You want to create a Group Policy Object (GPO) that will be associated with a specific Active Directory domain. Which administrative tool should you use to create and link this domain-level GPO?

Introduction / Context:
Group Policy Objects (GPOs) are central to configuring security, software deployment, and user settings in an Active Directory environment. When you want a GPO to apply to all users and computers in a specific domain, you need to create and link it at the domain level. This question explores which administrative tool is used to create and associate a GPO with a domain, an everyday task for Windows 2000 and later domain administrators.

Given Data / Assumptions:

You are working in a Windows 2000 or later Active Directory domain environment.
You want to create a Group Policy Object that applies to the entire domain, not only to a specific server or local computer.
The target association is at the domain level, meaning the GPO should be linked to the domain node in Active Directory.
You can choose among tools such as Domain Security Policy, Domain Controller Security Policy, Active Directory Users and Computers, and Active Directory Sites and Services.
You must determine which tool is correct for managing domain-linked GPOs.

Concept / Approach:
Active Directory Users and Computers is the tool used to manage domain objects, including the domain itself and its organizational units. It also provides access to Group Policy management at the domain and OU levels. From this console, you can right-click the domain, open Properties, and configure Group Policy, which lets you create, edit, and link GPOs. Domain Security Policy and Domain Controller Security Policy consoles are specialized snap-ins that let you edit specific policies, but they are not the primary tools for creating and linking new GPOs to the domain container. Active Directory Sites and Services is used to manage replication topology and site links, not domain-level policy.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Clarify that the goal is to create and associate a GPO with a specific domain, not with a single local machine or only with domain controllers. Step 2: Recall that domain and organizational unit objects are primarily managed through Active Directory Users and Computers. Step 3: In Active Directory Users and Computers, you can right-click the domain name and select Properties, then use the Group Policy tab to create and link GPOs. Step 4: Understand that Domain Security Policy is mainly used to view and edit security settings for the domain via an existing policy link, not to perform the initial creation and linking in the typical administrative workflow. Step 5: Recognize that Active Directory Sites and Services focuses on sites, subnets, and replication, not domain-level Group Policy assignment. Step 6: Conclude that the correct tool to create and link a GPO at the domain level is Active Directory Users and Computers.

Verification / Alternative check:
From practical experience, when you want a policy to apply to all users and computers in the domain, you open Active Directory Users and Computers, choose the domain node, and configure Group Policy from there. Other tools such as the Group Policy Management Console are used in newer versions, but in the Windows 2000 era, Active Directory Users and Computers is the standard. This real-world workflow confirms that option is correct.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Domain Security Policy – A snap-in that allows you to edit security-related portions of policy but not the best answer for creating and associating new GPOs at the domain container level.

Domain Controller Security Policy – Used to manage security settings for domain controllers specifically, not for creating a general domain GPO for all users and computers.

Active Directory Sites and Services – Primarily concerned with site topology, site links, and replication configuration; it is not the usual tool for GPO creation and linking at the domain level.

Common Pitfalls:
Learners sometimes confuse the editing of security policy with the creation and linking of GPOs. The Domain Security Policy console can make it seem like it is the primary place for all domain-wide policy activities, but the underlying association between GPOs and domain objects is managed through Active Directory Users and Computers in older Windows versions. Always separate the idea of editing policy contents from the act of linking policies to Active Directory containers.

Final Answer:
To create and associate a GPO with a specific domain, you should use Active Directory Users and Computers.