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Remote Server Management

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Applies To: Windows Storage Server 2008 R2

You can remotely manage a storage appliance running Windows Storage Server 2008 R2 from virtually any computer on your network. Use any of the tools listed below to remotely connect to, log on, and administer your storage appliances:

  • Remote Desktop Connection (RDC)

  • Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) (browser-based)

  • RemoteApp

  • Windows PowerShell remoting

Note

Local Administrators permissions are required to remotely manage the storage appliance.

Using Remote Desktop Connection

You can remotely manage a storage appliance running Windows Storage Server 2008 R2 from a computer running the Windows operating system by using Remote Desktop Connection (formerly known as Terminal Services).

To use Remote Desktop Connection

  1. Click Start and then click Run. In the Run dialog box, type MSTSC and then click OK. If you are performing this step from Windows Vista®, type MSTSC in the Search box, and then under Programs, click mstsc.exe.

  2. In the Remote Desktop Connection dialog box, in Computer, type the computer name or IP address of the storage appliance.

  3. In User name, type the domain user account credentials, and then click Options.

  4. In Connection Settings, click Save As.

  5. In the Save As dialog box, in File name, type the name you would like to use for the connection, and leave the extension as .rdp.

  6. Click Save in, select Desktop, and then click Save.

    For more information about how to configure Remote Desktop Connection, click Help in the Remote Desktop Connection dialog box.

For more information, see Remote Desktop Connection (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=137197), which is also available in Windows Server 2008 R2 Help.

Using Remote Desktop Protocol

You can remotely manage a storage appliance running Windows Storage Server 2008 R2 from a client computer Web browser by using a Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) website. However, you must create and configure the RDP website first.

For additional security, we recommend that you obtain a server certificate and that you use the HTTPS protocol to connect to a storage appliance running Windows Storage Server 2008 R2.

Setting up the RDP website

You must enable IIS on the storage appliance and configure it to support the Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP).

To set up the RDP website, complete the following tasks:

  1. Install Internet Information Services (IIS).

  2. Configure the site certificate.

  3. Configure authentication.

  4. Create the RDP website.

To install IIS

  1. On the storage appliance, click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Server Manager.

  2. In Server Manager, click Roles, click Add Roles, and then click Next.

  3. Under Roles, click Web Server (IIS), and then click Next.

  4. In the Add Roles Wizard, click Next.

  5. Under Role Services, scroll down to Security. Select the Basic Authentication and Windows Authentication check boxes.

  6. Scroll down to Management Tools, select IIS Management Scripts and Tools, and then click Next.

  7. Click Install. After the features are installed, click Close.

To create the RDP website

  1. On the storage appliance, click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager.

  2. Under Connections, click the name of the storage appliance.

  3. If you plan to create a secure RDP website that uses HTTPS, you must create a certificate. Double-click Server Certificates. Under Actions, click Create Self-Signed Certificate. Type a name for the certificate (for example, WebRDP), and then click OK.

  4. Under Connections, click the storage server name. Double-click Authentication. Enable each type of authentication that you plan to use.

  5. Under Connections, expand the storage server node, and click Sites.

  6. Click the Default Web Site, and then under Actions, click Remove. When prompted to confirm the deletion, click Yes.

  7. Under Actions, click Add Web Site.

  8. The following information for a normal site or a secured site will be the same except that the HTTPS site will be secured with the certificate:

    • Site name: The name for the site as it will appear in the Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager console.

    • Physical path: Set the Web RDP folder to C:\Windows\WebRDP.

    • Binding: For an unsecured site, under Type, select HTTP. For a secured site, under Type, select HTTPS, and then under SSL certificate, select the name of the certificate you created in step 3.

  9. Click OK to create the site.

Configuring Internet Explorer for the RDP website

If you use Internet Explorer, you may receive the following error message:

Internet Explorer has blocked this site from using an ActiveX control in an unsafe manner. As a result, this page may not display correctly.

To bypass this error, you must add the storage server to the Trusted Sites zone, and then configure Internet Explorer to either enable or prompt for permission to use ActiveX controls that are not marked as safe for scripting in the Trusted Sites zone.

To add the storage server to the Trusted Sites zone

  1. In Internet Explorer, on the Tools menu, click Internet Options.

  2. Click the Security tab.

  3. Under Select a zone to view or change security settings, click Trusted sites.

  4. Click Sites.

  5. Under Add this website to the zone, type the URL for the storage appliance (for example, https://storage_appliance).

  6. Click Add, and then click Close.

To enable the use of ActiveX controls in Internet Explorer

  1. Open Internet Explorer.

  2. On the Tools menu, click Internet Options.

  3. On the Security tab, click Trusted sites, and then click Custom level.

  4. Under Settings, scroll down to Initialize and script ActiveX controls not marked as safe for scripting, and then click either Enable or Prompt.

  5. Click OK to save the change to the security policy.

Using RemoteApp

You can remotely manage a storage appliance running Windows Storage Server 2008 R2 using RemoteApp. RemoteApp is installed as part of the Remote Desktop Services role in Windows Server 2008 R2. For more information on using RemoteApp, see RemoteApp Manager (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=200296).

Using Windows PowerShell Remoting

You can remotely manage a storage appliance running Windows Storage Server 2008 R2 using Windows PowerShell remoting. For more information on enabling and using Windows PowerShell remoting, see Windows PowerShell Remoting (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=2002967).