Remote Desktop Services (Windows)

Remote Desktop Services

Purpose

Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2003, or Windows 2000 Server with Remote Desktop Services (formerly known as Terminal Services) allow a server to host multiple, simultaneous client sessions. Remote Desktop uses Remote Desktop Services technology to allow a single session to run remotely. A user can connect to a Remote Desktop Session Host (RD Session Host) server (formerly known as a terminal server) by using Remote Desktop Connection (RDC) client software. The Remote Desktop Web Connection extends Remote Desktop Services technology to the Web.

Where Applicable

A Remote Desktop Connection (RDC) client can exist in a variety of forms. Thin-client hardware devices that run an embedded Windows-based operating system can run the RDC client software to connect to an RD Session Host server. Windows-, Macintosh-, or UNIX-based computers can run RDC client software to connect to an RD Session Host server to display Windows-based applications. This combination of RDC clients provides access to Windows-based applications from virtually any operating system.

Developer Audience

Developers who use Remote Desktop Services should be familiar with the C and C++ programming languages and the Windows-based programming environment. Familiarity with client/server architecture is required. The Remote Desktop Web Connection includes scriptable interfaces to create and deploy scriptable virtual channels within Remote Desktop Services Web applications.

Run-Time Requirements

Applications that use Remote Desktop Services require Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows 7, Windows Server 2008, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2003, Windows XP, or Windows 2000. To use Remote Desktop Web Connection functionality, the Remote Desktop Services client application requires Internet Explorer and a connection to the World Wide Web. For information about run-time requirements for a particular programming element, see the Requirements section of the reference page for that element.

In This Section

Topic	Description
About Remote Desktop Services	General information about Remote Desktop Services including Remote Desktop Services Programming Guidelines and Remote Desktop Services API.
Using Remote Desktop Services	Describes how to program in the Remote Desktop Services environment and how to extend Remote Desktop Services technology to the Web by using Remote Desktop Web Connection.
Remote Desktop Services Reference	Documentation of property methods that you can use to examine and configure Remote Desktop Services user properties. Remote Desktop Services functions, structures, and Remote Desktop Web Connection scriptable interfaces are also documented.

Purpose

Where Applicable

Developer Audience

Run-Time Requirements

In This Section

See Also