Note: This article is based on RDS 2008 (R2) and might not apply to RDS 2012 (R2)

Introduction

Basically RemoteApp Server is the server that provides all applications to users through the Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP). The procedure is similar to connecting to a normal desktop but instead of the desktop user will have the connection with the application only, providing a rich experience of the application as if it were installed locally on the user's machine.

To enable users to have access to remote applications is needed to publish them in the RemoteApp Server, as the following procedure.

Procedure

The first step is to install all applications on RemoteApp that will be available on Server. Is interesting to check with the vendor if the application supports Windows Server 2008 for compatibility issues.

After that, click Start> Administrative Tools> Remote Desktop Services and open the RemoteApp Manager.

On the right side of the screen click Add RemoteApp Programs, as shown in Figure 1.


Figure 1 - Adding an application to the RemoteApp Server

Soon will be displayed a to add the application. Click Next.

On the next screen you can see a list of all applications available to add. Some of them are native to Windows and the rest are the ones that were installed on the server.

Choose programs that will be added and click Next. In the example 2 were added to WordPad and Notepad.


Figure 2 - the RemoteApp Programs Available

After this, click Next and Finish to confirm the addition.

In RemoteApp Manager will be displayed a list of applications that have been added. By default all users that have access to RemoteApp Server can use them.

If you need to restrict access to a user group, click the right application and then click Properties.

Click the User Assignment tab and add the desired groups. After this procedure, only those groups and / or users of this list will have access to the software.


Figure 3 - Users with access to software

Users can now access the programs through the RDP connection. For demonstration in Figure 4 and 5 was used the Remote Desktop Web portal access to applications. The user used is a member of the access group added in step one.


Figure 4 – Remote Desktop Web Portal


Figure 5 - Access Group RDS

This is not the only way to use the applications. You can also create an MSI file to install an icon on the desktop and start menu containing the access settings or creating a connection to access RemoteApp.


Leandro Carvalho.
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