Remote Desktop Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is Remote Desktop?
What is Virtual Lab Web Access?
Why would you use it?
What software is available there?
How do you use it?
Additional Information

What is Remote Desktop?

Remote Desktop, also known as Virtual Lab, Terminal Services or Terminal Server, is a Microsoft Windows 2003 Server setup for remote application use. It allows WPI to provide a means for staff, faculty & students to access applications or data from off campus. It functions as if you are logged into a PC on campus.

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What is Virtual Lab Web Access?

Virtual Lab Web Access is a different way of utilizing Remote Desktop Services. It is comprised of two new technologies that are part of Windows Terminal Server 2008. First, Microsoft RemoteApp is a way to remotely connect individual applications that are available on a terminal server rather than an entire desktop. It uses the same remote desktop client as used for the full desktop, except the individual application you connect to is displayed. Second, Terminal Services Web Access provides a web interface that organizes and presents all programs available and enabled for use with RemoteApp.

Click Here to login to to the Virtual Lab Web Access.

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Why would you use it?

If a desired software package has limited licenses.
If you are off campus & want to use software available in most labs on campus.

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What software is available there?

All of the available software is listed below.

Adobe Acrobat 9.1.3 Professional
Adobe Photoshop Elements 7.0
AspenTech
CES Edupack 2009
Camtasia Studio 6
Design of Machinery
iThink v9
Labview 8.6.1
Lasergene 6
Maple 13
Matlab R2009a
MDL CrossFire Commander 7.1
MDSolids 3.1
Microsoft Office Professional 2007
- Access
- Excel
- InfoPath
- OneNote
- Outlook
- PowerPoint
- Project
- Publisher
- SharePoint Designer
- Visio
- Word
Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 SP1
PLTScheme 4.2.1
PolyMath 6.10
Putty 0.60
SciFinder Scholar 2007
SnagIt 9.1.2
SPSS 17.0
Teaplot 360 2009
TextPad 5.3
Thomas Reuters Datastream 5.0
UTS TKSolver 5.0
Weka 3.6
WinSCP v4.1.9
Wolfram Mathematica 7

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How do you use it?

There are instructions for the following Operating Systems:

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Additional Information

When saving files on the terminal server, by default they will be saved to the My_Documents folder on the terminal server. To make sure your files are accessible from your office computer, be sure to "Save As" (instead of "Save") to save the files to your personal storage (My_Documents on "\\toaster.wpi.edu\username") or to a Department file share ( \\admin.wpi.edu\fc\DepartmentName).

If you need to switch back to your local computer at any time, you can minimize the remote window by clicking the minimize icon (it looks like a dash) in the upper right corner. To get back to that remote window, you can click on the tab for it which will automatically show up in your toolbar.

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Last modified: Oct 20, 2009, 15:26 EDT