The datacrash team has since a week there hands on a test esx server (yes with a monlty trail key cause we are poor) but we loaded up a few virtual machines and I thought "let's compaire the windows server 2008 terminal server policies against those in 2003).

What I noticed that Microsoft extended the amount of policies in windows server 2008. That is only good news because we system engineers have to script less policies then and can use the defaults which are buildin.

The first thing I did was setting up a remote desktop connection to the server, of course with highest posible security. While loading the configuration into my visionapp remote desktop manager I noticed visionapp isn't ready yet for the new rdp features so back to less secure connection.

The first time I opend with gpedit.msc the policies (yes gpedit.msc still works like a charm) I noticed the are arranged a lot better then in windows server 2003.

Folder construction for Windows server 2008 rc0.

Terminal Services (root folder)

• Remote desktop connection
• Terminal server
• ts licensing

Under the folder Terminal Server you find the following folders

• Connections
• Device and and Resource Redirection
• Licensing
• Printer Redirection
• Profiles
• Remote Session Environment
• Security
• Session Time Limits
• Temporary Folders
• TS Session Broker

New in server 2008 is for instance the policy to force the use of a mandatory profile. This is very usefull if you use FlexProfileKit for instance. You have to use this policy with the "Set path for TS Roaming User Profile" policy to specify the profile the users need to load.  Support from Windows Server 2003 and higher.

You can now also specify the algorithm for rdp data.(at least Windows Vista SP1)

• Optimized to use less memory
• optimized to use less network bandwidth
• balances memory and network bandwidth

There are of course lot's more goodies that come with Windows Server 2008 policies. But if we write about them all I good write a book which I ain't planning to do.