Creating A Security Template In Windows Server 2003

Security templates are a good way to deploy security settings on your computer. All the security settings are contained within a single file that can be imported to various computers. You can easily apply the settings to the local computer using the Security Configuration and Analysis tool or to multiple computers at once using group policy. Windows Server 2003 comes with a set of predefined templates that can be used as is or used as a starting point for creating your own custom security templates.

The steps below outline the process to follow for creating and applying a custom security template.

1. Click Start and select Run. Type mmc and click OK.
2. Within Console1, click Add/Remove Snap-in from the File menu.
3. Click Add. From the list of available snap-ins, click Security Templates. Click Add then Close.
4. The Security Templates snap-in will be listed in the Add/Remove Snap-in dialog box. Click OK.
5. Expand Security Templates under the Console Root. Click the default path listed. The existing templates will be listed in the right pane.
6. Right click one of the existing templates you want to modify and click Save As. Type in a new name for the template and click Save.
7. The template you just saved will now appear with the list of other security templates.
8. Double click the template to open the security settings. Double click any of the settings in the right pane to configure them.
9. To import the security template for a domain or organizational unit, click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and click Active Directory Users and Computers.
10. Right click a domain or OU and click Properties. Select the Group Policy tab.
11. Select a group policy object from the list and click Edit. The Group Policy Object Editor console will appear.
12. Expand Windows Settings. Select Security Settings. From the Action menu, click Import Policy.
13. Select the security template created earlier and click Open. The security settings in the template will be imported into the group policy object.

[tags]security template, server 2003, group policy, diana huggins[/tags]