Setup Server 2008 R2 RDS for Windows 7 Desktop Access
I'm doing a small test deployment. Our situation is that we have users with iPads who would like to access our LOB appllications which only runs on a desktop OS.
I considered Citrix, but it was looking to be a multiple server ordeal. So I am trying to run a single server, Hyper-v host using RDS to access a windows 7 desktop. I figure I can just use a RDP iPad app to access the desktop. I will probably only have 2 - 3 users connected at one time.
I'm looking for step by step instructions for setup. I already have the server installed, hyper-v and all RDS roles added.
Can I install 1 windows 7 image and have hyper-v spinup multiple copies as needed? Or do I need to seperately install a copy of Win 7 for each user? Also, how do I go about licesning the desktop OS on here?
I considered Citrix, but it was looking to be a multiple server ordeal. So I am trying to run a single server, Hyper-v host using RDS to access a windows 7 desktop. I figure I can just use a RDP iPad app to access the desktop. I will probably only have 2 - 3 users connected at one time.
I'm looking for step by step instructions for setup. I already have the server installed, hyper-v and all RDS roles added.
Can I install 1 windows 7 image and have hyper-v spinup multiple copies as needed? Or do I need to seperately install a copy of Win 7 for each user? Also, how do I go about licesning the desktop OS on here?
ASKER
I agree with your points. I am ok with a single point of failure. Pretty much everything in a small business environment is a single point of failure.
I would not mind doing the "desktop experience", but I think I may need to go the VDI route, as my LOB application won't seem to install on Server 2008. If I'm unable to get it installed, I'm assuming I need to go the VDI route, correct?
Can you provide me the steps on setting up VDI in my environment?
I would not mind doing the "desktop experience", but I think I may need to go the VDI route, as my LOB application won't seem to install on Server 2008. If I'm unable to get it installed, I'm assuming I need to go the VDI route, correct?
Can you provide me the steps on setting up VDI in my environment?
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ASKER
Luckily, I was able to install the application by running "change user /install". So I did not end up needing to implement vdi.
ASKER
Did not get info related to VDI, but was able to install application by using suggestion.
You can set up Windows Server 2008 R2 as a shared desktop, such that each user doesn't really know that there are other users accessing the same resource. By invoking what Microsoft calls Desktop Experience, feature such as Windows Medial Player and other workstation-like features are added, and I'm pretty sure that your users won't know that they're actually accessing a server. If core RDS suffices, between that and what you have installed already, you're almost done. Make sure to lock down the environment via GPOs so that users can't access areas like the registry, command prompt, etc., because this is a shared environment. If you want to take it one step further and add Citrix, this is what Citrix calls a shared hosted desktop on XenApp.
Or, you can implement VDI, wherein the each user has a dedicated virtual desktop. A few extra moving parts, but easier security and better for resource-intensive apps.
VDI is also a bit more complicated from a licensing perspective, whereas a hosted desktop on Windows Server 2008 R2 is much easier. Assuming that your users are already licensed for their client devices, you only need Remote Desktop Services Client Access Licenses.
To take it one step further, if you decide to go with a single RDS server, you don't even need Hyper-V if it's a single server. But again, a single server is a single point of failure.
Although VDI is great technology, it's overkill for supporting only 2-3 users.