Multiple Sessions?

[Guest]

Under Windows 2000 Server, Terminal Services gave me the ability to have
multiple user sessions; that is to say, my remote connection was distinct
from the actual local console session.

This does not appear to be the case with Windows XP Professional Remote
Desktop. So, the questions:

1) Am I missing something which will enable multi-session rDP?
2) If there is no multi-session rDP, does anyone know why we've taken a
step backwards?
3) Does anyone know if there are plans to make multi-session rDP function
in the future? If so, any idea when?

Many thanks!

- Steven K. Mariner

 

[beb]

This thread might answer some of your questions.

http://groups.google.com/group/micr...:Shenan+Stanley&rnum=2&hl=en#cc88b30dbd6a5850

Contacting Microsoft would be even better.

https://support.microsoft.com/common/survey.aspx?scid=sw;en;1214&showpage=1

 

[Guest]

Thank you for the pointers! The only thing left is whether or not MS has
plans to add this feature or not (the beta SP2 DLL suggests to me that it
might be coming in SP2; if so, Yippee!!), and I've take your suggestion and
filled out the MS inquiry form form your second link.

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

- Steve M.

 

[Gary Tsang]

Windows 2000 Server and Windows XP Pro are different level sku's
One is a server sku, and one is a client level sku.

It's not really a valid comparison.

 

[Shenan Stanley]

Under Windows 2000 Server, Terminal Services gave me the ability
to have multiple user sessions; that is to say, my remote
connection was distinct from the actual local console session.

This does not appear to be the case with Windows XP Professional
Remote Desktop. So, the questions:

1) Am I missing something which will enable multi-session rDP?
2) If there is no multi-session rDP, does anyone know why we've
taken a step backwards?
3) Does anyone know if there are plans to make multi-session rDP
function in the future? If so, any idea when?

This thread might answer some of your questions.
http://snipurl.com/l9p8

Contacting Microsoft would be even better.
https://support.microsoft.com/common/survey.aspx?scid=sw;en;1214&showpage=1

Thank you for the pointers! The only thing left is whether or not
MS has plans to add this feature or not (the beta SP2 DLL suggests
to me that it might be coming in SP2; if so, Yippee!!), and I've
take your suggestion and filled out the MS inquiry form form your
second link.

I just added this to the other discussion - and I believe it relevant here
as well..

(Also - please note that Service Pack 2 (SP2) was already released without
the feature over a year ago.. Maybe it will make a comeback in SP3 - but
maybe not.)

Would it be useful to be able to log concurrently into Windows XP?

Yes. Very much so - in reference to corporate admins and fixing things in
the background of their machine(s) or doing unique software installs
(without bothering the user) when a push situations wouldn't work (albeit
seldomly needed - but sometimes just faster in the short run.)


Could it have a use in the way you describe it? Not remotely logging into a
system, but in fact a concurrent logon to your own PC for administrative
purposes?


- As a software developer - I could see this being very useful. But "Switch
User" would work as well and is already part of the system. However, it
could be that the software developer is in a larger environment (domain) and
thus this option is not available - so again a viable option for testing and
tweaking.
- As a stand-alone user - I doubt this 'feature' would get used much - since
switch user is already available in all versions of XP not joined to a
domain.
- As a system administrator (large or small) - I could see the use remotely,
but as for one's own system - I still have trouble seeing the usefulness -
but arguments for and against can go both ways for this group - depending on
style of administration (GUI or command-line oriented.)


So if I was going to vote one way or another - perhaps a feature available
in the Professional editions but not the home (which is easily implemented
at this point, since Home does not have Remote Desktop anyway) and/or one
only available *if* "Fast User Switching" was turned off - such as would
occur in a domain environment.


Although the way I put it may seem restrictive - at least you know in that
way it would not be turned on "by accident" by "Joe Public" and thus a
possible source of future security issues. It also gives System
Administrators and software developers more options once in a domain
environment for managing their own and other systems.

 

[Guest]

Windows 2000 Server and Windows XP Pro are different level sku's
One is a server sku, and one is a client level sku.

While you make a valid point, it isn't relevant to the questions. The
thrust of the questions ask "Are there any plans to make this available in
the workstation product". The reference to Windows 2000 server is merely a
data point that Microsoft clearly has proven the technology which would be
needed to make the feature available. It HAPPENS to be in a server product
at present, but Microsoft clearly knows how to make it work in operating
systems.

And though they are different product lines, they ARE both operating systems.

It's not really a valid comparison.

I wasn't making a comparison, unless you are narrowly addressing the use of
the phrase "take a step backwards" (which, as noted above, was practically a
tangential point to the thrust of the question being asked).

But it IS a valid comparison -- they are both operating systems. And
furthermore, they are both operating systems written by Microsoft.

And let's be honest here -- it seems highly unlikely that Remote Desktop
Connection code was written completely from scratch; I find it highly likely
that code and experience from the writing of Terminal Services was "borrowed"
during the writing of RDC.

But if you want to harp about how servers and workstations are different, by
all means continue to debate that tangential point to your heart's content.

- Steven K. Mariner