(Version 0.2 - Released 22/02/2005 - Change Log on FirefoxADM's Project site)

What Is FirefoxADM?

In an Enterprise environment running Active Directory, Internet Explorer is preferred because of the ability to centrally manage, lock and set defaults for a large number of settings. Unfortunately, there is no similar set up for Firefox. Until now...

What Does FirefoxADM Allow Administrators To Do?

- Lock settings such as homepage, proxy and many others in Firefox

- Set defaults on many settings within Firefox

- Create a profile on user first usage

- And feature list ever growing (already on way to same feature-completeness as IE's Group Policy setting features)

ALL FROM GROUP POLICY AS YOU WOULD WITH INTERNET EXPLORER

How Does FirefoxADM Work?

FirefoxADM provides the usual Group Policy interface that all Active Directory administrators are used to and have probably even used to control IE with. For the settings in Firefox, FirefoxADM works the same way.

Supplied with FirefoxADM is a Startup Script and associated Computer Configuration Administrative Template. Once added, these make available a number of settings in the Administrative Template. Activating the settings will LOCK settings and disallow normal, non-priviledged users from changing them.

Also supplied with FirefoxADM is a Login Script and associated User Configuration Administrative Template. This makes available a number of settings which, once activated, will set DEFAULT (but not lock) settings.

You can use both (if, for example, you wish to lock homepage but only set a default downloading location) or either FirefoxADM Startup or FirefoxADM Login, dependant on the scenario you are trying to achieve.

How To Deploy:

In the GPO or OU level that Firefox is being deployed:

Create a GPO for Mozilla Firefox:

Add MSI (not supplied!): (if deploying by other method, ignore this step)

Add the supplied FirefoxADM Administrative Templates and set the settings you require in Computer Configuration (these are locked, unable to be changed by user settings):

And in User Configuration, any default (but not locked) settings:

Finally, add the necessary FirefoxADM Startup and FirefoxADM Login scripts (do not set Login script to be run at Startup or vice versa):

On next restart, the machines in the Management Scope of this Group Policy will get Firefox and the Firefox settings defined within the Group Policy.

Customising Settings Further

If you want to further customise the settings for Firefox at a lower OU to the one that deploys Firefox (eg. in above example, changing settings in Domestic or International OUs), you only need to add the Administrative Templates. The MSI, Startup and Login scripts are not required. If you are using a central storage of Administrative Templates, these will be added automatically.

Upgrading FirefoxADM To Later Versions

As all scripts and Administrative Templates should be stored on network locations, to upgrade FirefoxADM to a later version, just remove and replace the scripts and Administrative Templates in the Group Policies and upgrade should happen on next GPO refresh or reboot