Terminal Services

[HARTNETT]

My client has 5 locations. We want to use Terminal Services to allow (10) users at the main office and (3) users at each remote site. What Windows Server product should I use? Win 2003 Server or Win SBS 2003 or Win 2003 Advanced Server?. One suggestion was to use (2) servers, (1) server with SBS 2003 and (1) server with Win 2003 Server to manange the terminal services.
(?Terminal Services performs faster on Win 2003 Server??).
And....do I need terminal services licenses as well as Win 2003 server licenses for the remote users? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated????

 

[bcastner]

The TS server portion is identical for all the server products you describe. Your choice should be made on your needs in other areas.

For such a small LAN SBS 2003 is a heckuva deal.

For the licensing of TS, see among other possibilities:

http://www.microsoft.com/WINDOWSXP/remotedesktop/faq.asp

 

[HARTNETT]

There are several articles that do not recommend using Terminal Services in Application Sharing mode on SBS2000 or SBS2003. According to the article, Application Sharing mode slows down the internal users in the office while allowing the remote users foreground priority.

The article reccommends a stand alone server to handle Terminal Services in a SBS environment.

Does the full blown Windows Server 2003 handle terminal services more efficently in Application mode then SBS2003?
This way I would only need 1 server.

 

[gbrantner]

I understand that the TS section of all versions of Server 2003 is the same, but you cannot base things totally on need!

I agree that for the small office, a powerfull SBS machine would be ideal as a TS machine, as long as the TS demand isn't too high, or if everyone with connect remotely.

The problem is that according to Microsoft, and the many other techies that I've heard from today, SBS 2003, unlike SBS 2000, will NOT run in TS Application mode. It only runs in Remote Admin mode, meaning that only two remote users can login at one time.

I'm a little miffed, because I think that this change should have been in bold print on the SBS 2003 info page. I know of a company that bought it based on their knowledge of SBS 2000, and now, they are kinda...well, screwed.

If anyone knows how to make SBS 2003 run in TS Application mode, please, oh please, let me know!

Thank you all for your time.

 

[HARTNETT]

We have decided to go with a separate server for Terminal Services. The next question is can xDSL handle 12 users from a remote location? If not what alternatives do I have?
Thanks

 

[rcsnydley]

How does terminal services licensing work?
Is it 90 days for all connections. What about if a connections drops pff how do you connect another device if you have already used your allotment?

 

[mattjurado]

Probably want to up your bandwidth on your dsl. If you go citrix, the bandwidth used will be even less.

Matt J.

Please always take the time to backup any and all data before performing any actions suggested for ANY problem, regardless of how minor a change it might seem. Also test the backup to make sure it is intact.

 

[KatzEye1]

Lo folks, we are a little miffed as well like gbrantner said earlier, and went for SBS 2003 a few mths ago not being aware of the change in Terminal Services cmpatibilities!!

Does ANYONE know a way of making SBS Terminal services work in Application mode, like a normal Terminal Server (and same as in SBS 2000) thus allowing more than 2 users logged in remotely at the same time?

Many thx.

 

[fs483]

Don't think changing to App mode is possible. One of my clients actually received a letter from Microsoft explaining why they removed App mode from their SBS2003. According to Microsoft it was for security reasons (if I remember correctly) but then why offer it on the full version. Luckly my client didn't get caught up in that because we originaly put in a SBS2003 as a DC and put in a Windows 2000 Server as TS in app mode (it was their first server). We later went and added a third server to run Citrix on W2k3 server. After that you need to think about TS Cals! Microsoft offered a solution for 1000$ to work around this problem... I don't remember what that 1000$ was for, maybe an upgrade to full server version ? I'll try to get another peek at that letter the next time I'm there...

 

[robatwork]

Can I just clarify - that if I buy SBS 2003 I only get 2 remote users as standard, and that to get more I would need to buy TS properly - or just buy Server 2003 and TS?
cheers

Rob