Remote Desktop and Small Business Server

One of the great features of Microsoft Small Business Server is the ability to allow users to connect remotely to a network attached XP Professional, Vista Business or Vista Ultimate workstation. This has to be one of the greatest productivity tools to be able to connect to your PC at work no matter where you are. This is generally accomplished through Remote Web Workplace (RWW). RWW, when configured properly, is accessed via Internet Explorer over the internet. However, a router configured to forward port 3389 directly to a workstation allowed bypassing the need to use RWW saving a few steps in connecting remotely. This was a great time saver for frequent remote workers to connect remotely without the inconvenience of the extra steps of RWW of SBS 2003. This trick doesn't work with SBS 2008 because of a group policy that only allows remote desktop connections to work when the request is initiated from the local network. Remote workers of an SBS 2008 network who want to connect from offsite using Remote Desktop Connection must either use RWW or use a different configuration method. This alternate method utilizes a Terminal Server Gateway configuration and also works with SBS 2003. Assuming port 3389 is open on the router and forwarded to the Small Business Server, Remote Desktop Connection (version 6.0 or later required) can be configured to use the public address of your SBS Server as a TS Gateway to your workstation on the network. Use the computer name of the workstation and a seemingly direct connection can be easily made saving the time and hassle of using RWW. This configuration can be saved and once again RWW can be bypassed to avoid the extra steps to connect remotely.