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An RD Session Host (RDSH) is a Windows Server role service within Remote Desktop Services (RDS) that runs session-based desktops and RemoteApp programs for remote users. Microsoft Learn puts it this way: “The Remote Desktop Session Host (RD Session Host) holds the session-based apps and desktops you share with users.” (Remote Desktop Services roles). Many users share one server, and each gets their own session.
What an RD Session Host does
Microsoft’s PowerShell reference describes the role as a service “that lets users share Windows-based programs or the full Windows desktop” (Set-RDSessionHost). Programs run on the host, not on the user’s device. The client shows the remote interface and sends keyboard and mouse input. Users can run programs, save files, and use resources on the host server.
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The host can publish two kinds of content:
- A full session desktop, where the user sees a complete Windows desktop running on the server.
- RemoteApp programs, where only the application window appears on the user’s device.
How users connect
Users reach hosted desktops and apps with Remote Desktop clients for Windows, macOS, iOS and Android, or through a supported browser using the web client (Microsoft Learn).
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RD Session Host versus the other RDS roles
RD Session Host only executes the hosted workloads. Other roles handle the surrounding tasks, so keep them distinct when describing an architecture.
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| Role | What it handles |
|---|---|
| RD Session Host | Runs the shared session-based desktops and RemoteApp programs |
| RD Connection Broker | Manages incoming connections to session-host farms, may balance new connections, and can reconnect a user to the host where a disconnected session remains |
| RD Licensing | Manages the licenses needed for access |
| RD Gateway and RD Web Access | Support remote access and the presentation of available resources |
| RD Virtualization Host | Hosts virtual desktops, which is a different model from session-based desktops |
Sources: Remote Desktop Services roles and the Connection Broker description in the same Microsoft documentation set.
Single host or a farm
Administrators can group desktops and apps into collections and add session-host servers to a collection’s farm. Adding hosts expands scale and availability. Microsoft notes one constraint: if the Connection Broker is enabled, DNS round robin to RD Session Hosts for balancing is not supported.
Installing applications
For smaller deployments, Microsoft says applications can be installed directly on the RD Session Host servers. For larger ones, it recommends building a base image and provisioning virtual machines from it, so every host in the farm is identical (Microsoft Learn).
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Licensing
A session host needs access to an activated Remote Desktop license server with per-user or per-device CALs. Configuration differs depending on whether the deployment includes the Connection Broker. In a workgroup deployment, only Per Device CALs work; Per User CALs are not permitted. Check your design against the current License Remote Desktop session hosts guidance, since details can change.
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Former name: Terminal Server
RD Session Host is the current name for the role once called Terminal Server. Microsoft documented the rename of Terminal Services to Remote Desktop Services with Windows Server 2008 R2 (Terminal Services has been renamed). Older articles using “Terminal Server” describe the same idea.
For the wider picture, see Microsoft’s Remote Desktop Services overview.
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