Terminal Server Versus Remote Desktop

[David Owens]

I connected a remote office to the main office
over a VPN. The main office had an Active Directory
domain and 6 client machines. The remote office
has 2 XP Pro client machines in a workgroup.

I need for the 2 machines at the remote office
to be able to run an application at the main office
over the VPN. Should I configure a Win2K Server
machine to run Terminal Service, or could I let each
remote user run in a Remote Desktop on an XP Pro
machine at the main office? There would be a locally
logged on user on each XP Pro machine at the main
office.

 

[Bill Sanderson]

Neither choice is easy or simple.

Remote desktop on XP Pro does not work the same way as Terminal
Services---you cannot have a local console user logged into the XP Pro
machine at the same time as it is being used by a Remote Desktop user.

Terminal Services involves significant effort in specing server hardware,
working out licensing details, and installing the apps properly. There are
security risks as well, if the server has other functions.