Remote Desktop Service (RDS), formerly known as Terminal Services, is part of Windows Client and Server that allows users to access a session or application on a remote computer over the network using the Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP). The remote computer can be a Windows client (virtual or physical) or Windows Server running Remote Desktop Session Host role service.



RDS depends on 6 role services, described and graphically shown below:
  • 2 RD Web Access aggregates the resources from RD Session Host farms, individual servers, and VM pools to display in a browser or in Windows 7 Start menu. This content is filtered by user permissions.
  • 3 RD Gateway makes it possible to securely use RDP over the Internet
  • 4 RD Connection Broker brokers connections to the right RD Session Host server or VM, depending on load balancing and whether the user with the incoming request already has a session.
  • 5 RD Licensing manages the licenses for accessing the sessions and VMs
  • 6 RD Session Host (formerly known as a terminal server) delivers session-based desktops and RemoteApps.
  • 7 RD Virtualization Host delivers VMs



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