Systems and methods for managing policies on a computer

Abstract

An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for managing policies on a computer having a foreign operating system. Policies may specify hardware or software configuration information. Policies on a first computer with a native operating system are translated into configuration information usable on a second computer having a foreign operating system. In an embodiment, a translator manager manages the association between the policy on the first computer and the translator on the second computer. Computer management complexity and information technology management costs are reduced by centralizing computer management on the native operating system. Further reductions in management complexity are realized when the present invention is used in conjunction with network directory services.

1 . A signal bearing medium tangibly embodying a program of machine-readable instructions executable by a digital processing apparatus to perform operations to manage group policies on a computer having a Unix operating system, the operations comprising:
 receiving a group policy on a second computer having a Unix operating system, the group policy constructed on a first computer having a Windows operating system according to a policy standard developed for and utilized by, the Windows operating system, wherein the Unix operating system does not directly utilize the policy standard developed for, and utilized by, the Windows operating system; and   executing a translator on the second computer, the translator configured to execute under the Unix operating system and translate the group policy from the policy standard developed for, and utilized by the Windows operating system to configuration information usable by the Unix operating system;   wherein a group policy is a Windows policy file used to set configurable options for a group of computer users.   
     
     
         2 . The signal bearing medium of  claim 1 , wherein the group policy is used to set configurable options associated with an application program. 
     
     
         3 . The signal bearing medium of  claim 1 , wherein the group policy facilitates management of a group of computers. 
     
     
         4 . The signal bearing medium of  claim 1 , wherein the group policy is used to set configurable options associated with an operating system. 
     
     
         5 . The signal bearing medium of  claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise applying the configuration information on the second computer. 
     
     
         6 . The signal bearing medium of  claim 1 , wherein the group policy is associated with a defined group of users and sets configurable options for the defined group of users. 
     
     
         7 . A computer system comprising:
 a first computer having a Linux operating system and configured to receive a group policy constructed on a second computer having a Windows operating system according to a policy standard developed for and utilized by, the Windows operating system, wherein the Linux operating system does not directly utilize the policy standard developed for, and utilized by, the Windows operating system; and   a translator on the first computer that is configured to execute under the Linux operating system and translate the group policy from the policy standard developed for, and utilized by the Windows operating system to configuration information usable by the Linux operating system;   wherein the group policy is used to set configurable options of the first computer such that the second computer at least partially manages configuration of the first computer.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the group policy is used to set configurable options associated with an application program. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the group policy facilitates management of a group of computers. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the group policy is used to set configurable options associated with an operating system. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the first computer is further configured to apply the configuration information on the first computer. 
     
     
         12 . A method of managing group policies on a computer having a non-Windows operating system, the method comprising:
 receiving a group policy on a second computer having a non-Windows operating system, the group policy constructed on a first computer having a Windows operating system according to a policy standard developed for and utilized by, the Windows operating system, wherein the non-Windows operating system does not directly utilize the policy standard developed for, and utilized by, the Windows operating system; and   executing a translator on the second computer, the translator configured to execute under the non-Windows operating system and translate the group policy from the policy standard developed for, and utilized by the Windows operating system to configuration information usable by the non-Windows operating system;   wherein a group policy is a Windows policy file that can be associated with an object in a Windows directory service.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the group policy sets configurable options associated with an application program. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the group policy facilitates management of a group of computers. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the group policy sets configurable options associated with an operating system. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising applying the configuration information on the second computer. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein associating a group policy with an object in a Windows directory service sets configuration options for users in a group associated with the object in accordance with the group policy.