Activation TS on a W2K file and print server

[Penny Wheeler]

I am currently checking out TS as a solution to a problem
we have with access from a remote site. These remote PCs
connect to an ERP system hosted on our site (on a W2K DC)
but response times are slow, so I wanted to check out TS
as a solution.
I have a member server in our W2K domain which is
currently a file and print server. It also runs antivirus
and backup applications and currently has TS installed in
Administration mode. I have been told that I can just
switch this server into TS Application mode and use it to
test whether our remote PCs can connect to the ERP
application via TS.
I got so far with this - Add/remove programs, TS, switch
to Application mode, when it said that all programs
currently installed would need to be reinstalled after the
switch to enable them to run properly with TS. So I got
cold feet and backed out.
My questions are:
Does a server configured for TS application mode only
fulfil this role or can it still be used in it's original
role alonside TS? eg. will the server still run its other
applications as normal but run TS when a user connects to
it from a TS client PC?
If I can run the 2 roles on the same server will it do any
damage to existing apps to make the switch from TS admin
to TS app mode?
Can I have TS running on one server to access an app
running on another server, or do TS and the app have to be
installed on the same server?

I only want to check this out initially and do some
testing so don't want to spend any money yet on kit until
I've proved its worth, and this seemed a good way to do it
if its possible.
I hope someone can help.
Regards
Penny Wheeler
IT Manager
Labone Precision
UK

 

[Guest]

First let me start by saying that you should install
Terminal Services on a different non-production server if
all you are going to do is test it and prove it's worth.
If at any point you decide to go ahead with it then you
will be able to either keep this server in place or make
the switch on your other server. Now for your
questions...
1. Yes the server will be able to run other applications
and perform other roles in your network. The reason that
you were asked to re-install the applications was that
applications are installed differently when installed on
a Terminal Server. They are essentially installed so
that if I were to make changes to the settings in Office
while on the server that the changes I made will not
effect any other user's settings. And so on and so on.
2. I'm not sure because I don't know what applications
are running on the server. My advice would be to either
install a testing only server and/or a TS only server.
If you are unable to do so then I would check with both
your application vendor as well as Microsoft's website to
check compatiblity with Terminal Server.
3. This again depends on the application that you want to
provide. If you can connect to the exe on the server
from a UNC path then it has been my experience that you
don't have to install the application locally. I have 2
servers running in my network and both have applications
running both ways. I have found installing the
application locally to be beneficial though.

Hope this helps.

DLB