Windows Server 2008 RDP v6.x improvements

It has been ages since I’ve updated my blog. I’ve been so busy lately with sorting out my life and working, so I just haven’t had the time. Here are few notes on the new RDP which is in use in Windows Server 2008.

The improvements are quite nice. Video support is now up to 4,096×2,048. Basically users can now use very large monitors to view data off a Windows 2008 Terminal Services system.

There is now multi monitor support. Which means that users can now have multiple monitors supported off a single RDP connection. For example graphical arts or publishing applications, users can view graphical information on one screen and text or something else on another screen at the same time.

The new RDP client provides now highly encrypted remote connection to a Terminal Services system through the use of Windows 2008 security. So organisations who need their data secured can implement highly secured encrypted connections between Windows 2008 Terminal Services and remote client.

-Eric

Windows Server 2003 Terminal Server Licensing notes

In Windows Server 2003 Terminal Server a client access license is issued to every type of client that will access it. Basically it includes Windows Server 2003 client connections Windows XP, Thin clients etc.

There is now two types of licenses: Per User and Per Device. Built-in ones still exist so that Windows Server 2003 Terminal Server Licensing Server supports Windows 2000 Terminal Servers and can issue licenses to them.

Per User

Basically if you selected this mode, it means that in Terminal Server Configuration console the Terminal Sever must be able to discover an activated terminal server license server. As long as its doable, users will never be denied a connection to the terminal server based on licensing and the number of available licenses will not drop.

Per Device

If you selected this mode, it means that if a computer connects to the terminal server, it gets a temporary license. If it connects again, then gets a permanent license. This license only last for 90 days. At some point before it expires license will be renewed. Now if the client doesn’t connect back before the license expires, it will be returned to the pool of licenses and will be available again.

Build-In

These type of licenses only exist for backward compatibility for Windows 2000 Terminal Servers.

-Eric

Hyper-V Remote Management Configuration Utility

This is an interesting little Hyper-V utility. HVRemote helps you to reduce manual configuration, you can use HVRemote to diagnose common configuration errors and configure all combinations of workgroup and domain joined clients and servers.

Supported Servers:

Windows Server 2008 SP1 with Hyper-V RTM update applied (KB950050), Core & Full installations

Windows Server 2008 SP2, Core & Full installations

Microsoft Hyper-V Server 2008 SP1 (already contains Hyper-V RTM update)

Microsoft Hyper-V Server 2008 SP2

Windows Server 2008 R2, Core & Full installations

Microsoft Hyper-V Server 2008 R2

Supported Clients:

Windows Vista Business, Enterprise and Ultimate x86 & x64, SP1 and SP2, with KB952627 applied

Windows 7 Professional, Enterprise and Ultimate x86 & x64 with RSAT installed and Hyper-V tools feature enabled

Windows Server 2008 SP1 with Hyper-V RTM update applied (KB950050), x86 and x64

Windows Server 2008 SP2 x86 and x64

Windows Server 2008 R2

You can download it from here, the same link will also give you an overview of commands you can use.

-Eric

How to change Central Admin Web site port (WSS 3.0)

There are few things you have to bear in mind if you plan to do this.

1. You have to be a member of SharePoint Farm Administrators group.
2. You can only change the Central Admin Website port using Stsadm command-line tool.

Stsadm tools location.
It is on the drive where SharePoint is installed, to go to the exact location, open a command line window and use the following command.

cd %CommonProgramFiles%\Microsoft Shared\Web Server Extensions\12\bin

To find out what is the current port number, use the following command.

stsadm –o getadminport

To change the port number, use the following command

stsadm –o setadminport –port <port> [-ssl] [-admapcreatenew] [-admapidname] <application pool name>

-Eric