Terminal Services
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Terminal Services or Terminal Server Edition (TSE) is a component of Microsoft Windows operating systems (both client and server versions) that allows a user to access applications or data stored on a remote computer over a network connection. Terminal Services is Microsoft's take on server centric computing.
Based on the Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP), Terminal Services was first introduced in Windows NT 4.0 (Terminal Server Edition). The products Windows 2000 Server, Windows 2000 Advanced Server, Windows 2000 Datacenter Server and Windows Server 2003 have introduced several improvements and new features. Microsoft used Terminal Services in Windows XP for the Remote Assistance and "Remote Desktop" feature. Windows XP (Professional Edition only) includes a single-user Terminal License allowing a remote user to login and work on the computer or assist someone working on the computer.
Microsoft provides the client software Remote Desktop Connection (formerly called Terminal Services Client), available for most 32-bit versions of their Windows operating systems and Apple's Mac OS X, that allows a user to connect to a server running Terminal Services. Third-party developers have created client software for other platforms, including the open source rdesktop client for common Unix platforms. Both Terminal Services and Remote Desktop Protocol use TCP port 3389 by default, which is stored at HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Terminal Server\WinStations\RDP-Tcp\PortNumber.
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[edit] Citrix
Microsoft has a longstanding agreement with Citrix to facilitate sharing of technologies and patent licensing between Microsoft Terminal Services and Citrix Presentation Server (formerly Citrix MetaFrame). In this arrangement, Citrix has access to key source code for the Windows platform enabling their developers to improve the security and performance of the Terminal Services platform. In late December, 2004 the two companies announced a five-year renewal of this arrangement to cover the upcoming release of Windows Vista.
[edit] Centralized software
Microsoft Terminal Services allows IT departments to bring their applications to a single server for use by users anywhere in the world. This is especially true in Windows Server 2003, which is a multi-user system. For example, instead of deploying database or accounting software on all desktops, it can simply be put on a server and remote users can log on and use it across the internet. This makes upgrades, Troubleshooting, and software management much easier by centralizing it at the server.
Some third party companies now also offer software which allows companies to share a single application over Terminal Services. Instead of giving access to the entire server desktop, an administrator can simply allow access to a single application to authenticated users.
[edit] See also
- Independent Computing Architecture (ICA)
- Virtual Network Computing (VNC)
- X Window System (X11)
- Apple Remote Desktop (ARD)
- Timbuktu (software)
- Computer terminal
- Terminal Server
- rdesktop - free open source client for Unix platforms
[edit] External links
- Windows 2000 Terminal Services - promotional material from Microsoft
- Windows Server 2003 Terminal Services - promotional material from Microsoft
- Remote Desktop Connection for Windows Server 2003 - latest version of Microsoft's free client for Windows 95 and upwards
- Remote Desktop Connection Client for Mac - Microsoft's free client for Mac OS X
- WinXP TS Hack Installer - an installer for a WinXP SP2 hack allowing multiple concurrent remote and console logons
