, and roll back GPA to a previous version, all by completing the following steps:

  1. Log on to a GPA Console computer with an account that has permissions to modify GPOs.

  2. Start the GPA Console in the Group Policy Administrator program group.

  3. In the left pane, expand GP Repository to the category level and select the GPO for which you want to change version information.

  4. On the Action menu, click View History. Complete one of the following steps, depending on what you want to do:

5.7.2 Viewing Version History

You can access version information for a GPO with the GPO History window. From this window, you can perform the following tasks:

  • View a report of the settings for every version

  • View a report of the differences between two versions

  • Roll back the GPO to a previous version

  • See the details of each GP Repository operation performed on the GPO

  • View a report of the policy settings in each version of the GPO

To view the version history of a GPO:

  1. Follow the steps for Section 5.7.1, Working with GPO Versions.

  2. To display the details of a GP Repository operation for a particular version, click the version you want, and then click Details.

  3. To display a report of the policy settings for a particular version, click the version you want, and then click Report.

5.7.3 Comparing Versions

You can generate a comparison or difference report to determine changes between any two versions of a GPO. For more information about comparison and difference reports, see Section 7.4, Comparing and Differentiating GPOs.

To generate a comparison report of two different versions of the GPO:

  1. Follow the steps for Section 5.7.1, Working with GPO Versions.

  2. Select the two GPO versions that you want to compare. To select two versions of the same GPO, click on one GPO version, press and hold the Ctrl key, then click the other GPO version.

  3. If you want to create a comparison report, click Compare.

  4. If you want to create a Difference report, click Differentiate.

5.7.4 Rolling Back to a Previous Version

GPA enables you to revert to a previous version of a GPO. Reverting to a previous version is useful if you need to restore the policy settings from an earlier version of the GPO.

To roll back a GPO to an earlier version:

  1. Follow the steps for Section 5.7.1, Working with GPO Versions.

  2. Select the GPO version to which you would like to roll back.

  3. Click Rollback, and then click Yes to confirm the operation.

  4. Click OK.