Scale out your Remote Desktop Services deployment by adding an RD Session Host farm

Applies to: Windows Server 2022, Windows Server 2019, Windows Server 2016

You can improve the availability and scale of your RDS deployment by adding a Remote Desktop Session Host (RDSH) farm.

Use the following steps to add another RD Session Host to your deployment:

  1. Create a server to host the second RD Session Host. If you are using Azure virtual machines, make sure to include the new VM in the same availability set that holds your first RD Session Host.

  2. Enable remote management on the new server or virtual machine:

    1. In Server Manager, click Local Server > Remote management current setting (disabled).
    2. Select Enable remote management for this server, and then click OK.
    3. Optional: You can temporarily set Windows Update to not automatically download and install updates. This helps prevent changes and system restarts while you deploy the RDSH server. In Server Manager, click Local Server > Windows Update current setting. Click Advanced options > Defer upgrades.
  3. Add the server or VM to the domain:

    1. In Server Manager, click Local Server > Workgroup current setting.
    2. Click Change > Domain, and then enter the domain name (for example, Contoso.com).
    3. Enter the domain administrator credentials.
    4. Restart the server or VM.
  4. Add the new RD Session Host to the farm:

    Note

    Step 1, creating a public IP address for the RDMS virtual machine, is only necessary if you are using a VM for the RDMS and if it does not already have an IP address assigned.

    1. Create a public IP address for the virtual machine running Remote Desktop Management Services (RDMS). The RDMS virtual machine will typically be the virtual machine running the first instance of the RD Connection Broker role.
      1. In the Azure portal, click Browse > Resource groups, click the resource group for the deployment and then click the RDMS virtual machine (for example, Contoso-Cb1).
      2. Click Settings > Network interfaces, and then click the corresponding network interface.
      3. Click Settings > IP address.
      4. For Public IP address, select Enabled, and then click IP address.
      5. If you have an existing public IP address you want to use, select it from the list. Otherwise, click Create new, enter a name, and then click OK and then Save.
    2. Sign into the RDMS.
    3. Add the new RDSH server to Server Manager:
      1. Launch Server Manager, click Manage > Add Servers.
      2. In the Add Servers dialog, click Find Now.
      3. Select the server you want to use for the RD Session Host or the newly created virtual machine (for example, Contoso-Sh2) and click OK.
    4. Add the RDSH server to the deployment
      1. Launch Server Manager.
      2. Click Remote Desktop Services > Overview > Deployment Servers > Tasks > Add RD Session Host Servers.
      3. Select the new server (for example, Contoso-Sh2), and then click Next.
      4. On the Confirmation page, select Restart remote computers as needed, and then click Add.
    5. Add RDSH server to the collection farm:
      1. Launch Server Manager.
      2. Click Remote Desktop Services and then click the collection to which you want to add the newly created RDSH server (for example, ContosoDesktop).
      3. Under Host Servers, click Tasks > Add RD Session Host Servers.
      4. Select the newly created server (for example, Contoso-Sh2), and then click Next.
      5. On the Confirmation page, click Add.