You now have a highly available RD Connection Broker configuration, deployed in the cloud. Your clients can connect to the Azure Connection Broker and be connected to your RemoteApp servers, which can be on- premises or in the cloud.
(d)Azure RemoteApp Collections
In Azure, RemoteApps are supported using two kinds of Azure RemoteApp collections:
• Cloud collections are hosted in the cloud and store data for those programs in the cloud. You can use cloud collections for applications that do not
require resources in the private, on-premises organizational network.
• Hybrid collections are also hosted and store data in the cloud, but also
enables users to access resources on the private organizational network. If your applications uses things such as on-premises file shares or databases, they need to be configured as part of a hybrid collection.
When you sign up for Azure RemoteApp, the portal will make a default image available for your RemoteApp hosting, using Office 365. With this image available, you can allow any of your users access to Office 365
applications using RemoteApp, without the need to install the applications on their device.
Use the following procedure to create a collection in Azure RemoteApp.
Step 1. From the Azure portal, select App Services, and then select the RemoteApp menu in the left navigation tree.
Step 2. Click Create a RemoteApp collection from the menu, and then select Quick Create.
Step 3. Enter a name for the new collection, the region where you want to host the collection, and the billing plan you want to use.
Step 4. From the Template Image drop-down list, select the image to use.
You can use the Office 365 image, as mentioned, or one of the other Office images available. If you want to install and use your own applications, select a server image, such as Windows Server 2012 R2. You can customize it and add your own applications.
Step 5. Click the Create RemoteApp Collection button.
It can take up to an hour for Azure to create your collection.
(d)Publishing RemoteApp Applications
After your Azure RemoteApp collection has been created, you will need to share the apps with your users by publishing the collection. Use the following
procedure to publish apps in your collection:
Step 1. Access the RemoteApp section from the Azure portal and select your collection.
Step 2. Click the Publishing tab at the top, click the Publish button at the bottom of the screen, and then select Publish Start Menu Programs.
Step 3. Select the applications from the collection that you want to publish, and then click Complete. Wait for the application to finish publishing.
Step 4. Select the User Access tab at the top of the screen.
Step 5. In the box provided, enter user names (email address) for your users.
Step 6. After all the users you want to access the application have been added, click Save.
To use RemoteApp applications, users need to install the Microsoft Remote Desktop client app on the user’s devices. This is the only software required on the local device for accessing any RemoteApp application. You use the app for Mac OS X, iOS, and Android, Windows Phone, and Windows RT.
Note
The Microsoft Remote Desktop client app, needed for RemoteApp, can be downloaded from the app store for the device. For Android devices, use the Google Play store, the iTunes Store for iOS and Mac devices, and the
Windows Store for Windows Phone and Windows 10 Mobile. Windows PCs require the RD client. Links to the client for all devices is available at
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/cloud-platform/azure-remoteapp-client- apps.
An Azure RemoteApp application is available for Windows computers (Windows 7 and later are supported), Windows Mobile devices, Mac OS X, iOS, and Android. Users start the application and then sign in to their
organization’s Azure account using their Azure credentials.
Support for iOS and Android
Users of iOS and Android devices need to install the Microsoft Remote Desktop client from their respective app stores to access your RemoteApp collections and applications. When your users start up the Remote Desktop client on their device, they can sign in using their Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) credentials and access the applications you have published.
Provide the following procedures for your end users to follow from the device. The process is the same on iOS and Android.
Step 1. Open the Microsoft Remote Desktop app.
Step 2. Click the Add button (the plus symbol in the upper-right corner).
Step 3. From the menu, select Azure RemoteApp. The Azure RemoteApp screen is displayed, as shown in Figure 17-16.
Figure 17-16. Adding the Azure RemoteApp Connection in the Microsoft Remote Desktop App
Step 4. On the Azure RemoteApp screen, select Continue.
Step 5. On the Sign In screen, enter your Azure AD credentials provided by your administrator.
Step 6. After signing in, the applications available to you are displayed, as shown in Figure 17-17. Click the application you want to run.
Figure 17-17. Applications Published in Azure RemoteApp Are Available to Users of iOS and Android Devices
The applications users access in this way will run just as if they were on a Windows PC running the application locally. Touchscreen functionality is enabled for certain functions, such as dragging windows, selecting sections of the application, accessing the menu, and so on. Users can also access the Remote Desktop menu at the top of the screen to switch between a mouse pointer style interface and touchscreen, as shown in Figure 17-18. The menu also provides functions to end the session, return to the home screen, or start a new session.
Figure 17-18. Applications Published in Azure RemoteApp Are Available to Users of iOS and Android Devices
Note
Microsoft has discontinued Azure RemoteApp, and stopped receiving new customers as of October 1, 2016. Existing customers will be supported until August 31, 2017. Microsoft recommends that current customers and others interested in this type of functionality transition to Citrix XenApp “express”.
As of March 2017, the Microsoft Exam objectives for exam 70-697 still require knowledge of Azure RemoteApp, and the exams have not been updated to remove questions related to the topic. We have provided
information in this chapter to help you prepare for the exam in case you are tested on the objects. For more information, see “Application Remoting and the Cloud” at
https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/enterprisemobility/2016/08/12/application- remoting-and-the-cloud/.
Exam Preparation Tasks Review All the Key Topics
Review the most important topics in the chapter, noted with the Key Topics icon in the outer margin of the page. Table 17-2 lists a reference of these key topics and the page numbers on which each is found.
Table 17-2. Key Topics for Chapter 17
Key Topic
Element Description Page
Number
Figure 17-1 Installing roles for RemoteApp
Remote Desktop services deployed to support
List RemoteApp
Step List Deploying certificates for RemoteApp signing using Group Policy Objects
Step List Configure private keys for signing published RemoteApp applications
Step List Configuring high-available configuration for RemoteApp using Azure
Step List Creating an application collection in Azure RemoteApp
Step List Using the Microsoft Remote Desktop app for Android and iOS for RemoteApp
Figure 17-17 Accessing RemoteApp applications from Android and iOS
Definitions of Key Terms
Define the following key terms from this chapter, and check your answers in the glossary.
application signing, APNs, Azure RemoteApp, cloud collection, DaaS, hybrid collection, PKCS #12, RD Connection Broker, RD Gateway, RD Session Host, RD Web Access, RDS, RemoteApp client, VDI