Which entities are affected by GPOs?

Group Policy Objects (GPOs) are specifically designed to manage user and computer settings within an Active Directory environment on Windows networks. They allow administrators to enforce different configurations, security settings, software installations, and user environment policies centrally.

By targeting User environments, GPOs can dictate aspects like desktop backgrounds, software accessibility, and security settings, ensuring a consistent experience across different users and devices. This makes User environments the primary area impacted by GPOs, enabling administrators to efficiently manage both security and functionality within the organization.

The other entities mentioned, such as database servers, network switches, and file storage systems, typically do not receive direct configurations or policies from GPOs, as they operate under different management and configuration frameworks. Their settings are usually managed separately, using various administrative tools and protocols suited to their specific functionalities.