Did you know that you can remotely connect to a managed Windows desktop from
- your office,
- a classroom,
- conferences,
...or just about anywhere with internet access?
The Computer Support Group currently maintains two load-balanced Windows servers to which you can connect and use common Windows software like Microsoft Office and Internet Explorer. The hostname of the load balanced Windows server is called "termserv.divms.uiowa.edu. Faculty and staff can also request remote desktop access to their CSG managed windows machine by using the request system. When you connect either to the terminal servers or your CSG managed desktop machine, you'll also have access to all the files in your Unix home directory via the H:\ network drive. To ensure your Windows data is safe, everything you save to your Windows desktop and in your "My Documents" folder will automatically be saved to folders on the H:\ where it will be backed up nightly.
Software For Courses
In addition to providing general access to Office applications, these servers are a great way for instructors to provide students with access to Windows software required for their coursework. This managed environment already has software to support webpage development (FrontPage), Java development (JCreator), Microsoft .NET development (Visual Studio .NET), and basic statistical analysis (Minitab). By adding your software to this environment, your students will not need to install software on their home computer, they will all get the same configuration, and they can connect to the desktop from virtually anywhere.
Student Support
Another feature of this service that makes it a great way to teach is something called Remote Control. If a student is using software from home and is having problems with the assignment or using the Windows software correctly, the instructor can remotely connect to the student's Desktop session and see exactly what the student sees as well as provide mouse and keyboard input, all from their own office. This is a fantastic feature that has worked very well in previous courses.
How To Connect To Terminal Services...
NOTE: Some users may need to change their Unix password before they are able to login to the terminal servers.
...From CSG-Managed Linux (including B5 MLH, 301 MLH, 346 SH):
- Click the RedHat menu in the lower left corner of the screen (like the Start menu in Windows).
- Highlight the DIVMS menu.
- Highlight the Windows Software submenu.
- Click the Windows Desktop menu item.
...From Windows:
- Download and install the latest Remote Desktop Connection client software.
- Go to Start -> All Programs -> Accessories -> Communications -> Remote Desktop Connection.
- In the "Computer:" textbox, enter termserv.divms.uiowa.edu or the hostname of your office computer.
- If desired, you can set other options like color depth, and screen size by clicking the "Options >>" button. (We recommend setting the color setting to "High Color (16 bit).")
- Click the "Connect" button.
...From Mac OS X:
- Go to the Microsoft Remote Desktop Client page and click "Download Remote Desktop Connection Client for Mac today!"
- In the "Download now!" box, click "English (.bin)". Once uncompressed, the disk image will automatically be mounted and appear as the "Remote Desktop Connection" removable drive on the desktop.
- Drag the "Remote Desktop Connection" folder on the drive to your Mac's Applications folder.
- From the new folder in your Applicaions folder, drag the "Remote Desktop Connection" application to your dock.
- Click the "Remote Desktop Connection" icon on your dock.
- Accept the agreement to continue.
- Click either "Register Later" or "Register Now" as desired.
- In the "Computer:" textbox, enter "termserv.divms.uiowa.edu" (without the quotes) or the name of your office computer.
- You can expand the Options section to set other settings like color depth and screen size. (We recommend setting the Colors setting to "Thousands.")
- Click the "Connect" button.
NOTE: The RDC program for Mac OS can connect to a server only once per execution. If you connect to the server and click cancel on the login screen instead of logging in, the RDC program will still prompt you to connect again, but you must quit the application and launch it again to reconnect successfully.
More Information
For more information, please see the TS F.A.Q. If your question is not answered there, please use the request system.
