3.2 Configuring the GPA Server

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.

3.2.1 Associating the GPA Server with a Different GP Repository

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:

  1. Log on to the computer where you installed the GPA Server with an account that has domain administrator permissions.

  2. Start the GPA Server Configuration utility in the Group Policy Administrator program folder.

  3. Under GPA Repository, select the Microsoft SQL Server where the new GP Repository is installed in the SQL Database list.

  4. Ensure the GP Repository name in the Database name field is correct, and then click OK.

3.2.2 Changing or Updating the GPA Security Account

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:

  1. Log on to the computer where you installed the GPA Server with an account that has domain administrator permissions.

  2. Start the GPA Server Configuration utility in the Group Policy Administrator program folder.

  3. Under GPA Security Account, click Change.

  4. If you want to change the GPA Security account, perform the following steps:

    1. Type or browse to the new user account in the User field.

    2. Type the new password for the user account in the Password field, and then click OK.

  5. 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.

3.2.3 Changing the GPA Security Account and Repository Authorization Code

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:

  1. 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.

  2. Open a command prompt window.

  3. Navigate to the C:\Program Files (x86)\NetIQ\Group Policy Administrator\Tools folder.

  4. 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.

3.2.4 Setting Up GPO Change Email Notifications

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:

  1. Log on to the computer where you installed the GPA Server with an account that has domain administrator permissions.

  2. Start the GPA Server Configuration utility in the Group Policy Administrator program folder.

  3. Under Notifications, select Enable Notifications.

  4. In the SMTP Server field, type the name of the SMTP server that will send email notifications.

  5. 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.

  6. In the Notifications section, click Test.

  7. In the Target SMTP Address field, type the email address where you want to send the test email, and then click Test.

  8. Click OK.

  9. Confirm receipt of the test email message.

  10. In the left pane, expand GP Repository, and select the Microsoft SQL Server.

  11. On the Action menu, click Configure Notification.

  12. Click Add.

  13. Click Manage.

  14. In the Recipient Name field, type the name of the person who will receive email notifications.

  15. In the Recipient Email field, type the email address for the person who will receive notifications.

  16. Click Add.

  17. Click Close.

  18. In the Recipients list, select the name of the person who will receive notifications.

  19. In the Objects Tree, select the domain, category, or GPO for which you want to send notifications.

  20. In the Operations list, select the operations for which you want to send notifications, and then click OK.

  21. GPA displays a summary of configured notifications. Ensure the correct name appears in the Notification Recipient column for each operation, and then click Close.

3.2.5 Configuring GPA Event Logging

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:

  1. Log on to the computer where you installed the GPA Server with an account that has domain administrator permissions.

  2. Start the GPA Server Configuration utility in the Group Policy Administrator program folder.

  3. 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.”

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:

  1. Start the Microsoft Windows Event Viewer application in the Administrative Tools program folder.

  2. View the Application log in the Microsoft Windows Event Viewer.

  3. 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.

  4. Use the arrow keys in the Event Viewer to scroll through all the stored GPO event logs.