Why Implement Terminal Services?

Terminal Services is a versatile product that can be implemented to meet several different business needs. Administrators can use it to remotely administer a server, or users can run applications and utilize network resources remotely. Terminal Services can be accessed and used by local area network (LAN) users and remote Internet-based users, to provide access to a single application or a full desktop environment within a terminal session. User desktop support can also be provided to users while running in Terminal Server sessions or if the users are working on desktops running Windows XP Professional with Remote Desktop enabled.

Note

Windows XP Professional includes a scaled-down version of Windows Server 2003 Terminal Services that can be enabled and used for remote administration or remote workstation console access.

Lastly, Terminal Services can be implemented by application service providers (ASPs) to create managed application services to which clients can subscribe. This eliminates the need for each business to buy server hardware, software, and support.

Remote Desktop for Administration

As a remote administration tool, Terminal Services technology gives an administrator the option of performing server administration from the server console or from any other server or workstation with a Terminal Services client. This option is installed by default, but is not automatically enabled. This capability simplifies administration for the IT department by allowing the personnel to do their job from almost any console on the network. This can improve IT response times to complete trouble tickets concerning access to network resources or user account management. Server maintenance tasks such as reviewing logs or gathering server performance data can be accomplished through the client.

Applications and updates can be installed through a Terminal Server session, but should be done only when the installation does not involve a Windows Component installation or when users are running Terminal Services server sessions. Installing applications from the local server console is recommended, but if an application must be installed remotely, you should connect to the server console to run the session.

Caution

Avoid installing applications, especially Windows Server 2003 services and Windows components, from within a Terminal Services server session. This way, you avoid getting locked out of your Terminal Services server sessions and not being able to recover.

Terminal Services for LAN Users

There are many benefits of making Terminal Services available to LAN users. Company hardware costs can be reduced, application availability and licensing management can be simplified, and network performance may increase.

Because a terminal session is really a virtual desktop session running on the Terminal Server, all Terminal Server users run applications on the Terminal Server, utilizing the processing power of the server while reducing the load on the local workstation. This can extend the life of an underpowered machine whose deficient resources may impede workflow through high processor, memory, or disk utilization.

From a desktop support perspective, a Terminal Server can be put in place and used as a secondary means of providing users access to their applications if problems are encountered with the applications on their local workstations. Although this approach may seem to be overkill, providing a secondary means of application access can be vital to user productivity and company revenue when support personnel may not be readily available to fix end user application issues.

Providing centralized applications for LAN users though Terminal Services can simplify application management by reducing the number of machines on which application upgrades, security updates, and fixes need to be installed. Because all the applications run on the Terminal Services server, only the Terminal Services server itself needs to be updated, and the entire user base benefits from the change immediately. This way, the updates can be performed for all Terminal Services server users at one time.

Terminal Services for Remote User Support

Terminal Services can be used to provide application support for end users within a Terminal Server session. When users are running in a Terminal Server session, an administrator can configure remote control or shadowing functionality to view or completely interact with a user's session. This feature can be used to train users, provide application support, or create configuration changes such as installing a printer or connecting to a network file share. This capability can greatly reduce the number of administrators needed during the regular work day because multiple users can be assisted from one location.

Note

To comply with many organizations' security and privacy polices, Windows Server 2003 Terminal Services provides an option for the remote control function to be completely disabled. Alternatively, rather than completely disabling the function for all users, Terminal Services can be configured to give users the ability to choose whether or not to allow an administrator to interact with her terminal server session.

Terminal Services for Application Service Providers

Terminal Services running in Terminal Server mode allows applications and services to be made available to users in any location. Companies that provide services to businesses through proprietary applications can standardize and provide their applications exclusively through Windows Server 2003 Terminal Services and gain all the benefits outlined in the preceding LAN and remote user sections. An added bonus for these companies is that Terminal Services reduces the need to send application media out to each client, and end user support can be provided in a way never before possible.

Application service providers who make several applications available to clients can use Terminal Services to service hundreds or thousands of users from different organizations while charging a fee for application usage or terminal session time usage.

Note

Windows Server 2003 does not provide a standard reporting mechanism to present Terminal Services session data. However, some valuable information can be gathered by filtering the security event log for user logon and logoff events, using the Terminal Services Licensing Reporter (lsreport.exe) from the Windows Server 2003 Resource Kit, as well as teaming this information with data gathered by creating performance logs configured to monitor Terminal Server Services session counters using the Performance Microsoft Management Console (MMC) snap-in, included with Windows Server 2003. It is also important to note that Microsoft Operations Manager (MOM) and some third-party solutions for Terminal Services provide exceptional reporting functionality.