Managing multiple RDS Deployments from one console with Windows Server 2012

In a previous blog post I wrote about the differences between Windows Server 8 Beta and Windows Server 2012 RC after my first quick review. (Read here). One of the changes I pointed out was the fact that there a new option is introduced Server Manager called “Connect to Another Deployment” and that the options was greyed out.

I just figured out when this gets enabled. In order to connect to another deployment we need to add the Server, more precisely the RD Connection Broker servers, of this deployment to the server manager first.

We choose the option “Add other servers to manage”.

and select a RD Connection Broker from another deployment. We then refresh the Server Manager console, go back to the deployment overview and…..

....an error. Apparently we cannot combine deployments that are clustered (i.e. contain multiple RD Connection Brokers in HA) with non clustered environments from one Deployment Overview. As of yet, I’m not sure why that is as of yet. There might be an issue with the fact that the other deployment still runs Server 8 Beta so I will try this again later when my complete LAB is running 2012 RC. As a test I removed one of my RD Connection Broker servers from the 2nd deployment (which was in HA). After that, the option “Connect to Another Deployment” becomes available and we’re able to select the other deployment by specifying the RDCB

After the selecting we are able to switch RDS deployments and manage another deployment, definitely useful in environments where you need to manage and maintain multiple deployment!