Which feature of Active Directory is crucial for applying updates and patches to all clients in a network?

Group Policy is a fundamental feature of Active Directory that enables centralized management and configuration of operating systems, applications, and user settings in a network environment. One of its key capabilities is facilitating the deployment of updates and patches across all clients connected to the Active Directory domain.

When an administrator wants to apply a specific update or patch, they can create a Group Policy Object (GPO) with appropriate settings that dictate how and when the updates should be applied to the client machines. This ensures uniformity and compliance with organizational policies, as all clients can receive the updates automatically as defined by the policy.

For instance, GPOs allow the configuration of Windows Update settings, which can specify whether devices check for updates automatically, when they should install updates, and whether users are notified prior to installation. This streamlined and efficient way to manage software updates is critical in maintaining the security and functionality of devices within a networked environment.

In contrast, delegated administration emphasizes the distribution of administrative roles among various users or groups, automated backup focuses on data recovery, and domain services refer to the foundational components that make up the Active Directory infrastructure. While these features have their own importance, they do not directly facilitate the widespread application of updates and patches like Group Policy does.