Deploying Terminal Services
Deploying Terminal Services |
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A Windows 2000 server that is configured to run Terminal Services in Application Server mode provides multiple concurrent user connections to any number of applications.
It is recommended that applications be added or removed using the Add/Remove Programs function under Control Panel. This automatically manages the Terminal Services installation requirements. It is also possible to install the application directly, provided the server is put into Install mode through the command line using change user /install. The server can be taken out of Install mode with change user /execute.
These commands are not necessary when using Add/Remove Programs. Because there is always the possibility of error or omission using the command lines, installation through Add/Remove Programs is preferred. If an application is installed without using Add/Remove and without using the command line to set Install mode, the application has to be removed and reinstalled properly.
Only administrators are allowed to install application on a Terminal Services Application Server.
Deploying applications through Active Directory and Group Policy using Windows Installer is a very flexible application deployment method. It allows applications to be installed and managed in a number of different ways. The three main ways you can deploy applications using Windows Installer are:
Before an application can be installed using Windows Installer, an .msi installation package must be available for the application.
To deploy an application from a domain controller, a system administrator needs to assign a .msi-based application to a computer. Application servers cannot assign or publish applications to users.
Transform files are required if the original application installation package did not install all of the necessary components of the application to the local disk. Transform files allow you to select what, if anything, needs to be installed during the installation.
A system administrator can also install an application from a remote session or the console of an Application server. A typical installation is initiated using the following command:
Msiexec/I ApplicationName.MSITRANSFORMS=TransformFileName.MST ALLUSERS=1
The installation of an application in a multi-user environment is quite different from an installation to an individual user. Application server software installation must not jeopardize the system that is running, and the installation must be configured to allow concurrent users. For these reasons, only administrators can install applications, and users are not able to install anything.
It is the responsibility of the system administrator to decide which applications are needed and to ensure that applications are locally installed and available before allowing remote user connections.