what is group policy object in windows server 2012
Group Policy Group Policy, in part, controls what users can and cannot do on a computer system: for example, to enforce a password complexity policy that prevents users from choosing an overly simple password, to allow or prevent unidentified users from remote computers to connect to a network share, to block access to the Windows Task Manager or to restrict access to certain folders. A set of such configurations is called a Group Policy Object (GPO).
Control Panel (Windows) The Control Panel is a part the Microsoft Windows, in older versions, which allows users to view and manipulate basic system settings and controls via applets, such as adding hardware, adding and removing software, controlling user accounts, and changing accessibility options. Additional applets can be provided by third party software.