An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for managing policies on a computer having a foreign operating system. Policies may specify hardware or software configuration information. Policies on a first computer with a native operating system are translated into configuration information usable on a second computer having a foreign operating system. In an embodiment, a translator manager manages the association between the policy on the first computer and the translator on the second computer. Computer management complexity and information technology management costs are reduced by centralizing computer management on the native operating system. Further reductions in management complexity are realized when the present invention is used in conjunction with network directory services.