Windows Group Policy Configuration Survey 2017

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* 1. How would you classify your usage of Group Policy?

Minimal: Do the bare minimum with Group Policy.

Average: Leverage some features but not a power user.

Heavy/Power User: Heavily dependent upon Group Policy. Consider myself an power user.

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* 2. If you don't use Group Policy heavily, what do you use to configure Windows desktops and servers?

System Center Configuration Manager

Intune

Custom Scripts

Not Applicable

Other (please specify)

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* 3. What areas within Group Policy do you leverage most heavily? (Pick all that apply)

General Lockdown (Admin Templates)

Security Hardening

IE Configuration and Control

Folder Redirection

Startup/Logon Scripts

Software Deployment

Drive and Printer Mappings

General Registry tweaks

Power Management

Other (please specify)

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* 4. For which platform (Server or Desktop) do you use Group Policy most heavily?

Workstation/Desktop

Server

Both

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* 5. Do you use Group Policy primarily for Domain-joined Systems?

Yes, almost exclusively

We use it for both domain-joined and workgroup-based systems

No, we mostly use it for workgroup-based systems

Other (please specify)

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* 6. Do you use any 3rd party Group Policy extensions to add additional GP functionality, including products that extend Group Policy to non-Windows platforms?

Yes

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* 7. If you answered YES on the previous question, can you share which ones you use today?

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* 8. Are you happy with Group Policy as Microsoft delivers it today?

Yes

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* 9. If you answered NO in the previous question, please share some of the reasons why you are not happy with Group Policy. What are your biggest "peeves" with Group Policy today?

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* 10. Do you see your usage of Group Policy increasing or decreasing over time?

Increasing

Decreasing

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* 11. As Microsoft moves to the cloud, are you considering moving away from Group Policy to more cloud-based, mobile friendly solutions?

No, I have no plans to move away from Group Policy for the forseeable futrue

We are looking at other options as we move to the cloud and de-emphasize on-prem AD, but no current plans to change

Yes, the writing is on the wall for on-prem AD and Group Policy--we are actively evaluating other options for configuration management of Windows systems

Other (please specify)

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* 12. Are you evaluating Microsoft's PowerShell-based Desired State Configuration (DSC) technology?

I haven't looked at DSC at all

Just kicking the tires, no planned usage yet

We expect some DSC usage but will continue with Group Policy for most Windows configuration tasks

Expect to roll out DSC heavily and will gradually phase out Group Policy over time

We use something other than DSC or Group Policy for Windows Configuration Management

Other (please specify)

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* 13. If you could wave a magic wand and add new features to Group Policy, what would your top asks be of Microsoft? What would you love to see in Group Policy?

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* 14. Assuming you've used Desired State Configuration, what new features would you like to see added to DSC? What is missing that you would like to see in this technology?

More DSC resources supported by Microsoft

Better support for getting Group Policy Settings into DSC

Better DSC reporting

Make it easier to author DSC configurations

Provide support for client (desktop) systems and per-user configuration

Other (please specify)

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* 15. If a new version of Group Policy came out that worked well for both the cloud and on-prem, would you move to it?

Yes, right away

It depends upon whether it's free or not

No, we've already moved to something else

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* 16. Finally, which of these statements do you agree with the most, about the future of Group Policy in your organization

Group Policy continues to be very critical to my organization, and that won't change any time soon

We still rely heavily on Group Policy but our investments will decrease over time

Technologies like DSC & Intune are moving past Group Policy, we are looking at alternative ways to manage Windows configuration

Group Policy is largely irrelevant now. Trends such as the cloud and BYOD have rendered it mostly useless to us

Other (please specify)

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* 17. If you would like, you can provide some contact information for demographic purposes. This is not required

Name:

Company:

Address 1:

Address 2:

City/Town:

State/Province:

ZIP/Postal Code:

Country:

Email Address:

Phone Number: