To improve the performance of the RD Session Host server, you can restrict users to a single session (either active or disconnected). By restricting users to a single session on the RD Session Host server, you can minimize the number of remote sessions that are created. This can help conserve system resources on the RD Session Host server, thereby allowing more users to connect to the RD Session Host server.

If an RD Session Host server is configured to restrict users to a single session and the user leaves the session in a disconnected state, the user will automatically reconnect to that session the next time the user connects to the RD Session Host server.

By default, an RD Session Host server is configured to restrict users to a single session.

Use the following procedure to configure the Restrict each user to a single session setting on the RD Session Host server.

Membership in the local Administrators group, or equivalent, on the RD Session Host server that you plan to configure, is the minimum required to complete this procedure. Review details about using the appropriate accounts and group memberships at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=83477.

To configure the Restrict each user to a single session setting on the RD Session Host server
  1. On the RD Session Host server, open Remote Desktop Session Host Configuration. To open Remote Desktop Session Host Configuration, click Start, point to Administrative Tools, point to Remote Desktop Services, and then click Remote Desktop Session Host Configuration.

  2. In the Edit settings area, under General, double-click Restrict each user to a single session.

  3. On the General tab of the Properties dialog box, select or clear the Restrict each user to a single session check box according to what is most appropriate for your environment, and then click OK.

You can also restrict users to a single session on the RD Session Host server by enabling the Restrict Remote Desktop Services users to a single remote session Group Policy setting. This Group Policy setting is located in Computer Configuration\Policies\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Remote Desktop Services\Remote Desktop Session Host\Connections and can be configured by using either the Local Group Policy Editor or the Group Policy Management Console (GPMC). Note that the Group Policy setting will take precedence over the setting configured in Remote Desktop Session Host Configuration.

For more information about Group Policy settings for Remote Desktop Services, see the Remote Desktop Services Technical Reference (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=138134).

If a user specifies a different program to start when the user connects to the RD Session Host server, a new session will be created on the RD Session Host server for the user, even if the RD Session Host server is configured to restrict users to a single session. A user can specify a program to start on connection on the Programs tab under Options in Remote Desktop Connection. However, you can prevent a user from starting a program on connection; for more information about preventing a user from starting a program on connection, see Specify a Program to Start Automatically When a User Logs On.