Remote Desktop Services

The following is a list of the installed Help content that is available for Remote Desktop Services in Windows Server® 2008 R2.

  • Remote Desktop Services Overview

    The Remote Desktop Services server role in Windows Server 2008 R2 provides technologies that enable users to access Windows®-based programs that are installed on a Remote Desktop Session Host (RD Session Host) server, or to access the full Windows desktop. With Remote Desktop Services, users can access an RD Session Host server from within a corporate network or from the Internet.

  • Remote Desktop Session Host (RD Session Host)

    An RD Session Host server is the server that hosts Windows-based programs or the full Windows desktop for Remote Desktop Connection client computers. Users can connect to an RD Session Host server to run programs, to save files, and to use network resources on that server. Users can access an RD Session Host server by using Remote Desktop Connection or by using RemoteApp and Desktop Connection.

  • Remote Desktop Session Host Configuration

    You can use Remote Desktop Session Host Configuration to configure settings for new connections, modify the settings of existing connections, and delete connections. You can configure settings on a per-connection basis, or for the server as a whole.

  • Remote Desktop Services Manager

    You can use Remote Desktop Services Manager to view information about and monitor users, sessions, and processes on RD Session Host servers. You can also perform certain administrative tasks; for example, you can disconnect or log off users from their Remote Desktop Services sessions.

  • Remote Desktop Services User Properties

    You can configure Remote Desktop Services-specific user account properties by using the Local Users and Groups snap-in or the Active Directory Users and Computers snap-in.

    The Remote Desktop Services Extension adds Remote Desktop Services-specific tabs to the Properties sheet of a user account in Local Users and Groups or Active Directory Users and Computers. The Remote Desktop Services-specific tabs are Remote Control, Remote Desktop Services Profile, Environment, and Sessions.

  • RemoteApp Manager

    Remote Desktop Services enables organizations to provide access to standard Windows programs from virtually any location, to any Windows device, from the Internet or an intranet. Remote Desktop Services in Windows Server 2008 R2 includes RemoteApp and Desktop Connection.

    RemoteApp and Desktop Connection enables you to make programs or virtual desktops that are accessed remotely through Remote Desktop Services appear as if they are running on the end user's local computer. These programs are referred to as RemoteApp programs. Instead of being presented to the user in the desktop of the RD Session Host server, the RemoteApp program is integrated with the client's desktop. The RemoteApp program runs in its own resizable window, can be dragged between multiple monitors, and has its own entry in the taskbar.

  • Remote Desktop Licensing Manager

    Remote Desktop Licensing (RD Licensing) manages the Remote Desktop Services client access licenses (RDS CALs) that are required for each device or user to connect to an RD Session Host server. You use RD Licensing to install, issue, and track the availability of RDS CALs on a Remote Desktop license server.

  • Remote Desktop Gateway Manager

    Remote Desktop Gateway (RD Gateway) is a role service that enables authorized remote users to connect to resources on an internal corporate or private network, from any Internet-connected device that can run the Remote Desktop Connection client. The network resources can be RD Session Host servers, RD Session Host running RemoteApp and Desktop Connection programs, virtual desktops, or computers with Remote Desktop enabled.

    RD Gateway uses the Remote Desktop Protocol over HTTPS to establish a secure, encrypted connection between remote users on the Internet and the internal network resources on which their productivity applications run.

  • Remote Desktop Connection Broker

    Remote Desktop Connection Broker (RD Connection Broker) is a role service in Windows Server 2008 R2 that keeps track of user sessions in a load-balanced RD Session Host farm, personal virtual desktops, or virtual desktop pools. The RD Connection Broker stores session state information that includes session IDs, their associated user names, and the name of the server where each session resides. RD Connection Broker uses this information to redirect users who have an existing session to an RD Session Host server or virtual desktop where their session exists.

    If the RD Connection Broker Load Balancing feature is enabled, RD Connection Broker also tracks the number of user sessions on each RD Session Host server in the farm, and directs new sessions to the RD Session Host server with the fewest sessions.

  • Remote Desktop Web Access (RD Web Access)

    Remote Desktop Web Access (RD Web Access) is a role service that enables you to make RemoteApp and Desktop Connection, and a link to the RD Session Host server desktop, available to users from a Web browser. Additionally, RD Web Access enables users to connect from a Web browser to the remote desktop of any server or client computer where they have access.

  • Remote Desktops

    The Remote Desktops snap-in enables you to manage Remote Desktop connections to RD Session Host servers and computers that are running a version of Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2003, Windows® 7, Windows Vista®, or Windows® XP.