What is "RemoteApp Tool" and another noob query

[G S]

I'm new to RemoteApp and struggling to get a grip on the various "remote" solutions and implications of each. So i'm hoping someone can help me with a couple of queries...

1. Is the "RemoteApp Tool" a utility to simplify the setup of a "Microsoft RemoteApp" host and clients OR is it more accurately described as an alternative to "Microsoft's RemoteApp" (in a similar fashion to TSPlus and Thinstuff)?

2. If i use the RemoteApp tool to allow my laptop remote access to an application (Non Microsoft) on my office workstation am i in compliance with Microsoft licensing? (Both desktop and laptop are Windows 10 Pro - supplied by Dell with hardware). I have tried to figure out the answer to this but get lost in a sea of info about "RDS Cals" etc which i assume isn't relevant becuase the host is not a server OS. I seem to recall something about if your the "main user" of both devices then it's allowed but i can't find anything conclusive. Any advice of reference you could offer would be most welcome.

thanks

[B. Gale]

Hello,

To answer question 1 - it is an alternative to the Microsoft RemoteApp host that is free, open source and does not require Windows Server to run it.  The client tool is still MSTSC on Windows and whichever flavor of RDP you like in Linux/Mac that supports RemoteApp.  If you do decide to use this on a Server OS, it is much more lightweight and easier to set up with the drawbacks of having no native failover or clustering or load balancing support.

To answer question 2 - The application is running on the HOST machine, not the client machine, so as long as you are licensed to run it on the host (need a remote desktop license (RDS CAL) and a license to the application being run), you are in compliance.  Since the host is not a server OS, you should not need an RDS CAL, but that is probably a better question for Microsoft than a random forum.  If Microsoft decided to audit you and found you out of compliance, citing a random post on the internet won't get you out of hot water.

Thanks,

Brian

[G S]

Thanks for quick reply Brian