About TS Session Broker Redirection Modes

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Applies To: Windows Server 2008

TS Session Broker redirection modes

TS Session Broker can use either IP address redirection or routing token redirection to redirect a client to the terminal server where their session exists. When you configure TS Session Broker settings, you can choose the client redirection mode.

IP address redirection

By default, a terminal server uses IP address redirection, where a client queries TS Session Broker and is redirected to their existing session by using the IP address of the server where their session exists. To use this redirection method, client computers must be able to connect directly by IP address to terminal servers in the farm. If clients can connect directly to the terminal servers, it is recommended that you accept the default behavior. For example, you must use IP address redirection if you use any of the following as your load-balancing solution:

  • TS Session Broker Load Balancing, using DNS round robin

  • Network Load Balancing (NLB)

  • A hardware load balancer that does not support TS Session Broker routing tokens

TS Session Broker routing token redirection

You can configure a terminal server to use TS Session Broker routing token redirection instead of IP address redirection. However, only use this mode when your network load-balancing solution supports the use of TS Session Broker routing tokens. For more information about token redirection and supported hardware load balancers, see the Session Directory and Load Balancing Using Terminal Server white paper for Windows Server 2003 (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=18379).

If you configure a terminal server to use TS Session Broker routing tokens as the redirection method, the IP address of the terminal server is not sent to the client. Instead, the IP address is embedded in a token. When a client reconnects to the load balancer, the routing token is used to redirect the client to their existing session on the correct terminal server in the farm.

If you switch to token redirection mode, you can select only one IP address for reconnection. The address that you select must meet both of the following criteria:

  • It must be the IP address of the network adapter that is connected to the load balancer.

  • It must be the address that is configured on the load balancer as the IP address for the terminal server.

Note

Only select an IPv6 address if your load-balancing solution supports the use of IPv6.

Additional references