windows-itpro-docs/mdop/agpm/using-a-test-environment.md

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title	description	author	ms.assetid	ms.reviewer	manager	ms.author	ms.pagetype	ms.mktglfcycl	ms.sitesec	ms.prod	ms.date
Using a Test Environment	Using a Test Environment	dansimp	fc5fcc7c-1ac8-483a-a6bd-2279ae2ee3fb		dansimp	dansimp	mdop	manage	library	w10	06/16/2016

Using a Test Environment

Before you request that a Group Policy Object (GPO) be deployed to the production environment, you should test the GPO in a lab environment. If you develop the GPO in a domain in a test forest, you can export the GPO to a file and import the file to a domain in the production forest. You can then test the GPO by linking it to an organizational unit (OU) that contains test computers and users.

• Export a GPO to a File

• Import a GPO from a File

• Test a GPO in a Separate Organizational Unit

Note   You can also import a GPO from the production environment of the domain. For more information, see Import a GPO from Production.