Like many, I’m dubious of claims where marketing people have been involved. If you’re in IT any length of time, you’ve probably been burned.
I deployed a test W2008 Terminal Server last week and I configured RemoteApp (application publishing), TS Web (web interface) and TS Gateway (SSL access to the previously listed functions). I got our networking folks to set up a firewall rule to the lab machine (on a dedicated lab network) so I could access the test machine over SSL from the Internet. All of this runs in our data centre in a remote and secure location.
I didn’t configure anything related to printers on the Terminal Server or the lab network. Nothing. Zilch. Zero. No drivers were set up and no configuration was made for Easy Print. It’s literally log in and print.
I then logged in over the Internet to Terminal Services via the TS Web (SSL) from home. I was able to print to my local photo printer with no delays. I was in the office on Monday and connected to the TS Web (SSL) – remember that the data centre is still remote. I printed to a Dell printer with no delays. This included a Word document with lots of formatting and pictures as well as a PDF document.
Fantastic! The user experience easily exceeded my expectations. Well done to the TS team in Microsoft! This is a cracking solution to a major problem.