When Windows Server 2008 R2 came out, the program Terminal Services was renamed to Remote Desktop Services. This change made it easier to use, and it also helped Windows users get familiar with new features. Read on to learn about the new features, including TSAppMode, TSAdmin, and the TSAppMode command line option.
Terminal Services
Remote desktop services, or RDS, deliver virtual desktops and applications to remote users using TCP/IP and the RDP protocol. The protocol runs on port 3389 and has been improved over the years to support rich graphical experiences. Windows Server 2008 R2 introduced RemoteFX technology, which allows seamless delivery of graphic-intensive applications.
To set up RDS, you must configure the Terminal Services feature. To do this, navigate to the Admin Console. The Terminal Services feature can be configured to automatically launch when a user signs in. You can choose whether to create a new resource profile or edit an existing one. To set up a custom resource profile, specify the IP address and server.
Once configured, Terminal Services can automatically create a bookmark for each user session. This bookmark is linked to the terminal server specified in the resource profile. You can edit this bookmark in the Admin Console. In the Admin Console, click the Bookmark link and click “Add Bookmark”. It is also possible to create a session bookmark in the end-user console.
A terminal server can host hundreds of terminals and share them with other users. The terminals can be PCs, emulated 3270s, printers, and other devices that have a RS-232/423 interface. The terminal server authenticates each client, respecting the user’s software restriction policies, and stores remote session information in specialized directories. Some terminal servers can also be clustered, allowing users to connect to multiple hosts at the same time.
Remote desktop services are a great way to share a desktop. You can share your desktop with another computer, share a specific application, or share the entire desktop with multiple users. You can also manage individual windows and manage them independently on the server and client. If you have a multi-monitor desktop, you can use Windows Desktop Sharing.
Terminal Servers are licensed by RDS license servers. Terminal Server license servers store and issue RDS CALs for the servers. A single RDS licensing server can serve multiple TS servers. Once activated, the license server issues temporary RDS CALs to the users.
Terminal Services are now part of Active Directory, and the remote desktop gateway role can be used to increase the security level of a Windows server. The role provides secure SSL connectivity and eliminates the need to run a VPN server. However, it is important to note that the former name of remote desktop services was “Remote Desktop Gateway”.
TSAppMode
Before the renaming of Terminal Services to Remote Desktop Services, the two flavors of RDP were known as TSG and RDG. Both were the same service, but there were differences. For example, TSAdmin and TSAppMode were different services.
TSAdmin
When it comes to remote desktop services, there are several ways to get the administrative access to your computers. You can use the Terminal Services Gateway (TSG) to manage RDP hosts. It can terminate and distribute sessions to multiple users. You can also use Remote App Manager (RAM) to manage remote applications.
Although the RDS Manager is still supported by the Windows 2012 operating system, it is not very manageable, and the former name TSAdmin is no longer supported. It now requires specific roles to operate, and the UI is not very friendly to use. It also does not scale well to larger collections.
