Limit of Remote Desktop connections

Question

I have the RDP User CALS installed, and it worked well in the past few months. Today I found I can only log on with the administrator account, when I use other accounts, it always shows "The number of connections is limited and all connections...".
I have edited the max connection number of the local group policy, the licensing settings were also enabled.

Answer 1

Hi @JianC

Have you tried to see the number of connected users?

In a powershell type the following command: quser

Compare the number of logged in users vs the number of RDS cals to see if the number is reached.

Have you created a GPO to disconnect inactive / disconnect sessions ?

What is the setting put here:

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Answer 2

Hi,

Please check if you have set below group policies on the RDS Server.

Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Remote Desktop Services\Remote Desktop Session Host\Licensing
Use the specified Remote Desktop license servers - input the IP address or host name of the licensing server
Set the Remote Desktop licensing mode - Per User or Per Device (according to the CALs type)

Also, make sure you have activated the licensing server and installed RDS CALs successfully as per below instructions. In the previous months, it worked well might be because it still in the grace period.

Make sure there is "green-tick" mark before the server and there are still available CALs can be issued.

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/remote/remote-desktop-services/rds-activate-license-server
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/remote/remote-desktop-services/rds-install-cals

If all above is set correctly, you can try below group policies on the RDS Server, which can log off the disconnect sessions.
Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Remote Desktop Services\Remote Desktop Session Host\Session Time Limits
Set time limit for disconnected sessions
End session when time limits are reached

Thanks,
Eleven

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Answer 3

Hi,

1. On your RDS Server (also the licensing server), open control pannel>System and Security>System>Computer name, domain, and workgroup settings, check if this server has joined any domain and if the domain name is the same as the users' domain who need to remote connect to the server.
   
2. On the RDS server, run PowerShell as administrator, input Get-WindowsFeature | Where Installed. It will show all the services and roles you have installed on this server. Please check what roles have been installed under Remote Desktop Services. (For example, the screenshot in my environment shows only remote desktop session host role has been installed)
   
3. If you use Remote Desktop Connection, even Administrator account needs CAL for remote connection. Since the CAL cannot be issued for some reason, so you also cannot use administrator account to log on. You can only use administrator mode to connect. (run command "mstsc /admin" or RDP file downloaded from the Azure)

Thanks,
Eleven

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