0

I'm not sure how Remote Desktop and VNC works on Windows. Each app has their own session when I'm logged in, i.e. I could be logged in with both apps as an administrator and each has their own desktop and session. Remote Desktop only allows one user at a time, and VNC allows multiple users at the same time. There is one server we have where we can have 2 Remote Desktop users logged in at the same time viewing the same desktop. I'm not sure why this is different from other Remote Desktop sessions.

When a machine is rebooted, apps that auto start through VNC will run but not through Remote Desktop. This is why I'm confused how both these tools work. Is there any documentation that describes what they are doing when running?

Improve this question

2 Answers 2

Reset to default
6

VNC on Windows acts like you are physically tapping into the keyboard, video, and mouse of the remote computer. So what you do through VNC basically has the same effect as if you were physically present at the console.

Remote Desktop was originally a terminal server protocol. To permit lots of computer to run applications remotely on a server. These days pretty much every version of Windows supports RDP, but the functionality is limited by licensing. The desktop OS permits only a single connection. A basic server permits two. If you install the Remote Desktop Services role, and properly configure a TS licensing server you can have lots of connections to a single server, limited by hardware capacity. RDP does not act like you were physically connected to the host, so some software may not behave the same way as if it was running on the physical hardware.

Improve this answer
2
  • +1 I was already half done with my answer so I posted it. But I think I like your answer better.
    – Chris S
    Jul 16, 2014 at 17:45
  • Thanks Zoredache. These apps had me confused for a long time how what they actually do. :)
    – UltraJ
    Jul 16, 2014 at 17:53
3

You have so many inaccurate misconceptions of how this stuff works I'm really not sure where to start, so I'll just run down what you said and respond quickly... Sorry! I don't mean to be offensive, but almost everything you said represents a misconception of how these systems function.

Each app has their own session when I'm logged in

Nope. RD connects to a user session. Windows Vista and newer can have multiple users sessions running simultaneously. Older version are fuzzy, but lucky support has ended for anything older so nobody should be running it anymore. RD can also establish a new user session for a user logging in if one does not exist already, and the same user can have multiple sessions under certain circumstances.

VNC connects to the console (in Windows, it works very differently in *nix) , a somewhat simple redirection of what's seen on the screen. It does not handle user sessions at all, and there's no mapping between connections and what session is displayed.

Remote Desktop only allows one user at a time

Nope, this depends on licensing and configuration.

VNC allows multiple users at the same time

Only to the same VNC server (on Windows). They'd see the same thing, move the same mouse, etc.

There is one server we have where we can have 2 Remote Desktop users logged in at the same time viewing the same desktop.

See above.

When a machine is rebooted, apps that auto start through VNC will run but not through Remote Desktop.

Um, sorta correct, but no... that's just not how it works.

Improve this answer
1
  • Hi Chris. I don't find your response offensive, I just need to understand how both apps work while administrating machines here. These answers help.
    – UltraJ
    Jul 16, 2014 at 17:55

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .