Q: My Windows Server Remote Desktop Services Connection Broker is no longer publishing applications from my Remote Desktop Session Host. What can I do?

A:Windows Server 2008 introduced the ability to publish applications over RDP to clients, which means instead of the user seeing a complete desktop onthe Remote Desktop Session Host (RDSH—the new name in Windows Server 2008 R2 for what was formerly known as a Terminal Server), the user sees just theapplication integrated with the local desktop.

This provides a seamless user experience.

Remote Desktop Connection Broker lets applications published on RDSH to be consolidated and viewed through a single Remote Desktop Web Access serveraccessible via a web browser. You can see all the applications that are available across all the RDSHs and also for Windows 7 clients.

Theseapplications can be published to users’ Start menus under the RemoteApp and Desktop Connections group (see screen shot below) and automatically updatedvia a feed at periodic intervals.

rdpubapps1

If you find that your connection broker is no longer getting published applications from your session hosts, you need to check a few things.

First,make sure both your session hosts and connection broker have a valid SSL certificate that hasn’t expired. If you start Internet Information Services(IIS) Manager, expand your server by clicking Sites (see the screen shot below), select your site, and select the Edit Bindings... action.

iiseditbindings

Select the https type, and click Edit. The SSL certificate will be displayed. (See the screen shot below.) Click View to verify it’s still valid!

certvalidiischeck-Copy

If any of the certificates have expired, get a new certificate before proceeding.

Next, you need to make sure the connection broker is a member of the local TS Web Access Computers group on the session hosts.

After you confirm this, you can try and remove, then re-add, the session host from the connection broker by doing the following:

Now navigate to the connection broker website and see if the published applications from the session host are available (e.g., https:///rdweb). If this works, then the problem is solved; if it doesn't, check the Event Log on the connection broker:

The following is a common error:

Log Name: Microsoft-Windows-RemoteApp and Desktop Connection Management/Admin
Source: Microsoft-Windows-RemoteApp and Desktop Connection Management
Date: 11/9/2011 10:41:35 AM
Event ID: 1010
Task Category: None
Level: Error
Keywords: WMI
User: NETWORK SERVICE
Computer: savdalcb01.savilltech.net
Description:
Access to the WMI interface on Remote Desktop Session Host server savdalts01.savilltech.net was denied. Add the Remote App and Desktop Managementcomputer to the TS Web Access Computers security group on savdalts01.savilltech.net.

Error Code: 0x80070005

Basically, it’s saying the connection broker doesn’t have WMI access to the session host. It should have access, as we already confirmed the computerwas in the TS Web Access Computers group on the session host.

The next step is to confirm that the WMI firewall exceptions are enabled on the session host, and the WMI/DCOM permissions are correct:

Also make sure the RemoteApp and Desktop Connection Management service is running on the connection broker server.

At this point, repeat the process to remove and re-add the session host on the connection broker. It should now work.

If you still have a problem, I did some research and found some people opened up the RDWebAccess application pool within the IIS Manager. UnderAdvanced Settings, change the Identity under the Process Model to NetworkService (see the screen shot below). However, this shouldn’t be needed, astypically it uses the ApplicationPool identity. I also found uninstalling the connection broker component off the session hosts (if it was installed)can also help. If it still doesn't work, try a reboot: I think that fixes anything!

rdaccessapppool-Copy