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Windows Server 2008 Terminal Services

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Terminal Services allows either individual applications or entire desktop sessions to be run on remote server systems, but displayed and interacted with on local client systems. In effect, while the applications and desktops appear to be running on the local machine they are actually running in virtual sessions on the remote server with only the display graphics and keyboard and mouse information passing between the two systems. This allows one or more Windows Server 2008 systems to provide the applications for any number of desktop systems. This has a number of advantages in terms of ensuring that all users have the same version of a particular application and also in terms of reducing administrative overheads. With terminal services, for example, if an application needs to be upgraded it only needs to be upgraded on the terminal server, not on every desktop in the enterprise.
There are a number of different Terminal Services configuration options, many of which will be covered in subsequent chapters. In this chapter, however, the configuration of the basic Terminal Services role and installing applications for use by Terminal Services userswill be covered.
== Installing Terminal Services ==
After clicking ''Next'' a warning screen will appear recommending that any applications intended to be accessed by terminal services users not be installed until the Terminal Services role has been installed. In fact, the installation of applications for Terminal Services requires some special steps which will be covered in detail later in this chapter. having Having read this information, click ''Next'' to proceed to the authentication selection screen. Selecting ''Require Network Level Authentication'' will prevent users running on older operating system systems without Network Level Authentication from accessing Terminal Services. Network Level Authentication essential essentially performs authentication before the remote session is established. If less strict authentication is acceptable or some users are running older operating systems then the ''Do not require Network level Authentication'' option will need to be selected before clicking ''Next'' to proceed.
The ''Specify Licensing Mode'' screen allows the licensing method to be defined. If ''Configure later'' is selected a 120 day grace period allows the system to be used without providing licenses. if If this option is selected the licensing must be configured using the Group Policy Editor or Terminal Services Configuration Tool within 120 days. In the case of ''Per Device'' mode, this allows a specified number of devices to connect to the service at any one time regardless of who the users are. On the other hand, ''Per user'' restricts access to specified uses, regardless of the device from which they are connecting.
Finally, the users and groups allowed to access the terminal server need to be specified, although users may be added and removed at any time by changing the members of the ''Remote Desktop Users Group''. Click on ''Add...'' to add any users. Clicking ''Next'' proceeds to the ''Confirmation'' screen. Read carefully any warnings that are displayed (typically . Typically the wizard will recommend any currently installed applications should be re-installed before remote access is provided to users (steps to achieve this are outlined below). Click ''Install'' to begin the installation process. Partway through the installation it will be necessary to restart the Windows Server 2008 system. Once rebooted, be sure to log in as the same administrative user to complete the Terminal Services configuration process.
== Adding Users to the Remote Desktop Users Group ==
Note that users with administrative privileges do not not need to be added to this list, by default they already have Remote Desktop access. To add additional users click on the ''Add...'' button to display the ''Select Users'' dialog. Enter the name of the user in the text box entitled ''Enter object names to select'' and click on ''Check names'' to list names that match the name entered. Select the appropriate name from the list. The following example shows user ''Bill'' on server ''winserver-2'':
== Accessing Terminal Services from the Client ==
With Terminal Services installed and configured on the server, the next step is to ensure the services can be accessed from a remote client. Terminal services provides both remote desktop and remote application access. Under remote desktop access an entire desktop session running on the server is displayed on the client. The user then interacts with the desktop to launch and interact with applications (details on installing applications for use with Terminal Services is covered in the chapter entitled [[Installing Applications for Windows Server 2008 Terminal Services]]. In the case of remote applications, the remote application running on the server appears in its own window on the client desktop, to all intends and purposes looking like a local application to the user. Remote applications are covered in detail in the [[Configuring RemoteApps on Windows Server 2008]].
With the appropriate configuration tasks completed on the remote system the next step is to launch the Remote Desktop Client on the local system.
* '''Programs''' - Allows specified programs to be automatically invoked each time a remote sessions is established.
* '''Experience''' - Controls which desktop features are enabled or disabled for the Remote Desktop session. For example. , over a slow dial-up connection it is unwise to have the desktop background displayed and font smoothing enabled. Either select the connection type and speed to see recommended settings, or use ''Custom'' to configure you own settings. This particular screen also provides the option to have connected automatically re-established in the event that a session is dropped.
* '''Advanced''' - Enables and disables remote server verification. This ensures that the remote server to which you are connected is indeed the server you wanted. Also available are TS Gateway settings. By default the Remote Desktop Client is configured to automatically detect TS Gateway settings.
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Once launched , right click on the ''Remote desktops'' item in the tree in the left hand panel and select ''Add a new connection'' from the menu. Once selected the ''Add New Connection'' dialog will be displayed as follows: