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 method for managing application configuration policies on a computer having a Unix operating system, the method comprising:
 receiving an application configuration policy on a second computer having a Unix operating system, the application configuration 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 application configuration policy from the policy standard developed for, and utilized by the Windows operating system to configuration information usable by the Unix operating system;   wherein an application configuration policy is a Windows policy file used to set configurable options of an application.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the application configuration policy controls behavior of an application for each user within a group. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the application configuration policy defines configuration of at least one application for each of a plurality of users within a group. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the application configuration policy is a group policy. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising applying the configuration information on the second computer. 
     
     
         6 . A signal bearing medium tangibly embodying a program of machine-readable instructions executable by a digital processing apparatus to perform operations to manage application configuration policies on a computer having a Linux operating system, the operations comprising:
 receiving an application configuration policy on a second computer having a Linux operating system, the application configuration 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 Linux 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 Linux operating system and translate the application configuration 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 application configuration policy is used to set configurable options of an application on the second computer such that the first computer at least partially manages application configuration on the second computer.   
     
     
         7 . The signal bearing medium of  claim 6 , wherein the application configuration policy controls behavior of an application for each user within a group. 
     
     
         8 . The signal bearing medium of  claim 6 , wherein the application configuration policy defines configuration of at least one application for each of a plurality of users within a group. 
     
     
         9 . The signal bearing medium of  claim 6 , wherein the application configuration policy is a group policy. 
     
     
         10 . The signal bearing medium of  claim 6 , wherein the operations further comprise applying the configuration information on the second computer. 
     
     
         11 . A computer system comprising:
 a first computer having a non-Windows operating system and configured to receive an application configuration policy that was 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 non-Windows operating system does not directly utilize the policy standard developed for, and utilized by, the Windows operating system; and   a translator on the second computer, the translator configured to execute under the non-Windows operating system and translate the application configuration 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 an application configuration policy is a Windows policy file used to set configurable options of an application.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the application configuration policy controls behavior of an application for each user within a group. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the application configuration policy defines configuration of at least one application for each of a plurality of users within a group. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the application configuration policy is a group policy. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the first computer is further configured to apply the configuration information on the first computer.