Server 2019 Terminal Server configuration in the cloud

Question

Good afternoon,

I have a question about setting up a MS Server 2019 environment in the cloud(AWS). Hopefully someone with more experience can give me some direction.
My plan is to stand up a domain controller to host active directory and the local domain. Next I would like to stand up a RDS server. This server should allow for 15 concurrent users to RDP to the server. The RDS server should also be able to run Quickbooks server software and Microsoft office products for the remote users.
My question is more regarding the RD Gateway, RD Licensing, and RD Web servers. I don’t want to build these if I don’t have to. I wanted to configure a virtual firewall for the AWS environment. This way users are able to connect the the VPN hosted on the virtual firewall then RDP to the RDS server once they are on the network.
Is this possible? Can I install CALs on the RDS server and not need the other servers mentioned above. RD Web, RD Gateway etc..
Once the users are on the same network as the RDS server, via the vpn from the virtual firewall appliance, there should be no need for the other servers. Is this correct? Can I just install CAL’s on the RDS server and have users login via RDP?

Thanks for your input!

Answer 1

Hi,

Good afternoon and Thank you for asking this question on the Microsoft Q&A Platform.

I think yes you can get away without the other servers and roles as you are trying to deploy a app and only for handful of users, basically you can install the RDS session host server and licensing on the same server or on the Domain Controller if you are short of resources and design your solution.

The Remote Desktop Session Host (RD Session Host) holds the session-based apps and desktops you share with users. Users get to these desktops and apps through one of the Remote Desktop clients that run on Windows, MacOS, iOS, and Android.You can organize desktops and apps into one or more RD Session Host servers, called "collections." You can customize these collections for specific groups of users .

In short the other server roles are:

• Remote Desktop Web Access (RD Web Access) lets users access desktops and applications through a web portal and launches them through the device's native Microsoft Remote Desktop client application
• Remote Desktop Gateway (RD Gateway) grants users on public networks access to Windows desktops and applications .
• Activated Remote Desktop Licensing (RD Licensing) servers let users connect to the RD Session Host servers hosting the tenant's desktops and apps.

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