Establishing a Remote Desktop Session

After Remote Desktop Services (RDS) is configured on the server, users can connect to the server using the Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP). This allows users to access network resources, mapped drives, and printers from a remote client device, while applications and data remain securely on the server.

To initiate a session, users connect using the built-in Remote Desktop Connection client (mstsc.exe) available in Windows. This client allows performance optimizations to improve session quality over various network conditions.

To connect:

1. Open the Remote Desktop Connection client (mstsc.exe).
2. Enter the hostname or IP address of the Remote Desktop Session Host.
3. (Optional) Click Show Options to configure session settings:
   • Set display resolution and color depth.
   • Redirect local devices such as printers, drives, and clipboard.
   • Adjust performance options based on network speed (e.g., disable desktop background or animation effects).
4. Click Connect.
5. Enter your username and password when prompted to log on to the RDS host.

Users can end their RDP sessions in one of two ways:

1. Disconnecting from a session:

• Keeps the session active on the server.
• The user can reconnect later and resume where they left off.
• Useful for long-running processes or when switching devices.

2. Logging off from a session:

• Terminates the session and closes all running applications.
• Any unsaved data is lost.
• Frees server resources for other users.
• Recommended when the session is no longer needed to prevent orphaned sessions and potential data loss.