An RDS host is a server computer that hosts applications and desktop sessions for remote access. An RDS host can be a virtual machine or a physical server.

An RDS host has the Microsoft Remote Desktop Services role, the Microsoft Remote Desktop Session Host service, and Horizon Agent installed. Remote Desktop Services was previously known as Terminal Services. The Remote Desktop Session Host service allows a server to host applications and remote desktop sessions. With Horizon Agent installed on an RDS host, users can connect to applications and desktop sessions by using the display protocol PCoIP or Blast Extreme. Both protocols provide an optimized user experience for the delivery of remote content, including images, audio and video.

To set up an RDS host, you must complete the following tasks:

  1. Prepare Windows Server operating systems for RDS host use. See Prepare Windows Server Operating Systems for Remote Desktop Services (RDS) Host Use.
  2. Install Remote Desktop Services on Windows Server operating systems. See Install Remote Desktop Services on Windows Server 2012 R2, 2016, or 2019.
  3. Install desktop experience on Windows Server operating systems. See Install Desktop Experience on Windows Server 2012 R2, 2016, or 2019.
  4. Restrict users to a single session. See Restrict Users to a Single Session.
  5. Install Horizon Agent on an RDS host. See Install Horizon Agent on a Remote Desktop Services Host .
Note: If smart card authentication is enabled, make sure that the Smart Card service is disabled on RDS hosts. Otherwise, authentication might fail. By default, this service is disabled.
Caution: When a user launches an application, for example, a Web browser, it is possible for a user to gain access to the local drives on the RDS host that is hosting the application. This can happen if the application provides functions that cause Windows Explorer to run. Do not create published desktop pools and application pools on the same farm so that desktop sessions are not affected.

Installing Applications

If you plan to create application pools, you must install the applications on the RDS hosts. If you want Horizon to automatically display the list of installed applications, you must install the applications so that they are available to all users from the Start menu. You can install an application at any time before you create the application pool. If you plan to manually specify an application, you can install the application at any time, either before or after creating an application pool.

Important: When you install an application, you must install it on all the RDS hosts in a farm and in the same location on each RDS host. If you do not, a health warning will appear on the Horizon Console dashboard. In such a situation, if you create an application pool, users might encounter an error when they try to run the application.

When you create an application pool, Horizon automatically displays the applications that are available to all users rather than individual users from the Start menu on all of the RDS hosts in a farm. You can choose any applications from that list. In addition, you can manually specify an application that is not available to all users from the Start menu. There is no limit on the number of applications that you can install on an RDS host.