RD Session Host Migration: Preparing to Migrate
Applies To: Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2008 R2
This topic contains instructions for preparing for the migration of the RD Session Host role service. It assumes that you are migrating a working deployment of RD Session Host servers or terminal servers, including dependencies.
Membership in the local Administrators group, or equivalent, on the RD Session Host server that you plan to configure, is the minimum required to complete this procedure. Review details about using the appropriate accounts and group memberships at Local and Domain Default Groups (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=83477).
Migrate the RD Session Host server or terminal server before the RD Web Access servers, RD Virtualization Host servers, and RD Connection Broker servers or TS Session Broker servers, if you are also migrating those role services.
Preparing to migrate the RD Session Host server or terminal server
To prepare to migrate the RD Session Host server or terminal server, see the following sections in the topic Remote Desktop Services Migration Overview: Preparing to Migrate:
Assign permissions required to migrate Remote Desktop Services
Prepare other computers (servers and clients) in the enterprise
Remote Desktop Services Migration Overview: Migrating Certificates
To continue preparing for the migration, see the following sections:
Backing up your servers
Gathering data from your source server
Preparing your destination server
Backing up your servers
The RD Session Host server and terminal server require backup of the registry on the source and destination servers. You can find more information in the section Preparing servers for migration in the topic Remote Desktop Services Migration Overview: Preparing to Migrate.
Although applications cannot be migrated or backed up with the steps in this document, you should record the settings for the applications that are installed on the RD Session Host server. You will need them if you choose to install those applications on the destination RD Session Host server.
Gathering data from your source server
Add the RD Session Host server or terminal server settings to the data collection worksheet in RD Session Host Migration: Appendix A: Migration Data Collection Worksheets. To gather data from your source server, see the following procedures:
Retrieve the RD Session Host server or terminal server name
Retrieve the licensing mode from the source server
Retrieve the Remote Desktop license servers
Retrieve the authentication method from the source server
Retrieve the client experience settings
Retrieve the setting for desktop composition
Retrieve the certificates configured for the RD Session Host server
Retrieve the TS Web Access Computers security group members
First, retrieve the RD Session Host server or terminal server name.
To retrieve the RD Session Host server or terminal server name
Log on to the RD Session Host server or terminal server as a member of the local Administrators group.
Click Start, right-click Computer, and then click Properties.
Under Computer name, domain, and workgroup settings, retrieve the name of the RD Session Host server and record it on the data worksheet.
Next, retrieve the licensing mode from the source server.
To retrieve the licensing mode on the RD Session Host source server
Log on to the RD Session Host server as a member of the local Administrators group.
Click Start, point to Administrative Tools, point to Remote Desktop Services, and then click Remote Desktop Session Host Configuration.
In the Remote Desktop Session Host Configuration dialog box, under the Licensing heading, record the value for Remote Desktop licensing mode on the data worksheet.
Next, retrieve the names of the Remote Desktop license servers.
To retrieve the Remote Desktop license servers for the RD Session Host server to use
Log on to the RD Session Host server as a member of the local Administrators group.
On the RD Session Host server, open Remote Desktop Session Host Configuration. To open Remote Desktop Session Host Configuration, click Start, point to Administrative Tools, point to Remote Desktop Services, and then click Remote Desktop Session Host Configuration.
If the User Account Control dialog box appears, confirm that the action it displays is what you want, and then click Yes.
In the Edit settings area, under the Licensing heading, double-click Remote Desktop license servers.
Record the license servers in the Specified licensing servers box, and then click Cancel.
Next, retrieve the authentication method and SSL certificate settings from the source server.
Note
Certificates settings are retrieved and recorded in the data worksheet although this guide does not migrate the RD Session Host server certificates. As with application settings, they should be added to the data worksheet so that they remain available when the applications and certificates are installed and configured.
To retrieve the authentication method and SSL certificate settings from the source server
Log on to the RD Session Host server as a member of the local Administrators group.
Click Start, point to Administrative Tools, point to Remote Desktop Services, and then click Remote Desktop Session Host Configuration.
In the Remote Desktop Session Host Configuration dialog box, under Connections, right click RDP-Tcp, and then click Properties.
On the General tab, retrieve the settings under Security.
Record the values selected for Security layer and Encryption level.
If the Allow connections only from computers running Remote Desktop with Network Level Authentication check box is selected, make a note of it in the data worksheet.
If the value for Certificate is Auto generated, make a note of it in the data worksheet. If there is a different value for Certificate, click Select, record the values for Signing as, Issued by, and Valid until, and then click Cancel twice.
Next, retrieve the client experience settings if you are migrating an RD Session Host server.
To retrieve the client experience settings
Log on to the RD Session Host server as a member of the local Administrators group.
Click Start, point to Administrative Tools, point to Remote Desktop Services, and then click Remote Desktop Session Host Configuration.
In the Remote Desktop Session Host Configuration dialog box, under Connections, right click RDP-Tcp, and then click Properties.
On the Client Settings tab, determine if the Audio and Video Playback and Audio Recording Redirection settings are in the list and whether they are selected. Make a note of this.
If Limit Maximum Color Depth is selected, make a note of it, and then click Cancel.
Next, retrieve the setting for desktop composition by using the Local Group Policy Editor.
To verify that the Allow desktop composition for remote desktop sessions policy setting is enabled
Open the Local Group Policy Editor. To open the Local Group Policy Editor, click Start, type gpedit.msc into the Search box, and then press ENTER.
Navigate to ComputerConfiguration\AdministrativeTemplates\WindowsComponents\Remote Desktop Services\Remote Desktop Session Host\Remote Session Environment.
Verify that the Allow desktop composition for remote desktop sessions policy setting is selected, and make a note of it in the data worksheet.
Note
Review the values for Limit Maximum Color Depth from Remote Desktop Session Host Configuration and Allow desktop composition for remote desktop sessions from the data worksheet. If they are both selected, Desktop Composition for Windows Aero support is enabled. Record this information in the data worksheet. If Desktop Composition for Windows Aero support is enabled on your source server, you can install it when you add the RD Session Host role service.
Finally, retrieve the TS Web Access Computers security group members.
To retrieve the TS Web Access Computers security group members
On the RD Session Host server, click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Computer Management.
In the left pane, expand Local Users and Groups, and then click Groups.
In the right pane, double-click TS Web Access Computers.
Record the names of the computers in the TS Web Access Computers security group on the data worksheet.
Preparing your destination server
On a server with Windows Server 2008 R2 installed, and which has not been joined to the domain, install the RD Session Host role service by using Server Manager. The destination server must have the same name from the source server to complete the migration. Refer to the data migration worksheet RD Session Host data collection worksheets.
To install the RD Session Host role service, log on as a member of the local Administrators group on the local computer and follow the steps in Install the RD Session Host Role Service and use the values in the data worksheet.
If you are planning to enable Windows 7 features on the RD Session Host server, for further instructions see Enable Windows 7 features on this RD Session Host server by Desktop Experience on the Installation Results page in the Resume Configuration Wizard.
Note