Deploy a Windows Server application server

Windows Server deployment

• The RemoteApp service is not supported on Windows Server 2000/2003. We recommend that you use Windows Server 2016, Windows Server 2019, or Windows Server 2022.

• The Windows Server can be a physical machine or a virtual machine.

• Application management and maintenance relies on Remote Desktop Services (RDS). The service has a default trial period of 120 days. After the trial period expires, you must activate Remote Desktop Licensing to continue using the service.

  Warning

  Remote Desktop Services (RDS) has a free trial period. After the trial period expires, application management and maintenance features become unavailable. To use the service long-term, you must purchase a Client Access License (CAL) from Microsoft and activate Remote Desktop Licensing on the application server.

  The following describes the use cases for each CAL type:

  • Per Device CAL: Purchase licenses based on the maximum number of concurrent connections for application management and maintenance. One O&M connection requires one license. We recommend this license type because the number of concurrent users is typically smaller than the total number of O&M personnel.

  • Per User CAL: Purchase licenses based on the number of O&M users who require application management and maintenance. One user requires one license. This type is suitable for scenarios in which the number of concurrent O&M users is the same as the total number of O&M personnel.

Recommended application server configuration

RemoteApp

RemoteApp, a feature integrated into Windows Server since 2008, allows users to access remote applications and desktops. With RemoteApp, users can run applications published on a remote server without installing them locally. Managing applications with Bastionhost requires logging on to the application server and launching a client on that server. This process depends on RemoteApp.

Step 1: Create an AD domain

1. Log on to the Windows Server 2019 server.

   If you use an ECS instance, you can connect to it in multiple ways. For more information, see Select an ECS remote connection method.

2. Click the Start icon, select Server Manager, and on the Dashboard page, click Add roles and features.

3. Follow the wizard and keep the default settings unless otherwise specified.

   • Installation Type: Select Role-based or feature-based installation.

   • Server Roles: Select Active Directory Domain Services.

   • Features: Select .NET Framework 3.5 Features and .NET Framework 4.7 Features.

4. After the features are installed, restart the server.

Step 2: Promote to a domain controller

1. On the Dashboard page, click Promote this server to a domain controller.

2. Follow the wizard and keep the default settings unless otherwise specified.

   • Deployment Configuration: Specify a root domain name, such asexample.com.

   • Domain Controller Options: Enter a password for Directory Services Restore Mode (DSRM). The password must contain uppercase and lowercase letters, digits, and symbols.

   • DNS Options: Ignore the warning and click Next.

3. After the installation is complete, restart the server. After the restart, check whether the server is in the domain.

   On the System Properties page, check that the domain field displays example.com. This indicates that the server has successfully joined the domain.

Step 3: Install Remote Desktop Services (RDS)

1. Log on to the server using a domain account or the Administrator account.

   If the domain isexample.com, the domain account isexample. The password is the same as the password of the Administrator account.

2. Click the Start icon, select Server Manager, and on the Dashboard page, click Add roles and features.

3. Follow the wizard and keep the default settings unless otherwise specified.

   • Server Roles: Select Remote Desktop Services.

   • Role Services: Select Remote Desktop Session Host and Remote Desktop Licensing.

     Make sure that Remote Desktop Web Access is also selected.

   • Confirmation: Select Restart the destination server automatically if required.

Step 4: Install the RemoteApp service

1. Log on to the server using a domain account or the Administrator account.

   If the domain isexample.com, the domain account isexample. The password is the same as the password of the Administrator account.

2. Click the Start icon, select Server Manager, and on the Dashboard page, click Add roles and features.

3. Follow the wizard and keep the default settings unless otherwise specified.

   • Installation Type: Select Remote Desktop Services installation.

   • Deployment Type: Select Quick Start.

   • Deployment Scenario: Select Session-based desktop deployment.

   • Server Selection: Select the destination server and click Next.

     If a compatibility error occurs, run theEnable-PSRemotingcommand in Windows PowerShell as an administrator. After the command runs, return to the server selection page and click Next.

     PS C:\Users\Administrator> Enable-PSRemoting
     WinRM has been updated for remote management.
     WinRM is configured to receive requests on this computer.
     Created a WinRM listener on HTTP://* to accept WS-Man requests to any IP on this machine.
     PS C:\Users\Administrator>

   • On the Confirmation page, select Restart the destination server automatically if required (R). This action deploys the RD Connection Broker and RD Web Access role services on the server.

   • After the deployment is successful:

     The deployment progress page shows that the Remote Desktop Services role services, session collection, and RemoteApp programs are successfully deployed. The bottom of the page displays the access URL for the RD Web Access site.

Step 5: Adjust application server policies