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Optimize backup strategy on a Terminal Services farm

Last week a client (a multinational corporation) contacted us with the following request:

[...]
I would like to determine optimal time for backing-up our databases.

The problem the client was facing was that his users were connecting from different continents and different time zones. So the usual “best practice” of backing-up databases during night could not be applied in this case.

The solution for this problem was really simple. Terminal Services Log was already installed, so we analyzed the gathered data and here are the results. The first step was to analyze weekl activities and to determine weekdays when the server was least used.

As shown in the picture above, the server is least used on Tuesdays and Wednesdays (due to the nature of business this company does on weekends). Daily activity report revealed that the optimal time for backup is 1AM – 6AM (GMT).

Our reports clearly show that the best time for performing backups, so in case this customer needed to plan a day or two for weekly backups he should probably choose Tuesday or Wednesday night when this farm is least used.

February 22nd, 2009 | Tags: backup
Posted in scenarios, Terminal services | By: Frane Borozan | No Comments »

Terminal services – redirecting audio to client

I’ve had a little problem few days ago with a client. The problem involved audio in Terminal services environment.

They wanted to redirect audio from Terminal server to client machine via RDP connection. This is not a big deal since Windows 2003 supports audio redirection over RDP.

Both computers need to have a sound card. No sound card = no sound. It may sound confusing but a sound card on server is required because we are going to redirect the sound to the client over RDP connection.

A sound card on the server is needed because we will redirect sound from the audio driver that is generated on the server over RDP connection to the audio that is on the client. It is a bit hard to explain but sound must exist on the server to forward it to the client.

Default settings:

RDP audio is by default disabled on the server. Please check your options on Terminal services configuration in Administrative tools. The option for controlling RDP audio is under client settings (at the bottom). By default this option is checked which means audio over RDP is disabled.

Step by step server configuration:

Go to Terminal Services Configuration in Administration tools.
In Connections choose properties for RDP-TCP protocol
Go to Client Settings tab, and under “Disable the following:” UNCHECK “Audio mapping” option.
Confirm everything.

Step by step client configuration:

In Remote desktop client go to the local resources tab and then make sure “Bring to this computer” is selected under remote computer sound.

Now open a connection to your Terminal server. You will be able to hear a sound played on your server.

October 7th, 2008 | Tags: redirecting audio to client
Posted in Terminal services | By: Frane Borozan | 3 Comments »

/Console session from PDA

In my last post I described changes on /console and /admin switch in RDP clients newer than 6.0.

Is it now possible to start a console session from your PDA computer running windows mobile?

Unfortunately it is not. This makes little sense because why do you want to administer your windows terminal server from your PDA? But this makes no sense if you are on the road and the only device you have with terminal services client is your PDA. This way you will need to make a free to TS CAL that you can connect to and try to fix what is wrong.

July 11th, 2008 | Tags: /Console session from PDA
Posted in Terminal services | By: Frane Borozan | 1 Comment »

Some of the users can see all redirected printers. How can I make them see only their printers?

If some of the users see everyone else’s redirected printers on Terminal server, probably they are members of the Administrator or Power Users user group.

Check in users and groups for membership.

If this is the case there is no way to prevent them from seeing all printer on terminal servers.

The only solution is to make them normal users again, and that way they will see only their printers.

July 3rd, 2008 | Tags: all redirected printers
Posted in Terminal services | By: Frane Borozan | No Comments »

Supported HP printer devices on Terminal services and Citrix

On this link you can find HP LaserJet printers and supported driver versions for Citrix. Terminal services are also supported but they are not mentioned in this list because Citrix runs on top of Terminal services.
PDF is available at http://h71028.www7.hp.com/ERC/downloads/4AA0-8465ENW.pdf

The list has been update April 2008 so it is a pretty fresh list of HP devices that will work on a Server based computing environment.

July 3rd, 2008 | Tags: Citrix printers
Posted in Terminal services | By: Frane Borozan | No Comments »

Terminal Services Session Directory ports

In the post before we mentioned terminal services licensing ports and in this one we will deal with Terminal Services Session Directory ports.

System service name: Tssdis
Application protocol Protocol Ports
RPC TCP 135
Randomly allocated high TCP ports TCP random port number between 1024 – 65535*

For any extra info on port customization, see the “Remote Procedure Calls and DCOM”.

June 29th, 2008 | Tags: Terminal Services Session Directory ports
Posted in Terminal services | By: Frane Borozan | 1 Comment »

Access 2007 on terminal services environment

Recently we have upgrade our runtime access components from Access 2000 to Access 2007. There were questions whether Access 2007 Runtime will run without any issues under terminal services.
The answer is: it will run without any issues.

I have preliminary tests because I have run some current DB in test environment and old databases were running fine in the new Access 2007. I have noticed that some of the MDE files need to be compiled again from Access or otherwise they could generate some strange characters. After recompilation was done via Access 2007 everything was OK.

I will continue to test our current program on Access 2007 but as far as I can tell, in production it will run without problems.

June 27th, 2008 | Tags: Access 2007
Posted in Terminal services | By: Frane Borozan | 2 Comments »

event 1505 and 1508

Windows was unable to load the registry. This is often caused by insufficient memory or insufficient security rights.
DETAIL – Insufficient system resources exist to complete the requested service. for C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\ntuser.dat
For more information, see Help and Support Center at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.
Event ID 1508

Windows cannot load the user’s profile but has logged you on with the default profile for the system.
DETAIL – Insufficient system resources exist to complete the requested service.
For more information, see Help and Support Center at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.
Event ID 1505

I got these two errors on one of my servers yesterday.
Accordinf to MS knowledge base the problem was on PoolUsageMaximum and the PagedPoolSize value.
You have to create a new DWORD value in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management named PagedPoolSize and PoolUsageMaximum.
PoolUsageMaximum should have value of 30 and PagedPoolSize should have value ffffffff.

This happens when many users are connected to the terminal server.
I have done as Microsoft recommends,and the problem vanished but I will continue to monitor the server.

June 23rd, 2008 | Tags: event 1505 and 1508
Posted in Terminal services | By: Frane Borozan | No Comments »

Terminal services Client Shortcut Keys Combinations

Do you wish to find out which keyboard shortcuts are available for the terminal services client?

Click on this link http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=186624

There are various shortcuts like that are similar to windows local shortcuts, for example:
CTRL+ALT+END is similar to CTRL+ALT+DEL.

ALT+PAGE UP is similar to ALT+TAB.

ALT+PAGE DOWN is similar to SHIFT+ALT+TAB.

ALT+INSERT is similar to ALT+ESC.

ALT+HOME is similar to CTRL+ESC.

CTRL+ALT+BREAK full screen and windowed

ALT+DELETE Windows menu

(….)

June 20th, 2008 | Tags: Terminal services Client Shortcut Keys Combinations
Posted in Terminal services | By: Frane Borozan | No Comments »

Slow or incomplete user log off – UPH Clean

Do you have problems with slow or incomplete user log off on your terminal server?

I did, now I don’t. The problem my be with with the third party printer drivers, virus scanner and other software. As you know, the best software installation on the terminal server is only by the software that has been tested on terminal servers. If the software or driver is not designed primarily for terminal services then it is best not to install that software.

The answer to your problem could be User Profile Hive Cleanup software that kills any processes that may be left running in the Remote Session.
After I installed this on one of the terminal servers that were causing these problems, errors disappeared and users were even reporting faster log off.

June 15th, 2008 | Tags: UPH clean
Posted in Terminal services | By: Frane Borozan | No Comments »

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