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Enabling Remote Desktop in Windows Azure

Remote Desktop enables you to access the desktop of a role instance running in Windows Azure. You can use a remote desktop connection to configure the virtual machine or troubleshoot problems with your application.

Note

The steps in this article only apply to node applications hosted as a Windows Azure Cloud Service.

This task includes the following steps:

Step 1: Configure the service for Remote Desktop access using Windows Azure PowerShell

To use Remote Desktop, you need to configure your service definition and service configuration with a username, password, and certificate to authenticate with role instances in the cloud. Windows Azure PowerShell includes the Enable-AzureServiceProjectRemoteDesktop cmdlet, which does this configuration for you.

Perform the following steps from the computer where the service definition was created.

  1. From the Start menu, select Windows Azure PowerShell.

    Windows Azure PowerShell start menu entry

  2. Change directory to the service directory, type Enable-AzureServiceProjectRemoteDesktop, and then enter a user name and password to use when authenticating with role instances in the cloud.

    enable-azureserviceprojectremotedesktop

  3. Publish the service configuration changes to the cloud. At the Windows Azure PowerShell prompt, type Publish-AzureServiceProject.

    publish-azureserviceproject

When these steps have been completed, the role instances of the service in the cloud are configured for Remote Desktop access.

Step 2: Connect to the role instance

With your deployment up and running in Windows Azure, you can connect to the role instance.

  1. In the Windows Azure Management Portal, select Cloud Services and then the service deployed in Step 1 above

    azure management portal

  2. Click Instances, and then click Production or Staging to see the instances for your service. Select an instance and then click Connect at the bottom of the page.

    The instances page

  3. When you click Connect, the web browser prompts you to save an .rdp file. If you’re using Internet Explorer, click Open.

    prompt to open or save the .rdp file

  4. When the file is opened, the following security prompt appears:

    Windows security prompt

  5. Click Connect, and a security prompt will appear for entering credentials to access the instance. Enter the password you created in Step 1, and then click OK.

    username/password prompt

When the connection is made, Remote Desktop Connection displays the desktop of the instance in Windows Azure. You have successfully gained remote access to your instance and can perform any necessary tasks to manage your application.

Remote desktop session

Step 3: Configure the service to disable Remote Desktop access using Windows Azure PowerShell

When you no longer require remote desktop connections to the role instances in the cloud, disable remote desktop access using the Windows Azure PowerShell

  1. From the Start menu, select Windows Azure PowerShell.

  2. Change directory to the service directory, and type Disable-AzureServiceProjectRemoteDesktop:

  3. Publish the service configuration changes to the cloud. At the Windows Azure PowerShell prompt, type Publish-AzureServiceProject:

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