Group Policy is a powerful feature in Windows that allows administrators to manage and configure operating systems, applications, and user settings in an Active Directory environment. One essential aspect of Group Policy management is linking Group Policy Objects (GPOs) to specific Active Directory containers such as sites, domains, and organizational units (OUs). The New-GPLink cmdlet in PowerShell is a tool that facilitates this process.

Using New-GPLink, administrators can create new links between GPOs and Active Directory containers. This cmdlet is particularly useful for automating the deployment of policies across multiple OUs or domains, ensuring consistent application of settings, and reducing manual configuration errors.

In this article, we will explore how to use the New-GPLink cmdlet to create and manage GPO links effectively. We will provide practical examples to illustrate its usage and demonstrate how it can streamline Group Policy management in a Windows environment.

Examples:

1. Creating a GPO Link to an OU: To link an existing GPO to an Organizational Unit (OU), use the following command:

   New-GPLink -Name "MyGPO" -Target "OU=Sales,DC=example,DC=com"

   This command links the GPO named "MyGPO" to the "Sales" OU in the "example.com" domain.

2. Creating a GPO Link to a Domain: To link a GPO to an entire domain, use:

   New-GPLink -Name "MyGPO" -Target "DC=example,DC=com"

   This command links the "MyGPO" GPO to the "example.com" domain, applying its settings to all objects within the domain.

3. Creating a GPO Link to a Site: To link a GPO to a specific site, use:

   New-GPLink -Name "MyGPO" -Target "CN=Default-First-Site-Name,CN=Sites,CN=Configuration,DC=example,DC=com"

   This command links the "MyGPO" GPO to the "Default-First-Site-Name" site within the "example.com" domain.

4. Setting Link Order: When multiple GPOs are linked to the same container, the order in which they are applied can be important. You can specify the link order using the -Order parameter:

   New-GPLink -Name "MyGPO" -Target "OU=Sales,DC=example,DC=com" -Order 1

   This command sets the "MyGPO" as the first GPO to be applied to the "Sales" OU.

5. Enforcing a GPO Link: To enforce a GPO link so that it cannot be overridden by other GPOs, use the -Enforced parameter:

   New-GPLink -Name "MyGPO" -Target "OU=Sales,DC=example,DC=com" -Enforced Yes

   This command enforces the "MyGPO" link on the "Sales" OU, ensuring its settings take precedence.