Azure RDS deployment. To setup and install RDS in Azure, the quickest and easiest way, is to use our Azure RDS deployment template that fully sets up a remote desktop services on Windows Server 2022 or 2019. Deploys Azure RDS VDI environment running on Windows Server. 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. Ideal solution for virtual desktops in the cloud. Enable remote working for your users.
Azure RDS Farm
Deploy Azure RDS on Windows Server 2019
Deploy Azure RDS on Windows Server 2022
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).
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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:
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- Builds a new Active Directory 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.
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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.
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Within Azure navigate to the Resource Group the Azure RDS farm was deployed to and click on ‘deployments‘ under ‘Settings‘
To get the RDS web URL address, if you click on cloud-infrastructure-services.rds-2022Â or cloud-infrastructure-services.rds-2019-basic-depl depending on which version you’ve deployed and then click on Output, you will find the URL to login to your RDS desktop collection.
Make a note of your RDS fqdn and rdWebURL as you’ll use those later.
Manage the RDS in Azure Deployment Using Server Manager
RDP into RDS Gateway VM
As this deployment creates a new Active Directory domain, you can either add a new workstation to the newly created domain to manage your RDS deployment or you can RDP straight to the RDSGateway server public IP address or FQDN as per the deployment output.
Once you’ve logged into the RDSGateway, from there you’ll need to RDP into your RDSBroker. Open up remote desktop inside your RDSGateway VM and connect to your RDSBroker VM.
RDS Broker
Once logged into the RDS Broker, its time to confirm the configuration for your newly deployed RDS farm.
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:
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).
Configure RDS Certificates
Within Server Manager / Remote Desktop Services / Overview / Deployment Overview > Select Tasks > Edit Deployment Properties
In the deployment properties is where you can configure RD Gateway settings, RD Licensing, RD Web Access and most importantly the certificate that will be used in your RDS deployment.
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Click on Certificates and use your own certificate or create a new certificate. If you decide to create a new certificate make sure the ‘Certificate Name‘ matches the URL of your RDS deployment.
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Then apply this certificate to all servers used in your RDS farm and import this certificate to all users trusted root certificate store on their devices.
Notice in my example below, under certificate name i’ve put the URL of my RDS deployment. Save the certificate in a local folder and check box to allow certificate to be added to trusted root certification authorities.
For the remainder servers, select existing certificate and use the newly created certificate you created in the previous step.
Test RDWeb URL
Once you’ve completed importing the certificate to all your RDS servers, you’ll want to make sure this certificate is imported to all your users computers certificate stores under:
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Certificates – Local Computer\Personal\Certificates
Certificates – Local Computer\Trusted Root Certification Authorities\Certificates
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Once certificates are imported and users connect to your RDWeb URL they will securely connect without any SSL errors. If you do receive certificate error in your web browser, it will be related to your certificate. Go back and recheck:
Add RDS Session Hosts
Confirm all your RDS session hosts are added to the desktop collection pool. On your RDS Broker under Server Manager / Remote Desktop Services / Collections / Desktop Collection / Host Servers > Select Tasks / Add RDS Session Host Servers
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Select your RDS Session Hosts and add them to the deployment.
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.
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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.
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- 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.
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- 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.
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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).
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Login to your RDS Broker server.
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Once the CALs are installed, the license server will issue them to users as appropriate.
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Note:Â 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:
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- 443
- 3391
- 3389
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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.