Group Policy Fundamentals, Security, and Troubleshooting

I might have skipped an edition in the middle somewhere, but I'm a gigantic fan of Jeremy's writing style and his knowledge is unquestionable. He presents the material in a clear way, and it's easy to jump around the book looking for an answer to a specific problem.

Just transitioned to a W2K8 network and was looking for documentation on creating the Central Store for ADMX/ADML files. Microsoft Press' W2K8 Group Policy Resource Kit doesn't mention it (at least not clearly enough to find it), but lo and behold, I turn to GP Fundamentals, Security, and Troubleshooting (including W2K8 and Vista) and BAM! there it is clear as day. Also saved my noggin from another concussion against the wall looking for a way to use the Comments area of a GPO under the Details tab. Informative, clearly written, real world relevant, and all-encompassing, this book should be a requirement for any Group Policy administrator, whether an IT veteran or fresh off the showroom floor admin.

I also have his older one. They are both very informative. Most tech books are painful to read, his are actually interesting and believe it or not entertaining. He puts his personality into his writing, and it helps make what could be a very dry boring subject enjoyable. I used his last version as my intro into Group Policy, and it gave me everything I needed to get started creating and implementing new policies. His new edition includes the new Preference settings. If you are new to Group Policy and want just one book to get started, this is the one.

I got this book at this year's Windows Connection after hearing Jeremy's Group Policy session and it hasn't disappointed. This is a must read. It starts with the basics and then moves onto the meat and bones of how GP works, deploying, how to manage & troubleshoot.