Windows Server 2012 - Virtual Desktop Infrastructure-Part-4

Select Remote Desktop Connection Broker:-

Select Remote Desktop Gateway & in add roles and features wizard select add features.

Next select Remote Desktop Session Host and click Add Features:-

Select Remote Desktop Virtualization Host and click Add Features:-

   

Select Remote Desktop Web Access and click next:-

Click Next:-

Click Next:-

Leave everything default & click next:-

Select the Check box & click on install:-

Read more about Remote desktop gateway and connection broker -

Remote Desktop Gateway (RD Gateway) and Remote Desktop Connection Broker (RD Connection Broker) are two essential components of the Remote Desktop Services (RDS) infrastructure in Windows Server. They play crucial roles in enabling users to securely connect to remote desktops and session-based desktops or virtual desktops (VDI). Let's understand each role in more detail:

Remote Desktop Gateway (RD Gateway):

RD Gateway is a server role that provides a secure remote access mechanism for users to connect to resources on an internal corporate or private network over the internet. Its primary purpose is to act as a gateway, allowing Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) traffic to traverse firewalls and network boundaries safely. Some key points about RD Gateway are:

1. Secure Remote Access: RD Gateway enables users to establish Remote Desktop connections to internal resources without the need for a Virtual Private Network (VPN). This helps in enhancing security and simplifying the remote access process.

2. Encrypted Communication: RD Gateway uses the Remote Desktop Gateway Protocol (RDG) to encrypt RDP traffic, ensuring that sensitive data remains protected during transmission.

3. Network Level Authentication (NLA): RD Gateway supports Network Level Authentication, which means users have to authenticate before making a connection. This adds an extra layer of security by preventing unauthorized access attempts.

4. Load Balancing: RD Gateway can be deployed in a farm and load-balanced to provide high availability and scalability.

5. Firewall Traversal: It allows RDP traffic to pass through firewalls and proxy servers, making it easier to connect to internal resources securely from external networks.

Remote Desktop Connection Broker (RD Connection Broker):

RD Connection Broker is a server role that plays a critical role in a Remote Desktop Services deployment with multiple servers, especially in session-based desktop or virtual desktop infrastructure scenarios. Its main responsibilities include:

1. Session Load Balancing: RD Connection Broker balances the load across multiple servers in a session-based desktop deployment. It ensures that users are connected to the appropriate server to maintain session continuity and optimal resource utilization.

2. Virtual Desktop Pooling: In a Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) environment, RD Connection Broker manages the pool of virtual desktops, allowing users to connect to available virtual machines based on load balancing algorithms.

3. Session Reconnection: RD Connection Broker enables users to reconnect to their existing sessions if they get disconnected or log off, ensuring a seamless user experience.

4. High Availability: RD Connection Broker supports High Availability (HA) deployment using Failover Clustering to provide continuous service availability in case of server failures.

5. User-assignment Redirection: It tracks user sessions and ensures that users are always redirected to their initial session host, making it possible to maintain user settings and data across sessions.

In summary, RD Gateway facilitates secure remote access to internal resources, while RD Connection Broker ensures efficient load balancing and management of user sessions in an RDS deployment. Both roles are integral components of a well-functioning Remote Desktop Services infrastructure.