Microsoft Server 2008 R2Remote Desktop Services
Remote Desktop Services
• 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
• http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windowsserver/ee236407
• http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd772639(WS.10).aspx
