Difference between Remote Desktop and Remote Desktop for Admin

I am using a Microsoft Press book for MCSE training and it mentions that
you need to have Remote Desktop for Administration installed. Is this the
same thing as Remote Desktop or is there another one I need to add for
Remote Desktop for Admin?


Dave Marden

 

Its all there, read it.

 

Hey Dave,

Remote Desktop, while appearing the same as Remote Desktop for
Administration (RDFA) is not exactly the same. Remote desktop allows only 1
connection, and is used mainly connecting to a client system. RDFA is more
like a terminal services connection, and allows up to 2 concurrent
connections without installing the terminal server (2003 only, 2000 required
it) and without needing any additional licenses. From a client's
perspective, you'd connect the same way for both. Remote Desktop doesn't
allow a user to be concurrently logged on to the system locally, RDFA does.
RDFA is integrated into 2003, so it's easy to see where the confusion would
come from. I haven't messed around enough to see if there's even a way to
RD into 2003 in a non-RDFA way (boots local user off, and has other
restrictions), because there'd never be a compelling reason to do so.

Hope that helps.

 

There is remote server administration and remote user
support control.
One is used to take control of a workstation and the
other is used to administrate a server from your desktop.
The two are installed separately

 

Thanks Guys, greatly appreciated.

Dave Marden

 

The book says that in order to proceed you must have Remote Desktop For
Administrators(RDFA) already installed before reading any further first of
all, and second of all, I have read ahead against what the book says to do.
After reading ahead, I see where it refers to each. I see references to
Remote Desktop, RDFA, and Remote Assistance. I went ahead and looked this
up in the help files in Windows 2003 Premium, and find references to all 3.
Under RDFA in the help files it says that in order to use RDFA you need to
enable RDFA, the problem is I know how to enable RD, and Remote Assistance
but if RDFA is in fact another monster, which it appears to be, I don't know
how to enable it, and it doesn't say how to do it, just that you have to.

Okay, now you know I have done my homework, Could you now tell me what is up
with this.

;-)~

Greatly appreciated,
Dave Marden

 

How do I install Remote Desktop for Administrators?

Dave Marden

 

Remote desktop is used to connect to your XP computer--there's only 1
connection allowed to the XP OS. Remote desktop for administration referring
to connecting remotely to a server. 2 connections are allowed plus a
connection to console on a windows server 2003. From your command, type,
mstsc /? for the different switches to use.

--
Tom Helms [MSFT]

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights."Please
do not send e-mail directly to this alias. This alias is for newsgroup
purposes only."

 

You can access the console session on XP pro as well--you just cannot have
concurrent users without some registry editing. Even then, the reg hack
requires XP SP2.

--
Larry Samuels MS-MVP (Windows-Shell/User)
Associate Expert
Unofficial FAQ for Windows Server 2003 at
http://pelos.us/SERVER.htm
Expert Zone - www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone

 

That's correct, Larry. In fact, that's the only type of connection in XP
pro.

--
Tom Helms [MSFT]


This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
"Please do not send e-mail directly to this alias. This alias is for
newsgroup purposes only."

 

Duh--I am so used to logging onto the console session on Server 2003 that I
use the console switch on XP without thinking about it.
I never even thought to check if a standard RD session would allow me to use
my running apps on XP pro.

--
Larry Samuels MS-MVP (Windows-Shell/User)
Associate Expert
Unofficial FAQ for Windows Server 2003 at
http://pelos.us/SERVER.htm
Expert Zone - www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone

 

I login via VPN from home to my desktop using remote desktop--makes your
desktop somewhat 'portable' especially if you start a script before you
leave the office and need to check the status from home.

--
Tom Helms [MSFT]


This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
"Please do not send e-mail directly to this alias. This alias is for
newsgroup purposes only."

 

It sounds to me like what you guys are referring to is Remote Desktop, not
Remote Desktop for administration. From what I understand there is a
difference. Unless this (tsmmc.msc /s) is what is referred to as Remote
Desktop For Administration. I know that there is the tsmmc.msc /s type as
well as the mstsc type. Which one of these is considered Remote Desktop for
Admin. I don't think that tsmmc.msc /s is in Windows XP. To be honest you
you I thought that tsmmc.msc /s was the same thing as mstsc but console
based. Does one of these allow for multiple connections but the other
doesn't?

I am studying the Microsoft Press 70-290 and I just want to make sure I
fully understand this subject for the MSCE test and because I want to
actually learn and understand it.

Thanks,
Dave Marden

 

You use tsmmc.msc so you can simply click the server name in the left
pane--this is available when you install the administrative tools for
windows server 2003 (KB309375). You can use mstsc to connect to only one
server at a time. Check out page 2-12 in your training kit--it's explained
there.


--
Tom Helms [MSFT]


This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
"Please do not send e-mail directly to this alias. This alias is for
newsgroup purposes only."

 

Hi Dave,

Remote Desktop in XP pro is simply a lite version of Remote Desktop for
Administration in Server 2003 that does not allow concurrent connections.


Remote Desktop for Administration overview
Remote Desktop for Administration (formerly known as Terminal Services in
Remote Administration mode) provides remote access to the desktop of
computers running any Microsoft® Windows® Server 2003 family operating
system, allowing you to administer your server from virtually any computer
on your network. For detailed information about using Remote Desktop for
Administration for remote server administration, see Using Remote Desktop
for Administration for remote server administration.

Important

a.. Be aware of the security implications of remote logons. Users who log
on remotely can perform tasks as though they were sitting at the console.
For this reason, you should ensure that the server is behind a firewall. For
more information, see VPN servers and firewall configuration and IPSec
security considerations.
b.. You should require all users who make remote connections to use strong
passwords.
To use Remote Desktop for Administration, you must enable remote connections
at the server you plan to connect to. For more information, see To enable or
disable remote connections.

To connect to Remote Desktop for Administration from a remote computer, use
Remote Desktop Connection. For more information, see Remote Desktop
Connection.

Notes

a.. Remote Desktop for Administration is disabled by default in Windows
Server 2003 family operating systems.
b.. By default, the Remote Desktop Users group is not populated. You must
decide which users and groups you want to have permission to log on
remotely, and then manually add them to the group. For more information, see
Add users to the Remote Desktop Users group.
c.. Remote administration of servers with Remote Desktop for
Administration is available on any computer running a Windows Server 2003
family operating system. A simpler version of Remote Desktop is also
available on Microsoft Microsoft® Windows® XP Professional. For information
on installing and configuring Terminal Server, see Terminal Server.



--
Larry Samuels MS-MVP (Windows-Shell/User)
Associate Expert
Unofficial FAQ for Windows Server 2003 at
http://pelos.us/SERVER.htm
Expert Zone - www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone

 

That page still doesn't tell me which is which, will (tsmmc.msc /s) take me
to remote desktop for administration, or will (mstsc)? I will however say
that using the mstsc seems to let me log on to my server with 2 instances
where I think that the only way of hooking up to tsmmc.msc /s only allow 1
connection and it is from 2003, not XP. I really just need to know which is
which.

Dave Marden

 

Never mind I got it, tsmmc is the one that is referred to as Remote Desktop
for Administration.

Thanks All,
Dave Marden