Manage RDS Collections

Overview

An RDS collection joins session hosts, users, applications, and delivery settings. Open the customer organization and select RDS > Collections to review the existing collections, create a collection, or import one from a configured RDS service.

The list shows each collection, its assigned servers, its current provisioning state, and the collection quota for the organization. A collection can be edited after its status becomes active.

Before you begin

• Register and assign the required hosts from RDS Servers.
• Confirm the organization has available RDS collection capacity in its hosting plan.
• Confirm your account has the required view, add, edit, or delete permission.
• Decide whether MSPControl should create a collection or import an existing collection from a configured service.
• Confirm the intended users, applications, profile-disk location, and session settings before enabling access.

Create an RDS collection

1. Open the customer organization and select RDS > Collections.
2. Select Add.
3. Enter the collection name.
4. Select the Azure service when the collection uses a configured Azure service. Leave it clear when it does not apply to the deployment.
5. Select one or more available RDS servers.
6. Select Create.
7. Wait while the collection shows an in-progress status.
8. Refresh the list and open the collection after its status becomes active.

The Add action is disabled when the organization’s quota or current environment does not permit another collection.

Import an existing collection

1. Open RDS > Collections.
2. Select Import.
3. Enter the exact name of the existing RDS collection.
4. Select the configured service that can access it.
5. Select Import.
6. Wait for the operation to finish, then refresh the list.
7. Open the imported collection and verify its hosts, users, applications, and settings before making changes.

The Import action is enabled only when MSPControl reports that importing is available for the organization and service.

Configure the collection

The current collection editor provides these areas:

Area	Purpose
Users	Assign the users who can access the collection
Servers	Review and change the session hosts assigned to the collection
Server Settings	Configure collection-level server and session behavior
Client Settings	Configure the client experience exposed by the collection
User Experience	Configure the default user-experience settings
Applications	Publish RemoteApp applications or full desktop delivery and assign application user groups
Custom Applications	Maintain the collection’s configured custom application packages
User Sessions	Review sessions, send messages, refresh state, and log users off
Administrators	Manage the users assigned as local administrators on collection hosts
Profile Disks	Configure whether and where user profile disks are used

Application availability and collection membership are separate. A user can have access to the collection without being assigned to a published RemoteApp application.

Local administrator access affects the session hosts

A user assigned as a local administrator receives administrative rights on the collection’s session hosts. Keep this list limited, review it after role changes, and verify the resulting host membership.

Treat profile-disk changes as a data operation

Changing or disabling profile-disk settings can change which profile a user receives. Confirm the existing location, backup or recovery path, and expected effect before saving a change.

Review sessions and contact users

The collection editor provides Recent Messages and Send Message to All actions. Its User Sessions area supports per-session messaging and logoff actions.

Before a disruptive server, application, or profile change:

1. open User Sessions;
2. refresh the table;
3. identify connected users and their hosts;
4. send a maintenance message when appropriate;
5. use Manage RDS User Sessions for a controlled logoff when required.

Remove or detach a collection

• Remove Collection removes an active collection through MSPControl after confirmation.
• Detach Collection disconnects the collection record and is available to a server administrator.

Before either action, verify active sessions, assigned applications, profile-disk data, and the recovery path. Removal can invoke provider-side collection removal, while detaching is not a substitute for deleting the underlying RDS deployment.

Verify the result

After creating, importing, or changing a collection:

1. confirm the collection status is active;
2. confirm the expected servers appear in the list;
3. review the collection quota;
4. verify user and application assignments separately;
5. confirm profile-disk and delivery settings;
6. connect with an approved test account and verify the intended RemoteApp or desktop experience;
7. refresh User Sessions and confirm the test session appears on the expected host.

Related tasks

• Manage RDS servers
• Manage RDS user sessions
• Configure hosting plan quotas
• Configure Chocolatey feeds