mapping drives with group policy on Server 2008

If you want to map drives using group policy instead of scripts, here is the process. In this example, I have made four separate oragnization units (OUs) in ADUC (active directory users and computers) representing the four offices - NY, DC, Chicago, and SF.

Then you go into group policy management. Expand to forest: domain.local -> domains -> domain.local -> Group Policy Objects. Right click on Group Policy Objects and choose NEW. Give it a name like "map DC drives" and hit OK. Right click on the new group policy object you just created and choose EDIT. Expand User Configuration -> Preferences -> Windows Settings. Right click on Drive Maps and choose New -> Mapped Drive.

Create the drive and location as specified like this.

Still in group policy management , right click on the OU you want to apply the group policy to and click "link to existing GPO." Choose the appropriate group policy.

Now, any users you have in that OU will have that group policy that maps network drives applied to them.

At the end, run "gpupdate /force" from an elevated command prompt.

adding VPN (RRAS) functionality to Server 2008 R2

If you're looking to add VPN/RRAS functionality to Windows 2008 R2, you won't find it called by either name. You need to add the role called Network Policy and Access Services (see screen show below).