PolicyPak is a true Group Policy extension, and not an agent. It is true that you do need to have our “client piece” installed on all machines you want to manage using PolicyPak.
However, the PolicyPak moving part is not an “agent.” It’s a “Client Side Extension”, just like the other 39 in-the-box Client Side Extensions that Microsoft ships with Windows’ own Group Policy functions. As such, there’s:
- Nothing to manage
- No pop-ups or notifications to users
- No central console needed to manage the agent
- No databases
- No particular domain mode to be in
- No particular forest mode to be in
- No schema updates required
However, here are some truths about our CSE you should know about:
- The PolicyPak CSE ships as an MSI. This means you can use any delivery method you want to get it out there: from baking it into the image, to hand-installing it, to using Group Policy Software Installation, to SCCM or your own software deployment tool.
- The PolicyPak CSI requires no reboot after installation, so there’s ZERO downtime to get started.
- The PolicyPak CSE is a true Group Policy extension which honors all Group Policy constructs: You use the GPMC to make and edit PolicyPak directives, and use the “in the box” Group Policy reporting tools you already know and love.
- In the same way that Microsoft’s Group Policy core engine has its own service (for some housekeeping tasks), PolicyPak’s engine also has its own service for some housekeeping tasks.
- PolicyPak does have an “in memory” footprint (on average) of about 3MB for each user signed in to the machine.
- From time to time the PolicyPak CSE does get updated for bug fixes and additional features. You can update it thru a variety of ways, but it’s just a standard MSI that requires no reboot after install, so, no downtime whenever this is needed.
