Top 5 Reasons to Upgrade

Top 5 Reasons to Upgrade

Microsoft Corporation

Published: March 2009

Abstract

Windows Server 2008® R2 considerably improves the set of tools to accelerate and extend desktop and application deployments to any device. In addition to the traditional presentation virtualization scenario, which Terminal Services has enabled for many years, this new version of the operating system will expand its role to provide an extensible platform for a Virtual Desktop Infrastructure, also known as VDI. VDI is a centralized desktop delivery architecture which allows customers to centralize the storage, execution and management of a Windows desktop in the data center. It enables Windows Vista Enterprise and other desktop environments to run and be managed in virtual machines on a centralized server.

This document presents the top five technology reasons why customers should consider upgrading to Windows Server 2008 R2, and includes details on each of the features described.

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Top 5 Reasons to Upgrade

1.Integration with VDI

Windows Server 2008R2 considerably improves the platform and toolsetfor accelerating and extending desktop and application deployments to any device. In addition to the traditional presentation virtualization scenario, which Terminal Services has enabled for many years, this new version of the operating system will expand its role to provide an extensible platform for, and integrate with,a Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI). VDI is a centralized desktop delivery architecture which allows customers to centralize the storage, execution and management of a Windows desktop in the data center. It enables Windows Vista Enterprise and other desktop environments to run and be managed in virtual machines on a centralized server.

2.Improved User Experience

We are announcing new and exciting user experience enhancements in Windows Server 2008 R2 in combination with Windows 7 Enterprise & Ultimate Editions. These new Remote Desktop Services and RDP capabilities significantly improve the experience of remote users, bringing the experience closer to the experience enjoyed by users accessing local computing resources.

3.Simplified Publishing and Access

The new RemoteAppDesktop Connections feature provides a set of resources, such as RemoteApp programs and Remote Desktops. These connections are easy to set up and automatically kept upto date so the user always has access to the latest applications that their administrator makes available. The new RemoteApp & Desktop Web Access provides the ability to see the same application and desktop icons connect to remote program and desktop resources from Windows Vista & Windows XP, in addition to Windows 7.

4.Improved Configuration, Management, Security and Control

Remote Desktops Services in Windows Server 2008 R2 focuses on improving management for all the existing session-based remote desktop scenarios delivered previously in Terminal Services, and the exciting new virtual machine-based scenarios in Remote Desktop Services; additionally we have added features to help improve application compatibility such as the new MSI Installer compatibility.

5.Better Platform for Partner Innovation

Remote Desktop Services in Windows Server 2008 R2 provides an expanded set of opportunities for partners to create new value added services and solutions through new features, new APIs and documentation.

Summary

VDI integration, improved user experience, simplified publishing and access, as well as an improved platform for configuration, management, security/control and for partner innovations all represent excellent reasons to upgrade to Windows Server 2008 R2. And when you upgrade from Windows Server 2008, your Windows Server 2008 TS-CALs will continue to work in R2.

Features in Detail

Integration with VDI

Windows Server 2008 R2 includes aRemote Desktop Connection Broker, which extends the Session Broker capabilities already found in Windows Server 2008, and creates a unified admin experience for traditional session-based remote desktops and (new) virtual machine-based remote desktops. The two key deployment scenarios supported by the Remote Desktop Connection Broker are persistent (permanent) VMs and pooled VMs. In the case of a persistent VM, there is a one-to-one mapping of VMs to users; each user is assigned a dedicated VM which can be personalized and customized, and which preserves any changes made by the user. Today, most early adopters of VDI deploy persistent VMs as they provide the greatest flexibility to the end user. In the case of a pooled VM, a single image is replicated as needed for users; user state can be stored via profiles and folder redirection, but will not persist on the VM once the user logs off. In either case, the in-box solution supports storage of the image(s) on the Hyper-V host.

The Remote Desktop Connection Broker has been designed as an extensible platform for partners; it includes extensive APIs for partner value-add around manageability and scalability of the brokering solution. Specifically, extensibility points include the ability for partners to create policy plug-ins (e.g. for determining the appropriate VM or VM pool), filter plug-ins (e.g. for preparing a VM to accept RDP connections) and resource plug-ins (e.g. for placing a VM on the proper host based on the host’s load).

Improved User Experience

Multimedia Redirection – Provides high quality multimedia by redirecting multimedia files and streams so that audio and video content is sent in its original format from the server to the client and rendered using the clients’ local media playback capabilities.

True multiple monitor support – enables support for upto 10 monitors in almost any size, resolution or layout with RemoteApp and Remote desktop; applications will behave just like they do when running locally.

Audio Input & Recording - Supports any microphone connected to users local machine, enables audio recording support for RemoteApp and Remote Desktop, great for VoIP scenarios & enables speech recognition for Remote Desktop Services.

Aero Glass support - provides users with the ability to use AeroGlass for Remote Desktop Server; ensuring that remote desktop sessions look and feel like local desktop sessions

Direct X redirection – For DirectX 9, 10 & 11 applications will render on the server and will be remoted using bitmaps (required direct3D hardware). If the application supports the new DirectX 10.1 API with remoting extensions the DirectX (2D& 3D)graphics are redirected to the local client to harness the power of the GPU on the users local device, removing the need for a GPU on the server

Improved audio / video synchronization - RDP improvements in Windows Server 2008 R2 are designed to provide closer synchronization of audio video in most scenarios.

Language Bar Redirection –easily & seamlessly control the language setting (e.g. right to left) for you RemoteApp programs using the local language bar (great for Japanese etc)

Task Scheduler – add the ability in Task Scheduler to ensure scheduled applications never appear to users connecting with RemoteApp – for example Server Manager; this reduces user confusion.

Simplified Publishing and Access

RemoteApp & Desktop Connections control panel - a user can easily connect to RemoteApp programs and Remote Desktops using the RemoteApp & Desktop Connections feature

Seamless integration with Windows 7 – RemoteApp programs & remote desktops show up in the Start Menu; a new System Tray icon shows connectivity status to all of the connections the user has

Single administrative infrastructure - both RemoteApp & Desktop Connections and RemoteApp & Desktop Web Access (previously called TS Web Access); RemoteApp & Desktop Web Access ensures that connections can still be used from XP and Vista by using a web page

Designed for managed & unmanaged computers - Easy to configure and use from both managed and unmanaged (not connected to Active Directory) computers.

Always up to date – Once a workspace is set up the workspace keeps itself up to date until it is removed; when an admin adds an application it automatically appears on the start-menu & in the Web Access page

Single sign-on experience within a workspace – ensures that only a single logon is required to access all applications and resources with a RemoteApp & Desktop connection

RemoteApp & Desktop Web Access - provides integration with RemoteApp & Desktop Connections to ensure a consistent list of applications is available to the user at all times, irrespective of the desktop OS used. The default web page provides a fresh and inviting look and feel and includes a new, web-based login with integrated single sign-on.

Improved Configuration, Management, Security and Control

Remote Desktop Gateway –Remote Desktop Gateway (RDGateway) securely provides access to remote program and desktop resources from the Internet without the need for opening additional ports or the use of a VPN. RDGateway provides this by tunneling RDP over HTTPS and incorporating many security conscious features; in addition to the features from previous releases we have added:

Silent Session Re-authentication - The Gateway administrator can now configure the TS Gateway to run periodic user authentication & authorization on all live connections. This ensures that any changes to users profiles are enforced. For users whose profiles haven’t changed, the experience is seamless.

Secure Device Redirection - The Gateway Administrator can be assured that his device redirection settings are always enforced even from unmanaged clients like kiosks

Pluggable Authentication – Corporations that have specific need to implement their own authentication & authorization technologies now have the flexibility to plugin their preferred authentication/authorization mechanisms on the Remote Desktop Gateway.

IdleSessionTimeout –Administrators now have the flexibility of disconnecting idle sessions or limiting how long users can be connected.

Consent Signing – If your business demands that remote users adhere to legal terms & conditions before accessing corporate resources, the consent signing feature helps you do just that.

Administrative Messaging - The Gateway provides the flexibility to provide broadcast messages to Gateway users before launching any Administration activities such as maintenance or upgrades.

RDS Powershell Provider –Easily manage multiple sever and repetitive tasks - almost all Remote Desktop Services administrative tasks can now be scripted; view and edit configuration settings for RD Gateway, Remote Desktop Server and more.

Profile Improvements–The user profile cache quota removes the need to delete profiles at logoff speeding up user logon and prevents server downtime caused by disk space exhaustion due to user profile bloat. Group policy caching can now be performed across a TS Farm to speed up group policy processing during logon

Microsoft Installer (MSI) compatibility – We have fixed multiple MSI related issues with Remote Desktop Server to ensure that MSI install packages can be installed normally, that per-user install settings are correctly propagated and removed the need to put the server in ‘install mode’, meaning users no longer need to be logged off.

Optimization of Systems Resources – improvements in the Windows Kernel specifically designed for RDS ensure that fair share scheduling of CPU between users always occur. This ensure one user cannot adversely impact another.

TS Licensing - Improved reliability and predictability of TS License Server and TS CAL usage & Support for automatic TS CAL migration and TS CAL recovery

Better Platform for Partner Innovation

RemoteApp& Desktop Web Access Customization – it is now possible to easily extend the look and feel of web access by both customers and partners using support for cascading style sheets. It is possible to host the the webpart sharepoint. It is also possible to create custom websites that consume the RemoteApp & Desktop Connection XML feed and transform these with XSLT.

RemoteApp & Desktop Connection – Whilst RAD connections are currently only used for Remote Desktop Services is it is possible to extend both the server side infrastructure and Windows 7 client shell to add support for any type of applications or service – even ones that don’t use RDP or any remoting protocols. This provides a single UI and point of discoverability for any service.

Session broker extensibility - The session broker offers broad extensibility to enable customers and ISV to take advantage of the built in RDP redirection features whilst providing significant additional unique value through the various types of plug-ins; for example:

• Policy (policy plug-in) – determining proper farm or VM for a connection
• Load Balancing (filter plug-in) – Choosing the proper endpoint based on load
• Orchestration (filter plug-in) – Preparing a VM to Accept RDP connections
• Placement (resource plug-in) – Locating the proper VM and placing it on the proper VM Host