By Kalman Toth, M.Phil., M.Phil., MCDBA

February 8, 2005

Microsoft Terminal Services is a component of the Windows® 2000 Server and newer Windows Server operating system versions that delivers the Windows 2000 desktop and the latest Windows-based applications to a wide variety of desktops, including those that normally would not be able to run Windows or just would be able to run less capable version of Windows.

Terminal Services can be used to manage SQL and other servers, workstations remotely through high-speed Internet connection. Once you establish a Terminal Services session, within the window it’s like being there. While it works at low speeds, it is very difficult to use it because one gets disoriented due to lack of immediate feedback.

Basically Terminal Services is a way to allow one or more individuals to share a single computer or access servers hundreds of miles away. Your own personal workstation acts like "dumb terminal" providing a display screen, keyboard and mouse. You are presented with a regular Microsoft Windows desktop, and you simply do your work, running Enterprise Manager, some other application software or Windows functions. From your point of view, there is very little difference between running applications on your desktop and running Terminal Server. Almost everything pretty much looks, feels and acts the same.

Typical usage: to manage your workstation at work from home. Once you establish connection, it is like being there. There are only a few key combinations you have to be cognizant of, such as alt-ctrl-del, which works on the computer you are “dialing in” from, not on the target server or workstation. It is pretty easy to get used to. To get to the Task Manager, you have to right click on the Start menu bar.

You can also manage servers thousands of miles away. The only thing to avoid is shutdown. If you do that, you have to call somebody to flip the switch back. Restart on the other hand works automatically. Once the server is back you can establish a Terminal Services session.

Terminal Services must be running on the host. Here is the online documentation link: http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/en/server/help/default.asp?url=/windows2000/en/server/help/ts_administration_topnode.htm .

Remote Desktop Connection on the client. These are free from Microsoft. There is a limit of two connections. This is the link to download Remote Desktop Connection: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/tools/rdclientdl.mspx .

Third parties do offer remote management products for Windows. They work on the same principle: you run the hosting software on the target, and the client software on the workstation you are working at.