Hello all. been a while since I've worked with Windows servers. Primarily using only RHEL these days. I have a requirement to create a more secure password policy for my Windows Server 2003 Ent systems (not in AD, these are stand-alone systems). I know where the settings are in the Local Security Settings, but there are not enough options there to meet the requirements I have been given. How do I create new policies? Such as, I need to ensure passwords being changed have a specified number of new characters, must have at least 1 upper, lower, number and special, and cannot have more than 3 characters in a row from any given character set (no 1234, or abcd). How can I add requirements like this to a local policy? I'm drawing a blank, and my GoogleFu has been failing me. Thanks in advance!

Hi! take a look at this article it contains the detailed explanation about the password policy along with examples. http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc875814.aspx