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Don ThomsonFlag for Canada

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Foundation Server and Remote Desktop

Have a client that purchased a Foundation Server 2008 R2
He is using the Server as an occasional workstation

He needs to have 2 remote desktop users but also be able to go into the Server Console

I've looked everywhere and can't find any documentation that says that the Console and 2 RDP sessions is not possible but when he has the console logged in and one remote user logged in, when the second remote user need to log in - they are told that one of the existing users must log off

He only has 4 users in total.

A regular Server 2008 or SBS 2008 allows this with no problems



Having to get a 5 pack of Cals for a system that only has a total of 4 users is crazy as it adds 25-30% to the system cost
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David Johnson, CD
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you needs to add the Terminal Services Role (and it is limited) and a 5 pack 2008 Cal pack in order to get around this limitation and it is a limitation in all server installations, not just foundation.
Are they physically logging on to the console, or using a remote console session? Windows only allows two RDP connections.

Is the session actually showing up as console? Don't forget in 2008 and beyond, the flag has changed from "mstsc /console" to "mstsc /admin".
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If I have the two users coming in via RDP - then try to login locally to the actual server - it says it already has 2 sessions going - which one do I want to use (force logoff of one of them)
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David Johnson, CD
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v33ofa  - Do you know where there is Microsoft Documentation on this restriction -

From what I have seen - the Server 2008 R2 has the same restrictions on RDP as the SBS 2008 or Standard Server 2008 which is up to 2 RDP session PLUS the local console
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Ve3ofa

Yes - I know that I have the evidence - What I am looking for was some Microsoft documentation that says that this is the case - I have found Technet stuff that says that you are limited to 2 remote sessions - but nowhere does it say that if you have 2 remote sessions, you can't use the local console.  

The software we use requires a pervasive monitor to be run on the local server - If one of the users - either local or remotely connected  loses the connection to the database, we meed to use the monitor to kill the session.

I looked everywhere for Microsoft Documentation that specifies any additional restrictions before recommending this server to the client.

I know that it doesn't work - I just would like to see where Microsoft actually says this.

I know for a fact that this restriction was not on the Server 2003
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Hi TBone2K

I read that - It say max of 2 remotes - It doesn't say that I can't log into the Console locally at the same time - but in fact that is a limitation.
Yes that is true. The limit of two admin sessions changed in 2008, whereas 2003 you could have two remote sessions, plus a console session. Remote or local admin sessions are treated the same in 2008 and beyond.

If I understand what you said earlier, you said there is software that must stay logged on to run? Is there any way you can change is to a service so you don't have to lose a session?

Other than that, it sounds like you are really trying to squeeze the server as a remote desktop server without having to use the remote desktop licenses. So you (or your client) are no doubt going to run into some limitations.
The problem is the POS system that is installed has a total of 4 users
Two are remote
Two are on-site
We wanted to use the Server as a workstation as space at the front counter is very limited
Has I known of this limitation, I would have installed a Server 2003
The other problem is that because the POS system uses a Pervasive database, if we need to reset a connection - it's easier to do it from the console.
As it stands now - the client needs to either purchase the Cals for TS or have one of the remotes disconnect in order to be able to reset

Thanks for the help to all who contributed