Windows Server 2008 R2 Remote Desktop Svcs Res Kit

Introduction

Welcome to the Windows Server 2008 R2 Remote Desktop Services Resource Kit! This is a detailed technical resource for planning, deploying, and running Microsoft Remote Desktop Services (RDS). Because some features of RDS are brand new, this book is valuable both for those completely new to RDS and those who have used Terminal Services (its former name) in previous versions of Microsoft Windows.

Within this resource kit, you’ll find in-depth information about the improvements in RDS introduced in Windows Server 2008 R2. This book combines underlying architectural concepts with practical hands-on instructions that allow you to set up a working RDS ecosystem, understand why it’s working, and give you some guidance about how to fix it when it’s not. You’ll also find detailed information and task-based guidance on managing all aspects of RDS, including deploying RD Session Host servers, integrating RDS role services with other key parts of the Windows Server 2008 R2 operating system, and extending the reach of RDS to outside the corporate network. Finally, the companion media includes additional tools and documentation that you can use to manage and troubleshoot RDS role services. Although we mention some third-party tools in the course of this book, this book is fundamentally about running RDS using only the tools found in the operating system. You can do what we’ve done here using only Windows Server 2008 R2. Nor do we get into extensive discussion of any of the third-party tools that many people use with native Remote Desktop Services. For example, many people with high-complexity RDS deployments use management software from Citrix or Quest or other RDS partners, but we don’t discuss it here because it’s not included with the operating system. Virtualization solutions already installed, Hyper-V can be part of any contemporary Windows Server infrastructure, based on availability and price.