Linux – How to connect to a Virtual Desktop (Windows Server 2012 R2) with a Linux Client

Actually, one can install RDSH on Windows Server 2012 in a Workgroup environment.

This configuration is appropriate when there is only one server on the network and it will provide desktop sessions to users based on the number of Remote Desktop Services client access license (RDS CALs) installed on the server, but will not provide access to RemoteApp programs or the RDWeb site.

You should install two RDS roles:

• Remote Desktop Licensing
• Remote Desktop Session Host.

Then install RDS CALs (either per user or per device).

The last step would be to configure the Remote Desktop Session Host role to use the local Remote Desktop Licensing server.

See more: Guidelines for installing the Remote Desktop Session Host role service on a computer running Windows Server 2012 without the Remote Desktop Connection Broker role service:

Session-based

Session-based refers to Microsoft’s implementation of session virtualisation, isolation which is what was previously called Terminal Services.

• Each user runs on a server operating system (OS) desktop that is semi-isolated from the other user.
• Each session shares the same OS kernel.
• A RDS server is normally a locked down secured environment because configuration changes can affect all users.

Virtual machine-based

Virtual machine-based refers to full x86 hardware virtualisation where:

• Each virtual machine runs separate virtualised hardware that is then interpreted and mapped to physical hardware. This runs on one or more Hyper-V servers.
• Each client connects to a separate operating system environment running a client OS like Windows 8.
• Client Oss are normally secured the same as a regular Management Operating Environment (MOE) base changes don’t affect other users because they run in a separate OS instance.

The different between Pooled and Personal for Virtual machine-based is that:

1. Pooled shares VMs between users. When a user logs off that VM is available for another person to use or can be rebuilt. This is good for regular users that use a lot of the same applications. http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd883265(v=ws.10).aspx
2. A Personal VM is only used for one user. This is good for power users that require specific applications that might be manually installed. http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd883277(v=ws.10).aspx

This link and it’s sub-links give some examples: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh831447.aspx

Also see:

• http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd736539(v=ws.10).aspx
• http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/server-cloud/windows-server/virtual-desktop-infrastructure-features.aspx

Hope that helps.