Run programs from a server

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ChRoNo16

[H]ard|Gawd
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Feb 3, 2011
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I want to have the ability to run things like microsoft office, and other office related work- but the catch is I do NOT want these programs on my gaming PC.

I want to run them from a 2008 R2 server.

If I want do do this, what do I need? a domain controller? DNS? I would like to be able to run desktop sessions from this machine to accomplish this is what I think I want,


Any ideas?
 
Look up RDS.. this will allow the app to appear as if it's running locally but really it's running on the server via a special rdp settings. I Would use 2012 R2 if you can for the fx remote desktop protocol setup. Not sure if it's available on 2008 r2 to me it's more hassle than it's worth. Any gaming computer worth it's salt can easily handle standard desktop applications.
 
I do that with Quickbooks.... it's only installed on my 2012 server and I RDP into it for Quickbooks sessions.

I try to run my main machine kind of lean like you are talking about, but I do have MS Office on it (and the server too).
It would be too much of a PIA to RDP every time I want to open a Word doc.

Having MS Office on the gaming box won't hurt anything.

.
 
Like what other suggested, remote desktop is the way to go. It comes bundled with Windows. If you are looking for an alternative solution, you can look at VNC as well. There are multiple free options for VNC, such as UltraVNC and TightVNC.
 
run them off a server or run them in a server?

if it's off of you'll need a network drive and you'll have to setup up something in internet explorer of all things for it not to bug you about security risks.

that's how i ran Steam games off a network share and stopped them from bitching about security risks.

i can't remember what i did but i will check when i get home.
 
Its not about my gaming desktop not being able to run it, it can run office no issue, I just don't want to save disk space for games, I rarely use office, but to have the ability to just remote in and have a desktop environment I can use for business stuff like documents editing or whatever.
 
VM workstation would separate things nicely. Linux has several options built into the OS but probably beyond the scope here. I run vmware workstation 10, had 9.. It's #2 behind my OS. Running Linux(es), Different Win versions...ect. Point, disk size, click cpu # and ram size and done. VM, doesn't get any easier. Never had issues with it. It will keep your Game base install clean. One box. Oh wait - u have a quad? No multithread? 3 and 1 or 2 and 2 i guess. Maybe you do need another box. idk Just used to my old junk and forget most ppl don't have 12 thread. Like i'll game, have a 2 core VM running, loaded 20 tab web browser.. kodi, - at the same time - you get the idea. Guess I could open Excel or Word too.. New user and user switch? Your fascination with remote is probably misplaced. In any case, it would be cheap to build a stand alone office box and not like a great expense anyways.
 
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This is a little older of a setup, just a quad core i5 no HT. but its not worth it to buy a new cpu. I have a dual 6core/12thread server behind me in the rack so I want to host a server there and run shit like microshaft office from it but do the work here at my gaming pc
 
Mr. Baz said:
This. I was thinking XenApp & XenDesktop?
Click to expand...

This would work well....but the cost, complexity, overhead, etc....forget it.

I would just install office on your main machine and call it a day. If you really don't want to do that, install office on anything else you have laying around and set it up so you can RDP into it.
 
cheap50 said:
This would work well....but the cost, complexity, overhead, etc....forget it.

I would just install office on your main machine and call it a day. If you really don't want to do that, install office on anything else you have laying around and set it up so you can RDP into it.
Click to expand...


Im leaning on this right now. Maybe ill share a network drive and install it on that.
 
That's a lot of work to control something not worth controlling. Not saying I haven't been like that in the past but it's just not worth the effort.
 
install server, set up RDP but set your RDP shortcut to luanch each app on connect, make a RDP links for each APP as your shortcut, that is the cheap free mans way, other wise RDS but thats requires licensing.
 
ChRoNo16 said:
Im leaning on this right now. Maybe ill share a network drive and install it on that.
Click to expand...

Keep it simple. I would avoid installing an application on a network drive (in your typical home network). Random hiccups that don't cause problems for most traffic could create random annoying issues with an app like that.
 
installing on a network drive just means it runs from that for I/O but your desktop will still do all the CPU work and not many apps are I/O intensive...
 
I would of had this all in vmware workstation image and been done last week within an hour.
 
RDS is free if he has 2012R2/2008R2. IMO this is what he wants. Free Cert from Lets encrypt and all the roles on a single box. It does not get much better then that.
 
MrGuvernment said:
install server, set up RDP but set your RDP shortcut to luanch each app on connect, make a RDP links for each APP as your shortcut, that is the cheap free mans way, other wise RDS but thats requires licensing.
Click to expand...

I haven't done a setup for RDP in a while - but will this still work with modern Office apps with them usually being click-to-run?
 
cheap50 said:
This would work well....but the cost, complexity, overhead, etc....forget it.

I would just install office on your main machine and call it a day. If you really don't want to do that, install office on anything else you have laying around and set it up so you can RDP into it.
Click to expand...

For starters, there is https://xcp-ng.org/
That is just a sort of source-build for XenServer.

You can download and run XenDesktop full-tilt for 90 days. After that, you either license it, or it neuters itself to the free tier (if it still exists).
 
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