Terminal Services Client

[rock]

I just had to install Windows' Terminal Services Client so I can run one of our database frontends remotely. I've never used this before, and it's pretty slick. Not quite a remote X session, but way better than PC Anywhere.

The question is: Off the Start menu, I have two options: Log Off and Disconnect. What's the difference? Both have the same result on the client end - the session closes and when I start it again, I have to log in again. Is there supposed to be a difference? Which is better to use? I couldn't get a straight answer out of my IT guy, which tells me he doesn't know.

[ua549]

The difference is with the session on the server. If you disconnect, the session keeps running. If you logoff, the session closes.

[BloodRed]

When you Disconnect, your session is still active and you're still logged in, you just aren't connected anymore. When you login again, you'll have the same windows open that were open before because the session never terminated. When you Logout, you actually log out of the system and disconnect. If you're running in TS Administration Mode, you can only have 3 active connections. If three seperate people login and disconnect without logging out, nobody else can login until one of the sessions expires and is automatically disconnected or someone manually ends a session. Hope that helps.


Edit: Damn, ua beat me to it

[rock]

Okay, so unless I'm planning on getting right back on and need that current session saved, I should just choose Log Off, right?

I guess my session had been expiring between login attempts when I was trying these out.

[ewitte]

Originally posted by rock
Okay, so unless I'm planning on getting right back on and need that current session saved, I should just choose Log Off, right?

I guess my session had been expiring between login attempts when I was trying these out.

A lot of people like to hit disconnect or just hit the x to close out. It becomes a pain sometimes. Usually what ends up happening is we set the session to logoff fairly quickly... say 15 minutes or so. That gives them time to get back in if they get kicked off but they can not leave a session open and leave. You can also tell it to logoff automatically if the user chooses disconnect.

Eric

[TheSpegmaster]

Originally posted by BloodRed
If you're running in TS Administration Mode, you can only have 3 active connections.

You can only have 2 active connections when you are running administration mode.

[BloodRed]

Originally posted by TheSpegmaster
You can only have 2 active connections when you are running administration mode.

You're right. I was thinking 3 for some reason.