Setting up a Remote Desktop on Windows Vista client

Once we setup the 2 DCs, we might find it difficult to go to the server room ever now and then and make tweaks on it. So we will set up a remote desktop client on one of the Vista PCs and will connect to both these DCs from it to do our day to day changes in both the DCs. In this section, I will show you how easy it is to set up a remote desktop client and to connect to the DCs remotely.

Steps to setup a remote desktop on Windows Vista:

Initial setup:

In the last section of this crash course, my friend Ravisankar showed you how to do the initial set up of remote desktop so that other clients in the network can connect to the DCs in a secure manner.

Since this option is selected, any client that needs to access the DCs remotely should be first joined to the Globamantics domain.

To do this:

•           Rename the vista client machine inorder to match the naming convention of Globomantics (to make our life easier J)
• .       Change the name of the client to CL1-NY-VIS and then reboot
• .       Join the client to the network

In detail:

1.       Install Windows Vita on your client machine

2.       Rename the machine  - Go to START>Computer>PROPERTIES>CHANGE SETTINGS          

3.       Now change the computer name and restart

4.       Go to START>Computer>PROPERTIES>CHANGE SETTINGS and join the domain  “globomantics.com” and click OK.

è If you come across an error saying “domain cannot be contacted”,

Go to START>type in CMD and go to command prompt. Run “ipconfig” and check if the DNS entry is correct. If not, go to START>NETWORK>         NETWORK & SHARING CENTRE > Manage Network Connections. Go to properties of LAN and change the DNS IPV4 properties. Change the preferred DNS server to DC1 IP address and alternate DNS IP address to the IP of DC2.

5.       Provide Administrator credentials(SuperCoach) to make this client part of globomantics.com

6.       You will see an error “The RPC server is unavailable”. To get rid of this error, simple restart the machine. J Microsoft thing J

7.       Try Step 4 and 5 and everything should work well now J “Welcome to Golobomantics.com”

8.       RESTARTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT again and login as SuperCoach

Now set up Remote Desktop:

1.       START> search for Remote Desktop Connection wizard

2.       In General tab, Enter  the name of remote computer (in this case: ny-dc1-2k8.globomantics.com)

3.       Username:  “SuperCoach” and save credential(not secure though)

4.       Check other tabs and change your preferences for remote desktop connectionJ. Bear in mind: Choose LAN in “Experience” tab if the connection is reasonable useful.

5.       Save CONNECTION SETTINGS as a good practise

6.       Thats it................... connect to DC1 now .....................................hohoooooooooooooooooooooooo

7.       Do the same for DC2 and create a remote desktop chortcut.