Summary
This article describes the Remote Connection Manager (RCM) and the changes to RCM in
Windows Server Standard, version 1803, Windows Server Datacenter, version 1803, Windows Server version 1709 and Windows Server 2016.
This video explains not to configure Microsoft's Remote Desktop Connection Manager (RDCMan) for use in connecting to Azure Virtual Machines.
- Runs on Windows. RoyalTS A connection management system that controls the remote connection systems of other providers. Installs on Windows and Windows Server. Devolutions A remote desktop system available in a free version for individuals and a paid version for teams. Installs on Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS. The Best Remote Desktop.
- RDCMan is a client that is widely used to manage multiple remote desktop connections because it's a convenient option. However, RDCMan has not kept pace with the level of advanced technology that we're pursuing. Instead, we have two great supported client options.
In Windows Server 2012 R2 and earlier versions, when a user logs on to a terminal server, the RCM contacts the domain controller (DC) to query the configurations that are specific to Remote Desktop on the user object in Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS). This information is displayed in the Remote Desktop Services Profile tab of a users object properties in the Active Directory Users and Computers MMC snap-in.
Starting in Windows Server 2016, RCM no longer queries the users object in AD DS. If you require RCM to query AD DS because you are using the Remote Desktop Services attributes, you must manually enable RCM.
Additionally, consider the following scenario:
You install Windows Server Standard, version 1803, Windows Server Datacenter, version 1803, Windows Server version 1709 or Windows Server 2016 with the Remote Desktop Session Host role.
You configure a local user account to start an application during logon by using the Local Users and Groups tool in Computer Management.
In this scenario, you expect the user to be presented with the application in the Remote Desktop Session only. However, by default in Remote Desktop Session Host (RDSH) in Windows Server, a full Remote Desktop Session is presented, and the application setup process in the profile doesn't start.
Starting with Windows Server 2016, RCM no longer queries the users object in Active Directory domain services (AD DS). If you require RCM to query AD DS because you are using Remote Desktop Services attributes, you must manually enable RCM.
For more information about this by-design behavior in Windows Server 2016, see Changes to Remote Connection Manager in Windows Server 2016.
To revert to the earlier (pre-Windows Server 2016) behavior, here's what to do: If the server has the RD Session Host Role installed, apply the following registry keys to enable the RCM legacy model. This triggers an Active Directory query to check for RDP profile settings:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREPoliciesMicrosoftWindows NTTerminal Services
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetControlTerminal ServerWinStations<Winstation name>
Name: fQueryUserConfigFromDC
Type: Reg_DWORD
Value: 1 (Decimal)
Then, restart the Remote Desktop Service. If the server doesn't have the Remote Desktop Service role installed, you must set up an additional registry key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetControlTerminal Server
More Information
The attributes that are on the Remote Desktop Services Profile tab of a users object properties in AD DS are not applied to the user when the user logs on to a Windows Server Remote Desktop Session Host (RDSH) server. Also, no warning is generated and no event is logged because the user's attributes are not enforced, and because everything is working as designed.
For example, if you are using the RDS attributes to specify a Remote Desktop roaming profile, users will not load that profile but will, instead, use a local profile. Wen this occurs, there are no error message or logged events. Therefore, the only way that you can know whether the user profile is not the RDS roaming profile is if you notice that the desktop environment is not the expected layout, or if you view the profile types in the system Control Panel applet.
Remote Desktop Services Profile tab in Active Directory Users and Computers
User profiles in Control Panel > System > Advanced SystemSettings > User Profiles
The attributes that you can set in the Active Directory Users and Computers MMC snap-in are as follows:
Remote Desktop Connection Manager Microsoft Discontinued
Profile Path
Home Folder
Deny Logon to the RDSH server
How to Enable RCM in Windows Server
Important
Follow the steps in this section carefully. Serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly. Before you modify it, back up the registry for restoration in case problems occur.
Use either of the following registry values to enable the behavior of RCM in Windows Servers 2012 R2 and earlier versions:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREPoliciesMicrosoftWindows NTTerminal Services
Name: fQueryUserConfigFromDC
Type: Reg_DWORD
Value: 1 (Decimal)
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetControlTerminal ServerWinStations<Winstation Name>
Name: fQueryUserConfigFromDC
Type: Reg_DWORD
Value: 1 (Decimal)
Note The default value for <Winstation Name> is RDP-tcp. However, this value can be renamed.
RCM Behavior in Windows Server
At each user logon, RCM does the following:
Remote Connection Manager Microsoft
Query the Terminal Services registry key for the fQueryUserConfigFromDC value.
If the value is found and it is set to 1, contact the DC to get the user configuration information.
If the value is set to 0 or not present, query the Winstations key for the fQueryUserConfigFromDC value.
If the value is found and it is set to 1, contact the DC to get the user configuration information.
Virtualization and remote desktops are an important part of your infrastructure and work. And, we recommend that you use Windows built-in Remote Desktop Connection (%windir%system32mstsc.exe) or universal Remote Desktop client instead of Remote Desktop Connection Manager (RDCMan).
Original product version: Windows 10 - all editions
Original KB number: 4512838
More information
We're increasing our investments in virtualization and remote desktops, such as Windows Virtual Desktop and RDS on Microsoft Azure.
RDCMan is a client that is widely used to manage multiple remote desktop connections because it's a convenient option. However, RDCMan has not kept pace with the level of advanced technology that we're pursuing.
Microsoft Remote Desktop Connection Manager Download
Instead, we have two great supported client options: Remote Desktop Connection and Universal Client for Windows 10. These clients offer increased security, and they are a key part of our engineering roadmap moving forward. In the future, you can expect even more capabilities, such as the ability to better manage multiple connections.
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