Terminal Services vs Terminal Server!!!!

Hey guys,

Is there a difference between terminal services and terminal server?

I used to think that a terminal server was basically a windows server 2003 machine that had terminal services installed on it, but it seems that is not technically correct.

If they are in fact different, I suspect it has something to do with running in "Application mode" vs "Remote Administration mode".

Unfortunately, I am not using a fresh install of Server 2003, so I am not sure what the defaults are. When, I go to "Administrative tools", I have the following tools available:

- Terminal Services Manager
- Terminal Services Configuration
- Terminal Server Licencing

When I go to add/remove Windows components, I can see that "Terminal Server" is not installed.

Thats when I realised there must be a technical difference between Terminal services (now referred to as Remote Desktop) and Terminal Server.

With Remote Administration mode, it seems that up to two remote sessions plus the console (interactive) session can be accessed at the same time. Also, under this mode, no licencing is required.

In theory, I am guessing that the only limitation on the number of sessions with Terminal Server (Application server mode) is the number of licences.

I say guessing because, after I tried installing "Terminal Server" (trying both "per device" and "per user" mode), I wasnt able to make a remote connection from other workstations. The error messages were something in the line of "check your server licences" or something similar. I was suprised by this because I thought there was a 120 day grace period and I did choose the option of "configure licences within 120 days".

Is what I have said above essentially correct?

Can someone tell me the essential difference between the following:

- Terminal Services Vs Terminal Server

-Remote Desktop for Administration vs Application Server Mode

-The amount of sessions allowed for each of the modes (mentioned above)

Also, if someone knows how to install/configure Terminal Server without licences, please advise!!!

My thanks in advance.

Mark

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Comments

dynamik

It seems like you've got a pretty good handle on things. I think of a terminal server as either one of the roles you can configure on a server, or the server itself, and I see the services as the actual software. You can have two simultaneous RDP sessions for administration. You don't need to install the terminal server role for this, you just enable remote connections. If you're serving applications, you'd need to configure licenses.

Is there any chance the computer was configured as a terminal server in the past? The 120 days might have already elapsed. Also, is the computer also a DC? RDPing to a DC is more restrictive than a member server. I believe only the domain admin can do so by default.

astorrs

And just to confuse you further, Microsoft has renamed it Remote Desktop Services going forward.

gravyjoe

I believe you could delete the partition with Server 2003, do a clean install, and install Terminal Server with the 120 day grace period. If it's a server at your job, you'd want to backup certain files and folders first. Not saying you should do this, but I believe you could do it this way if you wanted to.

Markie

Well I suppose what confuses me is when you read statements such as:

"you connect to a Windows Server 2003 machine, with terminal services installed".

I read this statement a lot, but it doesnt seem technically correct.

As far as I understand, terminal services (now remote desktop) is installed by default. You dont actually need to install it.

Rather, you only need to enable it by checking the "allow users to connect remotely to this computer" box. You might also need to make sure that the "terminal services" service is running.

As far as Im concerned, checking a box and enabling a service is not an installation.

With respect to Terminal Server, after installing it, there doesnt seem to be any additional snap-ins installed. You still seem to only have the same 3 tools that were already installed by default, that being:

- Terminal Services Manager
- Terminal Services Configuration
- Terminal Server Licencing

Am I right in saying that the only big difference after installing Terminal Server is that you could have an unlimted amount of remote sessions (to say be able to access an application at a centralised point)?. However, after 120 days you would be forced to configure licences if you want to continue using this feature.

Whereas, if you are just using terminal srevices for remote administration (i.e. Terminal Server has not been installed), then licences are not required, but you would be bound by the limitation of two simultaneous remote sessions (plus the interactive session).

Please set me straight on this one guys.

dynamik

Markie wrote:

Am I right in saying that the only big difference after installing Terminal Server is that you could have an unlimted amount of remote sessions (to say be able to access an application at a centralised point)?. However, after 120 days you would be forced to configure licences if you want to continue using this feature.

Whereas, if you are just using terminal srevices for remote administration (i.e. Terminal Server has not been installed), then licences are not required, but you would be bound by the limitation of two simultaneous remote sessions (plus the interactive session).

I think those are the big points to take away from it. The language is a bit confusing, and I don't think there's any reason to stress over it. It should be pretty clear whether you or someone else is referring to a terminal server or remote desktop for administration.

Also, most of the snap-ins/administrative tools are always accessible because you can use them to connect to other servers. You may be on one server that isn't configured as a terminal server, but you want to manage another one that is. You can just connect to the other server via the snap-in instead of RDPing to it. I wouldn't use those as a method of determining what roles or features are installed and configured on a server.