To setup and install Azure RDS, the quickest and easiest way, is to use our Azure RDS deployment template that fully sets up a remote desktop services 2019 farm. Deploys Azure RDS VDI environment running on Windows Server 2019. The perfect solution to setup a basic RDS farm in Azure as a Windows virtual desktop infrastructure service solution (VDI,VDS). Great for testing or a production environment. Scale from 1 RDS Host to 50 RDS Hosts and automate the creation of a new Active Directory domain (Choose to deploy Windows Server 2016 or 2019 domain controllers). Ideal solution for virtual desktops in the cloud. Enable remote working for your users.
Azure RDS Farm
Azure RDS Benefits
Azure Remote Desktop Services (RDS) is the platform of choice for building cloud VDI solutions for every end customer need, including delivering individual virtualized applications, providing secure mobile and remote desktop access, and providing end users the ability to run their applications, services and desktops from the cloud (Azure).
RDS in Azure provides cost efficiency, flexibility, secure remote access and a scalable remote working desktop solution. Enable users with a full desktop experience with all your applications that you install and manage who has access. Once set up, you can connect to the published desktops and applications from various platforms and devices, using the Microsoft Remote Desktop apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android.
Features
The following Azure components are deployed as part of this solution:
- Builds a new Active Directory 2019 Windows Domain
- Choose your own AD Domain name
- Creates the following Azure resources
- Virtual Network and Subnet
- External RDS Web URL
- Azure load balancer for RDS Hosts
- Public IP for load balancers
- Network Security Group (NSG) for security for Virtual Machines
- Azure Availability sets for all VMs
- Deploy as many Remote Desktop Services hosts as needed. From 1 upto 50 RDS Hosts
- Automates the creation of RDS in Azure
- Gateway/RDWeb VM
- RDS Broker VM
- RDS Host VMs
- Azure RDS Setup and Support
Getting Started with Azure RDS Farm
Table of Contents
Post Deployment Configuration / RDS Setup
After deploying RDS in Azure, there are some post configuration steps in order to allow users to start logging in.
First is to confirm the deployment has completed successfully. It normally takes just over an hour to complete the installation, depending on how many RDS Hosts were selected during the deployment.
Within Azure navigate to the Resource Group the RDS 2019 farm was deployed to and click on ‘deployments‘
To get the RDS web URL address, if you click on cloud-infrastructure-services.rds-2019-basic-depl and then click on Output, you will find the URL to login to your RDS desktop collection.
Azure RDS Post Deployment Powershell Script
Azure Remote Desktop Services Farm Certificates
If you are going to run a Remote Desktop Services farm in a production environment, its recommended to use either an externally purchased SSL trusted root certificate or use an internal PKI cert if you have a root certificate server. This way all users connecting will have a trusted cert in their local computer store. You can however also use self signed RD Gateway certificate that was generated during the deployment and use a GPO from your Active Directory domain to deploy the certificates to users local certificate store (not recommended for production sensitive environments).
Manage the RDS in Azure Deployment Using Server Manager
To view and manage Remote Desktop Services from Server Manager we recommend that you remotely connect to the RD Connection Broker server and open Server Manager.
This can be done by running mstsc.exe (RDP client), entering the name of the connection Broker server name and log on using the domain administrator credentials. Once logged onto the RD Connection Broker server, launch Server Manager, select Manage and Add servers . In the Add servers dialog select Find now , select all of the servers (‘RDSbroker’, ‘RDSgateway’, and all the RD Session Host servers), and select OK. Next select Remote Desktop Services in Server Manager and you will see something similar:
Now you could add more users to your AD, configure Gateway and Single-Sign-On (SSO) certificates, and have the new users connect and use your new Remote Desktop Services deployment running in Azure.
Manage Remote Desktop Collection Users
It’s recommended to create an AD group and put users into this group who will require access to the Azure RDS farm.
Once you’ve created the users and groups in Active Directory, you can add some granularity regarding who has access to the Remote Desktop collections in your deployment.
- Connect to the server running the Remote Desktop Connection Broker (RD Connection Broker) role.
- Add the other Remote Desktop servers to the RD Connection Broker’s pool of managed servers (if not already done):
- In Server Manager click Manage > Add Servers.
- Click Find Now.
- Click each server in your deployment that is running a Remote Desktop Services role, and then click OK.
3. Edit a collection to assign access to specific users or groups:
- In Server Manager click Remote Desktop Services > Overview, and then click a specific collection (Desktop Collection).
- Under Properties, click Tasks > Edit properties.
- Click User groups.
- Click Add and enter the user or group that you want to have access to the collection. You can also remove users and groups from this window by selecting the user or group you want to remove, and then clicking Remove.
Licencing Azure RDS Farm
The Azure RDS Farm deployment comes installed with a 120 grace period. After this time you will have to purchase a licence in order for users to connect. This RDS deployment is configured with Per User CALs.
Activate the license server
Login to the RDS Broker server.
- Open the Remote Desktop Licensing Manager: click Start > Administrative Tools > Remote Desktop Services > Remote Desktop Licensing Manager.
- Right-click the license server, and then click Activate Server.
- Click Next on the welcome page.
- For the connection method, select Automatic connection (recommended), and then click Next.
- Enter your company information (your name, the company name, your geographic region), and then click Next.
- Optionally enter any other company information (for example, email and company addresses), and then click Next.
- Make sure that Start Install Licenses Wizard now is not selected (we’ll install the licenses in a later step), and then click Next.
Your license server is now ready to start issuing and managing licenses for upto 120 days as part of Microsoft’s grace period.
Install RDS CAL Licences
If you have purchased CAL licences for your RDS deployment, these are the steps to add the licence to your Licence server (required before the 120 grace period).
Login to your RDS Broker server.
Once the CALs are installed, the license server will issue them to users as appropriate.
Note: You need Internet connectivity on the computer running Remote Desktop Licensing Manager but not on the computer running the license server.
- On the license server (The first RD Connection Broker), open the Remote Desktop Licensing Manager.
- Right-click the license server, and then click Install licenses.
- Click Next on the welcome page.
- Select the program you purchased your RDS CALs from, and then click Next. If you are a service provider, select Service Provider License Agreement.
- Enter the information for your license program. In most cases, this will be the license code or an agreement number, but this varies depending on the license program you’re using.
- Click Next.
- Select the product version, license type, and number of licenses for your environment, and then click Next. The license manager contacts the Microsoft Clearinghouse to validate and retrieve your licenses.
- Click Finish to complete the process.
Azure RDS Firewall Ports
As part of the Azure RDS deployment, an NSG is created and the following firewall ports are configured to allow access to the RDS Gateway server via an Azure Load Balancer:
- 443
- 3391
- 3389
To setup Azure firewall rules refer to – Azure Network Security Groups
RDS in Azure Support
If you have any questions about the setup of our Azure RDS Deployment solution, leave your comments below and we will reply within 24 hours.
Can this be used to access External Resources? By external i mean that i want to be able to connect from my PC through the RDS GW using RDP to a Internet IP.
Yes you can access your internal network from the Internet and vice versa.