You have two possible solutions, each with its own PROs and CONs.
The easiest, proven way:
- On the second server install Windows Server 2008 (if your app runs on 64-bit I would recommend 2008 R2) and add the RDS Session Host/Terminal Services role. You could potentially add the RDS Web Access/RDS Gateway (TS Web/TS Gateway) so users would connect through HTTPS. This would potentially require a second IP address (external) from your ISP as you are probably using HTTPS already for the SBS 2008 box with OWA, RWW and so on. For this solution your server hardware specs are MORE than enough and should be able to easily handle 10 users, not only 5. If financially it is cheaper to simply buy another 2008 license instead of upgrading SBS to Premium, simply do it. In this case you will also need 2008 TS CALs (usually around $80 per user/device - recommend using per user).
The harder, unproven way.
- This is what is called VDI and probably the solution that is closer to the VD term you used (as you may not seem to know the difference between RDS Session Host and RDS VDI). In this case you would need a server running the Hyper-V role and virtual machines would run Windows XP/Vista/7; users would then connect to these VMs. As you have SBS you could of course simply load 2008 on that server, install Hyper-V, create 5 VMs running the OS you want (7 for example) and then simply make these VMs part of the SBS domain and your users would be able to connect to them using RWW, exactly like they do today connecting to the real physical desktops. Another approach would be to actually install the full RDS VDI solution that differs slightly but in your case I see no benefit whatsoever.
The issue with this approach is simple: scalability. It may (note the *may*) work ok (not fine or fast) for 5 users but guaranteed it will not work for 10 like the first approach would do. Plus you would have 5 instances (VMs) to maintain meaning patching, installing applications, application upgrades, etc (what is eliminated on the first approach as everyone 'shares' a single box, instance - even though they are 'logically' separated). In this approach, VECD licenses are REQUIRED, no matter which OS you decide to use (XP/Vista/7). The server configuration you have for sure will work for 2 users so you can try it. If going 5 users, more memory is for sure required as Hyper-V does NOT overcommit memory like VMWare ESXi does (meaning if you have 5 VMs using 1GB RAM each the server MUST have physically at least 5GB RAM + Whatever the core OS requires). That brings us actually to another option, that would be to run VMWare ESXi on that box (it is free), assuming the hardware is actually compatible. I guess you can download ESXi and give it a spin. In this case you can overcommit memory.
The advantage with this approach is your users would simply use the same RWW and nothing else would be required (like new IP, etc).
Cláudio Rodrigues
Citrix CTP
