An introduction to Remote Desktop Services options

I am sometimes confused when things get renamed, but it made a lot of sense for Microsoft to  renamed Terminal Services to Remote Desktop Services as it has changed out of all recognition from where it started.  In fact we made this simple video to show how much has changed in Windows Server 2008 R2 for its launch last year..

With this release of Windows Server there is a one stop shop, the Remote Desktop Web Portal, to bring all of the different options; a remote application, a remote desktop or the desktop of an individual’s own virtual machine using VDI (virtual desktop infrastructure).  Our simple pin board diagram gets the basics across well enough, but if you want to see the full details of what’s under the covers now there’s a poster you can download from here.

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This might seem complicated but all the bits are in Windows server 2008 R2 as is, and the simple portal for the users I put in this video shows that ..

you’ll also see how remote applications appear in windows 7 , so the users don’t even need to go to his portal to see them once they register it.

Like all things Microsoft you might well be confused about when to use which, so I’ll try and clear that up in my next post.