Microsoft Server 2008 R2 Remote Desktop Services

Remote Desktop Session Host RemoteApps Remote Desktop Protocol Hardware Roles Users

Remote Desktop Services Who needs Remote Desktop Services (RDS)? Can be used to allow users to run Windows-based applications on a remote server from the computer Hosting server is called a Remote Desktop Session Host (RD Session Host) Users can also access a full desktop using this method. (standard method in 2003 and prior)

Remote Desktop Services What can you do with RDS? Deploy and manage applications on RDS servers rather than on hundreds of client computers Provide applications to end users who you cannot easily support because they are in remote offices File based applications Removes need for dedicated server

Remote Desktop Services  What can you do with RDS? Reduce impact of client hardware failures by keeping applications on a central server. ○ Plug new computer in and back in business Avoid configuring or mis-configuring computers Extend the lifetime of existing client hardware Use computers/thin clients in environments that are not so computer friendly Simplify helpdesk support

Remote Desktop Services  Thin client/Server based networking Application processing is done at the server, not the client. All processes/instructions are run by the server: ○ Video ○ Mouse clicks ○ Keystrokes  Mainframe born again? Not quite…but close

Remote Desktop Session Host Centralized application deployment Install application once on a RD Session host. Supporting remote users Performance isn’t impacted by poor connections Allows for more users to work from home

Remote Desktop Session Host PC unfriendly environments Install thin clients or older PCs Reduces the exposure due to theft Extend hardware refreshes PC is simply a window or interface to the RD Session host server Utilizes the power of the server and not dependent upon the processor/RAM of workstation.

Managing RDS  Remote Desktop Session Host

Hardware Server—bigger is better Calculate the resources needed for OS Calculate the resources for a small number of sessions Multiply resources by total number of sessions Add to the resources needed for the OS

Hardware Server—bigger is better Processor—faster is better, but caching is more important…choose caching over speed Memory—high speed error-correcting memory and a lot of it. A lot depends on the apps you will be running…C.A.D. v. Notepad? Disk—SCSI or SAS Network—load balancing (TEAMING) NICs

Roles  Not all are required  RD Session Host—enables server to host Windows-based programs. This service is required  RD Virtualization Host—integrated with Hyper-V to allow users to connect to a virtual machine on a server hosting Hype-V. Can allow users to connect to their own VM and allows users to run multiple OS’s.  RD Licensing—manages the client access licenses that are needed to connect to the session host. 120 day grace period w/out licenses.  RD Connection Broker—load balancing  RD Gateway—allows users to connect o host servers and remote desktops over the Internet. Requires IIS, NP and Access services, RPC over HTTP proxy and RSAT.  RD Web Access—allows users to connect through browser. Requires IIS and RSAT.

Users  You will be prompted to select a group of users for RDS  These users will be added to the Remote Desktop Users Group Required to be a member if accessing the RD Session host Administrators are added by default Two groups exist. Domain and local. Users must be added to the local group on session host.

Managing RDS  Group Policy

Managing RDS

Remote Desktop Protocol  Display protocol  How RDP works Downloads instructions and renders the video from the server to the client computer Demands are reduced by using a feature called client side caching ○ Client remembers images that have already been downloaded ○ Only changed parts or the screen are downloaded ○ Screen does have a refresh rate

RDS Protocol Configuration  Remote Desktop Session Host

RDS Protocol Configuration

RemoteApps Deploying RDS Applications Application is installed/running on RD Session Host server Appears as if it is running on the end users desktop This was not available in previous versions of Terminal Services. Introduced in Server 2008

RemoteApps Remoteapps can be accessed by the following (Quiz/Exam): Web browser—requires RD Web Access RDP file Start Menu/Icon—can be installed using a.MSI file

RemoteApp

Resources