Unity mode for Remote Desktop

Question

I typically have several remote desktop sessions going at the same time. Within these sessions I might be running different applications. VMware Workstation has a Unity mode that allows you to integrate guest applications with the host. I'd like to be able to do the same thing for remote desktop sessions.

It would be a real productivity boost if I could point to an application on a remote desktop session and "unify" it with my main desktop. This would free the application from the tyranny of being boxed into the limiting remote desktop window.

Does anyone know of a 3rd party utility that makes this possible?

Answer 1

With RDP 7.0 now released, and if you apply the required updates for Windows Vista SP1 and Windows XP SP3 you can now use RemoteApp to remote and/or virtual machines running Windows Vista or Windows XP.

These machines can be running as virtual machines under VirtualBox or VMWare Worksation/Player, not just under Hyper-V.

It's a bit lengthy, so I've documented how to enable RemoteApp connections in a blog post, http://geekswithblogs.net/twickers/archive/2009/12/18/137048.aspx.

Basically, on the client you have to hand edit the RDP file to set remote application mode and nominate the remote application you wish to run. On the guest/remote system you need to add the relevant registry keys to support that named application and permit access.

Using RDP 7.0 with multi monitor support for RemoteApp has the advantage that the floating application window can be placed on any monitor on your system.

Answer 2

There is "Remote Applications Integrated Locally" which is a part of RDP used for the magic in Windows 7's XP Mode. I don't know much about it, but it should give you something to Google on.