Differences between RDC and TS

Differences between Remote Desktop Connection in Windows XP and Terminal Services in Windows Server

Nuo Yan

Convention: In this article, I mention “Remote Desktop Connection” in Windows XP. Unless special noted as “Remote Desktop Connection client”, I mean the Remote Desktop Connection feature in Windows XP but not only the client tool for connecting to the remote desktop.

Remote Desktop Connection in Windows XP Professional has been a very popular tool to manage the desktop computer remotely. But there are a lot of beginner level Windows system administrators still can’t spot the differences between the Remote Desktop Connection in Windows XP or even in Windows Server 2003 and Terminal Services in Windows Server operating systems.

Inside view: they are basically same

Both of the Remote Desktop Connection feature and the Terminal Services in Windows Server are driven by Remote Desktop Protocol.

The Remote Desktop Connection feature allows a single user to connect to his / her desktop remotely by terminal services. When the user is connecting to his / her desktop by Remote Desktop Connection, he or she will see exactly like sitting in front of the computer. Remote Desktop Connection allows only one user to connect to only one terminal services session. When a user is connected, others in front of the computer cannot see what the user is operating.

The Terminal Services in Windows Server 2003 allows multiple users connect to multiple terminal services sessions concurrently. Because it’s also depends on Remote Desktop Protocol, users may use the Windows XP Remote Desktop Connection client to connect to their terminal services sessions.

As the result, from the inside view, the Remote Desktop Connection in Windows XP and Terminal Services in Windows Server 2003 are really same thing. We can even say Remote Desktop Connection support in Windows XP is exactly a simplified version of Terminal Services in Windows Server 2003 that only allows one single user’s session.

Outside view: simplified vs. full version

As I mentioned above, from the users’ view, Windows XP Remote Desktop Connection is a simplified version of terminal services in Windows Server 2003.

Except the number of users can connect to the terminal services sessions is different, terminal services in Windows Server 2003 provides a number of additional management features for managing terminal services, users connected to the sessions, processes in the sessions, licensing, etc. Terminal Services in the Windows Server 2003 are not free to use. If the company wants to implement Terminal Services, additional Terminal Services licenses need to be bought. Otherwise, the company can only evaluate Terminal Services for 120 days.

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