Terminal Services, Part 1

Windows 2000 Server Terminal Services provides new possibilities for remote administration and user support, but also presents significant security risks. Offering the best of two worlds, Terminal Services gives you the graphical, interactive environment of PCs with the manageability and simplicity of a mainframe. When you install Terminal Services on a Windows 2000 system, users at other Win2K systems and at Windows NT, Windows 95, or even Windows 3.11 workstations can use the Terminal Services Client to connect to the Win2K system and open a remote desktop session. In the Terminal Services Client window, users see another desktop, which is actually executing on the remote Win2K system. Any applications that users run within that second desktop window are actually executing on the remote terminal server.

Because most Microsoft Management Consoles (MMCs) support remote functionality, you can already complete most administration tasks without being present at the actual server. Although performing Control Panel and Local Security Policy tasks work better if you are at the server's console, with Terminal Services you can fully administer a server thousands of miles away. You can even use Terminal Services from your Internet connection at home to handle those weekend server problems that occur at the office. Let's look at the steps involved in setting up Terminal Services for remote administration . . .