The Remote Desktop Connection client is the new Terminal Services client. It uses the Microsoft Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) version 5.2 or later. Clients can use the Remote Desktop Connection client to connect to a remote server or workstation that has been set up to be administered remotely.
The latest Remote Desktop Connection client has been substantially improved. The new features an administrator should be aware of when supporting RDC are the following:
Connection Manager is now fully integrated into RDC. This allows the clients to save connection settings locally and provides the capability to deploy connection profiles.
Improved interface allows high-color and full-screen viewing. A connection bar has been added to allow quick switching between a remote session and the local desktop.
Support for high encryption of the data sent between the client and the server. By default, the encryption is at the maximum key strength supported by the client. New for RDP 5.2 is the ability to use 128-bit encryption, and this level of encryption can be required on the client. If you set RDP to require high encryption, a client can make a connection only if it supports this level of encryption.
Support for automatic restoration of connections and automatic completion of processes even if the connection is lost. If a connection is interrupted or lost while an administrator is performing a task, the client will reconnect to the session and in the interim, processing continues on the server so that any running processes can be finished without interruption.
Support for client resource redirection. Resource redirection allows audio, mapped drives, ports, printers, and certain keyboard combinations to be handled by the client computer. If an application generates audio feedback, such as an error notification, this can be redirected to the client. Key combinations that perform application functions are passed to the remote server except for Ctrl+Alt+Delete, which is handled by the client computer. In addition, local devices such as drives, printers, and serial ports are also available. Because both local and network drives are available on the client, users can easily access local drives and transfer files between the client and the server.
The Remote Desktop Connection client comes installed on Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 systems and can be installed on other platforms such as Windows 2000 Server and workstations. The Remote Desktop Connection client installation software is available for the following operating systems: Microsoft Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows Millennium Edition (Windows Me), Windows NT 4, and Windows 2000.
For these operating systems, you can use these deployment options to make the Remote Desktop Connection client available to remote users:
Install from the Windows Server 2003 installation CD. On the Windows Server 2003, the client setup is in the SupportTools folder. The client setup and the install shield are included in a single executable: Msrdpcli.exe. Simply copy to the client to the target computer and double-click to run it. On the Internet, the client can be downloaded from http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/remotedesktop/.
Copy from a server system and install. On a Windows Server 2003 system, the client setup and the related installer programs are in the %SystemRoot%System32 ClientsTsclientWin32 folder. The installer package is named Msrdpcli.msi. If you start the Setup.exe program in this folder, it will check for the necessary version of the Windows Installer Package and install this as part of the client tool installation. Two installer packages are provided: Instmsia.exe and Instmsiw.exe.
Note
Windows Server 2003 uses Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) version 5.2. The Remote Desktop Connection client that was originally shipped with Windows XP uses RDP version 5.1. When you install Service Pack 1 or later, the Remote Desktop Connection client is updated so that it works with RDP version 5.2.
Other deployment options include storing the client installation software on a network share and publishing the location or using Microsoft Systems Management Server (SMS) to publish the Windows installer RDC. RDC also supports Microsoft Windows CE and can be installed on Windows CE–based handheld professional devices and Windows CE–based terminals. A Windows CE version of RDC is included in the Windows CE .NET Platform Builder and can also be installed by Windows CE hardware vendors.
As discussed previously, you now can open two remote virtual sessions and one console session on computers that run Windows Server 2003 without needing a TS CAL. Previously, Windows 2000 Terminal Services required a license for each client. The addition of the console session is a new feature that greatly enhances your capabilities as an administrator to execute successfully many programs, applications, and processes that would not run on previous versions.
There are several ways to start the Remote Desktop Connection client.
Run in console mode Console mode is used by administrators to enable full interaction with the console of the remote system. To run the client in console mode, you can do either of the following:
Type mstsc /console at the command prompt or in the Run dialog box
Run in virtual session mode Virtual session mode is used by administrators as well as users to start a virtual session on a remote system. To run the client in virtual session mode, you can do either of the following:
Type mstsc at the command prompt or in the Run dialog box
Click Start and select Programs or All Programs, Accessories, Communications, and finally Remote Desktop Connection
Once the client is started, enter the name or Internet Protocol (IP) address of the computer to which you want to connect, as shown in Figure 30-3. If you don't know the name of the computer, use the drop-down list provided to choose an available computer, or select Browse For More on the drop-down list to display a list of domains and computers in those domains.
By default, Windows uses your current user name and domain to log on to the remote computer. If you want to use different account information, click Options, and then enter values in the related User Name, Password, and Domain fields, and select the Save My Password check box to enable automatic logon if desired.
Note
Even if you select the Save My Password check box, you might be prompted to enter your password during the logon process depending on your network's policies and the configuration of the terminal server.
As shown in Figure 30-4, you can change other client settings as well when you click Options.
There are five tabs you can use to change the client settings:
General You might want to use these options to save keystrokes by adding logon information. Rather than typing in your settings each time, you can save the connection settings and load them when you want to make a connection.
To save the current connection settings, click Save As, then use the Save As dialog box to save the .rdp file for the connection.
To load previously saved connection settings, click Open, and then use the Open dialog box to find and open the previously saved connection settings.
Display The default settings for RDC are full-screen and high-color. You can modify these settings here.
Use the Remote Desktop Size option to set the screen size. The size options available depend on the display size on the local computer.
Use the Colors option to choose the preferred color depth. The default is 16-bit high color, but settings on the remote computer might override this setting.
Local Resources You can modify the way the new redirection features work, including audio redirection, keystroke combination redirection, and local device redirection.
By default, remote computer sound is redirected to the local computer. Using the Remote Computer Sound option, you can change the default setting by selecting Do Not Play or Leave At Remote Computer.
By default, when you are working in full-screen mode, key combinations such as Alt+Tab and Ctrl+Esc are redirected to the remote system, and Ctrl+Alt+Delete is handled locally. Using Apply Windows Key Combinations, you change this behavior so key combinations are sent to the local computer or the remote computer only. However, if you send key combinations to the remote computer only, you could get in a situation where you cannot log on locally.
By default, local printers are connected automatically when users are logged on to the remote computer. This makes it easy to print to your currently configured printers when you are working with a remote system. You can also connect local disk drives and serial ports for the same reason. With local drives connected, you can easily transfer files between the local and remote computer.
Programs You can configure the execution of programs when a session starts from this dialog box. Select Start The Following Program On Connection, and then set the program path or file name and the start folder for the program.
Experience You can select the connection speed and other network performance settings. For optimal performance, choose the connection speed you are using, such as Modem (56 Kbps) or LAN (10 Mbps or higher), and allow only bitmap caching.
Other options you can allow include Desktop Background, Show Contents Of Window While Dragging, Menu And Window Animation, and Themes. If you choose these additional options, you cause additional processing on the remote system and additional network traffic, which can slow down performance.
By default, Reconnect If Connection Is Dropped is selected. If the session is interrupted, the RDC will try to reconnect it automatically. Getting disconnected from a connection doesn't stop processing. The session will go into a disconnected state and continue executing whatever processes the sessions was running.
When you click Connect, you are connected to the remote system. Enter your account password if prompted, and then click OK. If the connection is successful, you'll see the Remote Desktop window on the selected computer, as shown in Figure 30-5, and you'll be able to work with resources on the computer. In the case of a failed connection, check the information you provided and then try to connect again.
When you are working in full-screen mode, a connection bar is displayed at the top of the screen. On the left side of the connection bar is a push pin. If you click the push pin, it unpins the connection bar so that the bar disappears when you move the mouse away. To make the bar appear again, you would then need to point the mouse to the top part of the screen. On the right side of the connection bar are several other buttons. The first button switches you to the local desktop. The second button switches between full mode and tile display mode. The third button disconnects the remote session.
Disconnecting from a session does not end a session. The session continues to run on the server, which uses resources and may prevent other users from connecting because only one console session and two virtual sessions are allowed. The proper way to end a session is to log off the remote computer just as you would a local computer. In the Remote Desktop Connection window, click Start, and then click Shutdown. In the Shut Down Windows dialog box, select Log Off, and then click OK.
Remote Desktops allows you to connect to a number of computers running Remote Desktop for Administration and to switch between them within one window. To start Remote Desktops, click Start, Programs or All Programs, Administrative Tools, Remote Desktops, or type tsmmc.msc at the command prompt.
You can then establish connections to the remote systems you want to work with. Right-click the Remote Desktops node in the console root, and then select Add New Connection. In the Add New Connection dialog box, enter the name or IP address of the computer to which you want to connect, as shown in Figure 30-6. Click Browse to display a list of domains and available computers in those domains. The Connection Name field is filled in automatically for you based on the server name or IP address you entered.
The Connect To Console option controls whether you are connected to a console session or a virtual session. By default, this option is selected, meaning console mode is used. Clear this option to establish a virtual session with the remote computer. In the Logon Information area, type the user name, password, and domain that you want to use for logon. To save the password, click Save Password. When you are finished setting connection options, click OK.
As shown in Figure 30-7, an entry is added below Remote Desktops for the computer. Clicking this entry automatically connects to the remote system. Each configured connection can be selected and switched between without you having to log off each time. Following this, you could switch to a different remote system simply by clicking its entry in the left pane. To disconnect from a remote system, right-click the related entry in the left pane, and select Disconnect.
Disconnecting from a session does not end a session. The session will go into a disconnected state and continue executing whatever processes the session was running. The proper way to end a session is to log off the remote computer just as you would a local computer. In the right pane of the Remote Desktops window, click Start, and then click Shutdown. In the Shut Down Windows dialog box, select Log Off, and then click OK.
When you connect to a remote system, the screen on the remote system fills the right pane, as shown in Figure 30-8. Before you make a connection, you should maximize the Remote Desktops window. If you don't do this, you'll end up with a small screen that cannot be resized.
To change this behavior or configure additional options, right-click the related entry in the left pane of Remote Desktops, and select Properties. In the Properties dialog box, shown in Figure 30-9, you can change the connection options using the following tabs:
General You can set the connection options as discussed previously. You can also use this to change the connection mode and the password associated with the logon.
Screen Options You can choose a desktop size or custom size to use for the connection. The screen size options available depend on the size of the display on your local computer. In most cases, you'll want to use the default option Expand To Fill MMC Result Pane.
Other You can configure the execution of programs when a session starts and enable redirection of local drives when logged on to the remote computer. Drive redirection makes it easier to transfer files to and from the remote computer.
When you are finished configuring the connections you want to use for administration, you should save the Remote Desktops configuration. This ensures the connections remain available if you exit the console. To save the options, press Ctrl+S or click File, Save.