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Dai
Asked: 2013-10-29 17:33:09 +0800 CST

How to enable the 2 concurrent (+1 console) sessions on Windows Server 2012

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I have a Windows Server 2012 VM running on Windows Azure.

I want to enable the ability for 2 simultaneous administrative sessions over Remote Desktop. This is permitted under the EULA for Windows Server 2012. This is not the same thing as the fully-blown Terminal Services (Remote Desktop Services) feature.

In Windows Server 2000 and 2003, multiple concurrent sessions (up to a limit of 2, plus the root /console session) were enabled by default (such that logging-in via RDP without logging-out first would create a new session rather than reconnecting to the old session). In Server 2008 and later it uses single-sessions by default, as this simplifies administration (as most people want to connect to old sessions).

In Windows Server 2008 R2, you can add the MMC snap-ins for Remote Desktop Host Configuration which allows you to re-enable concurrent sessions.

However, in Server 2012, after adding the Remote Administration snap-ins from Server Manager it seems the Remote Desktop Host Configuration snap-in has been removed.

How can I re-enable the multiple concurrent sessions for Remote Desktop for Administration in Windows Server 2012?

remote-desktop

3 Answers

  1. Best Answer

    There is no more /console RDP switch since Windows Vista.

    Yes, the Remote Desktop Services mmc snapins that you were used to in 2008 have been removed.

    A Windows license grants you two "administrative" simultaneous remote desktop sessions before you need to install the Remote Desktop Services role with CALs. There is no "2 administrative connections +1 console (which would make 3 simultaneous interactive sessions)" though. It's just two. You can use the /admin switch with the Remote Desktop Client to avoid using up CALs when the RDS Session Host role is installed, but you can only have two admin connections at a time regardless.

    From this Microsoft article which does a great job of explaining:

    At any point in time, there can be two active remote administration sessions. To start a remote administration session, you must be a member of the Administrators group on the server to which you are connecting.

    To RDP to a Windows Server 2012 VM hosted on Azure, you need to ensure that you have opened the endpoint in the Azure portal (think of it like a firewall ACL) in Azure, and also make sure RDP (port 3389-in) is allowed through the Windows Firewall as well. Then you need to make sure you're logging in with a user account who has 'Remote Desktop Users' privileges or better.

    Next, disable the setting Restrict Remote Desktop Services users to a single Remote Desktop Services session by using the Group Policy Object Editor MMC-snapin to edit your Local Policy.

    It's under Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Remote Desktop Services > Remote Desktop Session Host > Connections.

    Run gpupdate after you make changes to the policy to apply them immediately.

    I have a Server 2012 VM hosted on Azure, and I just followed the above steps, and now I am logged in twice, interactively, as the same user.

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  2. I might be mistaken, but if you enable remote desktop under system properties, select the users allowed to RDP in, that should be all you need to do... R-Click computer->Properties->Remote Settings->Remote Desktop->Allow remote connections to this computer.....

    Or did I miss what you were asking about? FWIW, I have the Remote Admin tools feature on my 2012 servers and did the above and it works like you are asking.

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  3. Furthermore, if you do want to install Remote Desktop Management Services you cannot connect to a licensing server unless your server is a member of an active domain. You can no longer run RDS (TS) service and connect to a licensing server if your server is a standalone workgroup machine. You must run AD.

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