Remote
Desktop Services is a versatile product that can be implemented to meet
many different business needs. In some cases, it is implemented to give
administrators the ability to remotely administer a server, group of
servers, or applications. Remote Desktop Services can also be used to
allow users access to applications and network resources through a
terminal session. Or, Remote Desktop Services can be implemented by an
application service provider (ASP) to create managed application
services, eliminating the need for its customers to buy server hardware,
software, and support.
Regardless of the reason why Remote Desktop Services is implemented, there are several benefits to implementing it:
Centralized deployment of applications—
By deploying applications using Remote Desktop Services, those
applications reside only on Remote Desktop Services and can be centrally
managed. In addition, deploying applications in this manner allows them
to be rapidly deployed and updated.
Remote access to applications—
Remote Desktop Services allows users to access applications within a
local network and remotely. Connections can even be made to applications
in bandwidth-constrained connections, such as dial-up or shared wide
area network (WAN) links, and over Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure
(HTTPS).
Windows Anywhere—
Remote Desktop Services allows users to access feature-rich Windows
applications from many different devices. These devices can include
underpowered hardware, non-Windows desktops, thin clients (terminals),
and even mobile devices.
Virtual desktops— Using
Remote Desktop Services in conjunction with Remote Desktop
Virtualization, users can be allocated their own personal virtual
desktop or given access to a virtual desktop instance within a virtual
desktop pool.
Note
Windows XP Professional,
Windows XP Media Center and Tablet PC Editions, Windows Vista Ultimate,
Enterprise, and Business Editions, and Windows 7 Ultimate, Business, and
Professional include a scaled-down version of Remote Desktop Services
that can be enabled and used for remote administration or remote
workstation access.
Remote Desktop for Administration
As a remote
administration tool, Remote Desktop Services gives an administrator the
option of performing server administration from a server console or from
any other server or workstation using the Remote Desktop Connection
client (previously known as the Terminal Services Client). Remote
Desktop is installed by default, but is not automatically enabled. Using
Remote Desktop can simplify server administration for an IT department
by allowing personnel to do their jobs from almost any console on the
network. This can improve IT response times to complete trouble tickets
concerning access to network resources or user account management.
Server maintenance tasks such as reviewing logs or gathering server
performance data can be accomplished through the client.
Applications and updates
can be installed through a Remote Desktop session, but should be done
only when the installation does not involve a Windows component
installation or when users are running Remote Desktop server sessions.
Installing applications from the local server console is recommended,
but if an application must be installed remotely, some changes with
Session 0 introduced in Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 make doing
so easier.
Note
With the release of the Terminal Services Client 6.0, the client was renamed Remote Desktop Connection.
Remote Desktop for Users
There are many benefits of
making Remote Desktop available to users. For example, company hardware
costs can be reduced, application availability and licensing management
can be simplified, and network performance can increase.
Because a Remote
Desktop session is really a remote session running on the Remote Desktop
Session Host, all Remote Desktop users run applications on a Windows
server, utilizing the processing power of the server while reducing the
load on the local workstation. This can extend the life of an
underpowered machine whose deficient resources might impede workflow
through high processor, memory, or disk utilization.
From
a desktop support perspective, a Remote Desktop Session Host can be put
in place and used as a secondary means of providing users access to
their applications if problems are encountered with the applications on
their local workstations. Although this approach might seem to be
overkill, providing a secondary means of application access can be vital
to user productivity and company revenue when support personnel might
not be readily available to fix end-user application issues.
Providing centralized
applications for users though Remote Desktop Services can also simplify
application management by reducing the number of machines on which
application upgrades, security updates, and fixes need to be installed.
Because all the applications run on the Remote Desktop Session Host,
only the server itself needs to be updated, and the entire user base
benefits from the change immediately. This way, the updates can be
performed for all Remote Desktop Session Host users at one time.
Remote Desktop for Remote User Support
Remote Desktop can be used to
provide application support for end users within a Remote Desktop
session. When users are running in a Remote Desktop session, an
administrator can configure remote control or shadowing functionality to
view or completely interact with a user’s session. This feature can be
used to train users, provide application support, or create
configuration changes, such as installing a printer or connecting to a
network file share. This capability can greatly reduce the number of
administrators needed during the regular workday because multiple users
can be assisted from one location.
Note
To comply with many
organizations’ security and privacy policies, Remote Desktop Services
provides an option for the remote control function to be completely
disabled. Alternatively, rather than completely disabling the function
for all users, Remote Desktop Services can be configured to give users
the ability to choose whether to allow an administrator to interact with
their Remote Desktop session.
Remote Desktop for Application Service Providers
Installing the Remote
Desktop Services role service allows applications and services to be
made available to users in any location. Companies that provide services
to businesses through proprietary applications can standardize and
provide their applications exclusively through Remote Desktop Services
and gain all the benefits outlined in the preceding sections. An added
bonus for these companies is that Remote Desktop Services reduces the
need to send application media out to each client, and end-user support
can be provided in a way never before possible.
Application service providers
that make several applications available to clients can use Remote
Desktop Services to service hundreds or thousands of users from
different organizations while charging a fee for application usage or
terminal session time usage.
Note
Windows
Server 2008 R2 does not provide a standard reporting mechanism to
present Remote Desktop session data. However, some valuable information
can be gathered by filtering the security event log for user logon and
logoff events, using the Remote Desktop Licensing Manager tool, as well
as teaming this information with data gathered by creating performance
logs configured to monitor Terminal Services (an item not renamed)
session counters using the Performance Monitor Microsoft Management
Console (MMC) snap-in or through information provided by Windows System
Resource Manager (WSRM), included with Windows Server 2008 R2. It is
also important to note that System Center Operations Manager 2007 and
some third-party solutions for Remote Desktop Services provide
exceptional reporting functionality.
