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Remote Desktop Services (RDS) is a powerful feature in Windows Server 2016 that allows users to remotely connect to a server and access desktops or applications. It enables organizations to provide a secure and efficient remote access solution for their employees or clients. In this tutorial, we will go through the steps to configure Remote Desktop Services on Windows Server 2016.
Step 1: Install the Remote Desktop Services Role
To begin, log in to your Windows Server 2016 machine with administrative privileges. Open the Server Manager by clicking on the Windows icon in the bottom-left corner and selecting "Server Manager" from the menu. Once the Server Manager opens, click on "Add roles and features" from the dashboard.
Step 2: Select Installation Type
In the "Add Roles and Features Wizard" window, select "Role-based or feature-based installation" and click "Next."
Step 3: Select Destination Server
Choose the server on which you want to install the Remote Desktop Services role and click "Next."
Step 4: Select Role
From the "Server Roles" list, locate "Remote Desktop Services" and select it. A pop-up window will appear, asking if you want to add additional features. Click "Add Features" and then click "Next."
Step 5: Select Role Services
In the "Role Services" section, you can choose the specific services you want to install. Select the appropriate options based on your requirements and click "Next."
Step 6: Configure Deployment Type
You have two deployment types to choose from: "Standard deployment" or "Quick Start." For this tutorial, we will select "Standard deployment" to configure all necessary roles on a single server. Click "Next."
Step 7: Configure RD Licensing Mode
In this step, you will need to choose the Remote Desktop Licensing mode. Depending on your needs, select either "Per User" or "Per Device" licensing mode. Once selected, click "Next."
Step 8: Configure RD Connection Broker
In the "RD Connection Broker" section, choose the appropriate deployment option based on your environment. Click "Next" to proceed.
Step 9: Configure RD Web Access
If you want to provide users with web-based access to remote desktops and applications, select "RD Web Access" and click "Next."
Step 10: Configure RD Gateway
If you need to allow external users to access remote desktops and applications securely, select "RD Gateway" and click "Next."
Step 11: Review and Confirm
Review the summary of your configuration selections and click "Install" to start the installation process.
Congratulations! You have successfully configured Remote Desktop Services on Windows Server 2016. This will allow you to provide remote access to desktops and applications securely.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| 1. Provides secure remote access solution for users. | 1. Requires proper configuration and management to ensure security. |
| 2. Allows users to access desktops and applications from anywhere. | 2. Requires appropriate licensing for Remote Desktop Services. |
| 3. Can be customized to fit specific organizational needs. | 3. May require additional hardware resources to support remote sessions. |
Video Tutorial: How do I enable Remote Desktop Services?
How to configure Remote Desktop Services in Windows Server 2016?
To configure Remote Desktop Services in Windows Server 2016, follow these steps:
1. Install the Remote Desktop Services role:
– Open Server Manager on the Windows Server 2016 machine.
– Click on "Add Roles and Features."
– Follow the wizard to install the Remote Desktop Services role.
2. Configure Remote Desktop Licensing:
– Open the Remote Desktop Licensing Manager.
– Right-click on the server name and select "Install License."
– Follow the wizard to install the Remote Desktop Services Client Access License (CAL).
3. Configure Remote Desktop Session Host:
– Open the Remote Desktop Session Host Configuration.
– Right-click on "RDP-Tcp" and select "Properties."
– Set the desired settings for the session configuration, such as licensing, encryption, and security.
4. Configure Remote Desktop Connection Broker:
– Open the Remote Desktop Connection Broker Configuration.
– Follow the wizard to set up the Connection Broker, including configuring the RD Connection Broker role service.
5. Configure Remote Desktop Web Access:
– Open Server Manager.
– Click on "Add roles and features."
– Follow the wizard to add the Remote Desktop Web Access role.
– Configure the desired settings for Remote Desktop Web Access.
6. Configure Remote Desktop Gateway (optional):
– Open the Remote Desktop Gateway Manager.
– Follow the wizard to set up the Remote Desktop Gateway, including configuring network and user/group access policies.
7. Configure Remote Desktop Services Licenses (optional):
– Open the Remote Desktop Licensing Manager.
– Right-click on the server name and select "Activate Server."
– Follow the wizard to activate the Remote Desktop Services licenses.
8. Configure Remote Desktop Gateway (RDG) Capabilities (optional):
– Open the Remote Desktop Gateway Manager.
– Under the RD Gateway Server Properties, configure the desired settings like security, resource authorization policies (RAP), and connection authorization policies (CAP).
Remember to secure your Remote Desktop Services deployment by implementing appropriate security measures, such as strong passwords, firewalls, network isolation, and regular updates to protect against vulnerabilities.
How to enable Remote Desktop on Windows Server 2016 Remotely?
Enabling Remote Desktop on Windows Server 2016 remotely involves several steps. Follow these instructions to accomplish this task:
1. Ensure that you have administrative access privileges to the Windows Server 2016 machine you wish to enable Remote Desktop on remotely.
2. Open the "Server Manager" application on your local machine. This can be done by clicking on the Start button, searching for "Server Manager," and selecting it from the search results.
3. On the left-hand side of the Server Manager window, select "Remote Desktop Services" from the tools menu.
4. Click on the option "Add other servers to manage" and enter the IP address or hostname of the Windows Server 2016 machine you want to enable Remote Desktop on remotely.
5. Once the remote server is added to the server pool, go back to the main Server Manager window, and click on "Local Server" on the left-hand side.
6. In the "Properties" section, you will see an option for "Remote Desktop." By default, it will be set to "Not Enabled." Click on "Not Enabled" next to "Remote Desktop" to open the System Properties window.
7. In the System Properties window, select the "Remote" tab.
8. Under the "Remote Desktop" section, select one of the options depending on your requirements:
– "Don’t allow remote connections to this computer": Select this if you want to disable Remote Desktop on the server.
– "Allow remote connections to this computer": Select this if you want to enable Remote Desktop and allow connections only from computers running Remote Desktop with Network Level Authentication.
– "Allow remote connections to this computer" (Advanced): Select this if you want to enable Remote Desktop and allow connections from computers running any version of Remote Desktop.
9. After selecting the desired option, click on "Apply" and then "OK."
10. You should now have successfully enabled Remote Desktop on the Windows Server 2016 machine remotely.
Note: Always make sure to have proper security measures in place when enabling Remote Desktop, such as strong passwords and firewall configurations, to protect your server from unauthorized access.
How to launch Remote Desktop Session Host configuration from the server?
To launch the Remote Desktop Session Host configuration from the server, follow these steps:
1. Log in to the server using an administrator account.
2. Click on the "Start" button, typically located on the bottom-left corner of the screen.
3. In the Start menu, search for "Remote Desktop Session Host Configuration" and click on the application when it appears in the search results.
4. The Remote Desktop Session Host Configuration window will open, providing access to various configuration options.
5. Within the configuration window, you can modify settings related to sessions, licensing, security, and more.
6. Make the desired changes to the configuration as needed. It’s recommended to consult relevant documentation or seek guidance from your IT department if you’re unsure about specific settings.
7. Once you’ve made the necessary changes, click on the "Apply" or "OK" button to save your configuration modifications.
8. Depending on the changes made, you may need to restart the Remote Desktop Session Host service for the modifications to take effect. Keep this in mind if required and plan for minimal disruption if necessary.
Remember that the exact steps may vary slightly depending on the server operating system version you are using. It’s always a good practice to refer to the official documentation provided by the server’s manufacturer for accurate and up-to-date instructions.
How to open Remote Desktop Session Host configuration in Windows Server 2016?
To open the Remote Desktop Session Host configuration in Windows Server 2016, follow these steps:
1. Launch the Start Menu by clicking on the Windows icon located at the bottom left corner of the screen.
2. Locate and click on the "Windows Administrative Tools" folder to expand it.
3. Within the "Windows Administrative Tools" folder, you should find the "Remote Desktop Services" folder. Click on it to expand further.
4. Inside the "Remote Desktop Services" folder, you should find the "Remote Desktop Session Host Configuration" application. Click on it to launch the configuration console.
Alternatively, you can also access the Remote Desktop Session Host configuration using the Run command. Here’s how:
1. Press the "Windows" key and the "R" key together to open the Run dialog box.
2. Type "tsconfig.msc" in the Run dialog box and press "Enter" or click on "OK."
This will open the Remote Desktop Session Host configuration console where you can configure various settings related to remote desktop sessions on your Windows Server 2016.
Please note that the steps mentioned above are specific to Windows Server 2016 and may differ slightly in other Windows Server versions.
How to setup Remote Desktop Services on Windows Server?
Setting up Remote Desktop Services on Windows Server involves the following steps:
1. Install the Remote Desktop Services Role: Open Server Manager and select "Add Roles and Features." Choose "Remote Desktop Services Installation" and click Next. Select "Standard Deployment" and proceed to install the necessary role services.
2. Configure Remote Desktop Session Host: In Server Manager, navigate to Remote Desktop Services and expand the server name. Select "Collections" and click "QuickSessionCollection" or create a new collection. Configure the session collection properties, including licensing mode, user groups, and Session ID.
3. Install Remote Desktop Licensing: In Server Manager, go to Remote Desktop Services and select "RD Licensing." Follow the prompts to install the Remote Desktop Licensing role service. Activate the license server and install the appropriate Remote Desktop Client Access Licenses (CALs) based on your organization’s needs.
4. Configure Remote Desktop Gateway (optional): If you want to provide remote access over the internet, configure the Remote Desktop Gateway. In Server Manager, expand Remote Desktop Services, right-click on the RD Gateway server, and select "Properties." Configure the necessary settings, including SSL certificate, user authorization, and resource access policies.
5. Configure Remote Desktop Web Access (optional): To allow users to access Remote Desktop Services through a web browser, configure the Remote Desktop Web Access. In Server Manager, expand the Remote Desktop Services node, right-click on the RD Web Access server, and select "Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager." Configure the desired web access settings, including branding, authentication, and application publishing.
6. Configure Remote Desktop Connection Broker (optional): If you have multiple servers hosting session collections, you can configure the Remote Desktop Connection Broker for load balancing and user session management. Open Server Manager, expand the Remote Desktop Services node, right-click on the RD Connection Broker server, and select "Properties." Configure the necessary settings, such as DNS round-robin, load balancing, and high availability.
7. Enable Remote Desktop access on Windows Firewall: On the Windows Server hosting Remote Desktop Services, open Windows Firewall and ensure that the necessary inbound rules for Remote Desktop are enabled. This includes rules for Remote Desktop (TCP-In) and Remote Desktop – User Mode (TCP-In).
8. Configure user accounts and permissions: Create user accounts or groups that you want to grant access to Remote Desktop Services. Ensure these accounts have appropriate permissions, such as being members of the Remote Desktop Users group or granted individual access permissions through Group Policy.
9. Test Remote Desktop Services: Validate the setup by connecting to the Remote Desktop Services from a client computer. Use the Remote Desktop Connection client and enter the server’s IP address or domain name, and the appropriate credentials.
Remember, these steps provide a broad overview of the process. It is crucial to refer to official Microsoft documentation and guidelines for detailed instructions and best practices when setting up Remote Desktop Services on Windows Server.