The installation process configures most settings on the GPA Server and prepares it for initial use. However, you might need to change these settings after installation.
You associate the GPA Server with a GP Repository during installation. You may need to change the GP Repository association you created during the GPA Server installation. For example, if you have more than one GP Repository, you may want to associate the GPA Server with a different GP Repository.
To associate the GPA Server with a different GP Repository:
Log on to the computer where you installed the GPA Server with an account that has domain administrator permissions.
Start the GPA Server Configuration utility in the Group Policy Administrator program folder.
Under GPA Repository, select the Microsoft SQL Server where the new GP Repository is installed in the SQL Database list.
Ensure the GP Repository name in the Database name field is correct, and then click OK.
You configure the GPA Server to use a GPA Security account during installation. You may need to change the GPA Security account or update the account password.
To change the GPA Security account, configure the new account information on the GP Repository and the GPA Server. Configure the GPA Security account on the GP Repository before you configure the GPA Server. For more information about configuring the GPA Security account on the GP Repository, see Section 3.2.3, Changing the GPA Security Account and Repository Authorization Code.
To change the GPA Security account or update the account password:
Log on to the computer where you installed the GPA Server with an account that has domain administrator permissions.
Start the GPA Server Configuration utility in the Group Policy Administrator program folder.
Under GPA Security Account, click Change.
If you want to change the GPA Security account, perform the following steps:
Type or browse to the new user account in the User field.
Type the new password for the user account in the Password field, and then click OK.
If you want to change the password for the GPA Security account, type the new password for the user account in the Password field, and then click OK.
IMPORTANT:You can execute the GPAServerConfig command to change the GPA Security account or update the account password.
You can change either the Repository Authorization Code or the GPA Security account, using the NqGPARepConfig command line tool.
If you change the Repository Authorization Code, you must also update every GPA Console configuration to incorporate the same change. For more information about changing the authorization code on a GPA Console, see Section 3.3, Configuring the GPA Console.
If you change the GPA Security account, you must also make the same change on the GPA Server. For more information about changing the GPA Security account on the GPA Server, see Section 3.2, Configuring the GPA Server.
Event logging records detailed information about the changes made to the Repository Authorization Code. The event log includes what changes have been made, who made them, and when they were made. For more information see, Section 3.2.5, Configuring GPA Event Logging or Section 3.2.6, Viewing GPA Event Logs.
To change the Repository Authorization Code or GPA Security account using the NqGPARepConfig tool:
Log on to the computer where you installed the GP Repository with an account that has domain administrator permissions and database administrator permissions for Microsoft SQL Server.
Open a command prompt window.
Navigate to the C:\Program Files (x86)\NetIQ\Group Policy Administrator\Tools folder.
Use the NqGPARepConfig tool to change the Repository Authorization Code or GPA Security account. For more information about using the tool, see Section A.7.2, Change Repository Authorization Code or GPA Security Account, or the command-line Help, which is available by typing NqGPARepConfig /? at the command prompt.
GPA can notify you using email when a GPA user makes changes to GPOs. You can use these email notifications to support your GPO workflow. GPA can notify single users as well as distribution groups.
To configure GPA to send email notifications:
Log on to the computer where you installed the GPA Server with an account that has domain administrator permissions.
Start the GPA Server Configuration utility in the Group Policy Administrator program folder.
Under Notifications, select Enable Notifications.
In the SMTP Server field, type the name of the SMTP server that will send email notifications.
In the Mail From field, type the sender's email address. You must use a valid SMTP email address format, but the address you specify does not need to be a working email account.
In the Notifications section, click Test.
In the Target SMTP Address field, type the email address where you want to send the test email, and then click Test.
Click OK.
Confirm receipt of the test email message.
In the left pane, expand GP Repository, and select the Microsoft SQL Server.
On the Action menu, click Configure Notification.
Click Add.
Click Manage.
In the Recipient Name field, type the name of the person who will receive email notifications.
In the Recipient Email field, type the email address for the person who will receive notifications.
Click Add.
Click Close.
In the Recipients list, select the name of the person who will receive notifications.
In the Objects Tree, select the domain, category, or GPO for which you want to send notifications.
In the Operations list, select the operations for which you want to send notifications, and then click OK.
GPA displays a summary of configured notifications. Ensure the correct name appears in the Notification Recipient column for each operation, and then click Close.
You can configure GPA to record information about changes made to GPOs in the GP Repository, on the GPA server, or from the GPA Repository Configuration tool (NqGPARepConfig.exe). GPA records information for the following GPO events in event logs, which you can view later:
Event ID |
Event Type |
Task Category |
Source |
Action |
---|---|---|---|---|
22101 |
GPA Server Service |
GPA Server |
GPA Server |
Start GPA Server Service Stop GPA Server Service |
22201 |
GPA Indexing process |
GPA Indexes |
GPA Indexes |
Start Indexing Stop Indexing |
22301 |
GPO Operation |
Repository GPO Approval |
GP Repository |
Approve GPO |
22302 |
GPO Operation |
Repository GPO Approval |
GP Repository |
Unapprove GPO |
22303 |
GPO Operation |
Repository GPO Approval |
GP Repository |
Send for Approval |
22304 |
GPO Operation |
Repository GPO Approval |
GP Repository |
Reject GPO |
22401 |
GPO Operation |
Repository GPO Change Management |
GP Repository |
Create GPO |
22402 |
GPO Operation |
Repository GPO Change Management |
GP Repository |
Check Out GPO |
22403 |
GPO Operation |
Repository GPO Change Management |
GP Repository |
Check In GPO |
22404 |
GPO Operation |
Repository GPO Change Management |
GP Repository |
Undo Check Out GPO |
22405 |
GPO Operation |
Repository GPO Change Management |
GP Repository |
Rollback GPO |
22406 |
GPO Operation |
Repository GPO Change Management |
GP Repository |
Delete GPO |
22407 |
GPO Operation |
Repository GPO Change Management |
GP Repository |
Rename GPO |
22408 |
GPO Operation |
Repository GPO Change Management |
GP Repository |
Link Order of GPO Changes |
22409 |
GPO Operation |
Repository GPO Change Management |
GP Repository |
Block Inheritance Changes |
22501 |
GPO Operation |
Repository GPO Synchronization |
GP Repository |
Import GPO |
22502 |
GPO Operation |
Repository GPO Synchronization |
GP Repository |
Export GPO |
22503 |
GPO Operation |
Repository GPO Synchronization |
GP Repository |
Migrate GPO |
22504 |
GPO Operation |
Repository GPO Synchronization |
GP Repository |
Copy GPO link |
22601 |
GPO Operation |
Repository GPO Delegation |
GP Repository |
GPO Masked or Locked |
22701 |
GPA Repository Configuration Tool |
GPA Repository Configuration Tool |
GPA Repository Configuration Tool |
Add Security Account Change Repository Authorization Code Disconnect GPA Server and GP Repository Database Associations |
GPA records specific GPO event details in a Windows application event log, which you can view from the Microsoft Windows Event Viewer application. Use the Event Viewer to see log details, such as the GPO name, version, category, and domain. In addition, the event log contains details, such as the type of change, time made, comments made, the location of the GPA Console and GP Repository where changes occurred, and the user account making the change.
To configure GPA event logging:
Log on to the computer where you installed the GPA Server with an account that has domain administrator permissions.
Start the GPA Server Configuration utility in the Group Policy Administrator program folder.
Under Centralized Event Logging, select Enable Event Logging, and then click OK.
For more information on event logging, see “Section 3.2.6, Viewing GPA Event Logs.”
The Microsoft Windows operating system records important system occurrences in event log files. Through GPA, you can configure and view logs for GPO-specific events occurring in the GP Repository, on the GPA Server, or using the GPA Repository Configuration tool ( NqGPARepConfig.exe). For more information, see “Section 3.2.5, Configuring GPA Event Logging.”
To view GPA event log information:
Start the Microsoft Windows Event Viewer application in the Administrative Tools program folder.
View the Application log in the Microsoft Windows Event Viewer.
Use filters in Event Viewer to more quickly find and view GPA event logs. For example, set a filter to view only GPA specific events occurring in the GP Repository.
Use the arrow keys in the Event Viewer to scroll through all the stored GPO event logs.