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3.1.5.2 Policy Description Sequences for ADMX-Based Administrative Templates

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When the ADMX Policy Description format is used, administrative templates SHOULD exist on the administrator's computer. If the administrative templates also exist on the Group Policy server, the administrative tool SHOULD ignore the local files in favor of versions of the files stored on the Group Policy server. The ADMX Policy Description files on the server MAY<9> be updated by the administrative plug-in or updated via some other method.

  1. A remote File Search from Administrative tool to Server: The search used MUST be "\\<dns domain name>\sysvol\<dns domain name>\Policies\policydefinitions\". Note that this path is not part of a GPO; it is global to the domain and is used to obtain ADMX files for administration of any GPOs in the domain.

  2. The administrative tool MUST locally create a list of paths from the results returned from the search.

  3. The File Search MUST be closed by the administrative tool.

  4. For each of the files in the list, the file MUST be read with the following sequences:

    1. A remote File Open occurs for the file with Shared Read permissions.

    2. Remote file reads occur until all the contents of the file are read or an error occurs.

    3. A File Close occurs for the file.

    4. If the namespace specified in the policyNamespaces:target element of the file has been loaded within a previous file, this file MUST be ignored. For example, in this target element "<target prefix='wuau' namespace='Microsoft.Policies.WindowsUpdate' />", the namespace "Microsoft.Policies.WindowsUpdate" MUST be unique to one ADMX file. Identical policies MAY appear in different namespaces.

    5. If a file was loaded during the Policy Description Sequences for ADM-Based Administrative Templates (section 3.1.5.1), which is listed in a supersededAdm element in this file, the ADM file MUST be ignored. For example, in this supersededAdm element "<supersededAdm fileName='wuau.adm' />". The contents of "wuau.adm" are indicated to be superseded by this file and MUST be ignored. There is no additional reconciliation between policies defined within ADM files and policies defined within ADMX files.