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The RDC client performs no local processing of application software.
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In the Remote Desktop Services environment, an application runs entirely on the Remote Desktop Session Host (RD Session Host) server (formerly known as a terminal server). A Remote Desktop Connection (RDC) client or emulator provides a complete graphical user interface including a Windows operating system desktop and support for a variety of input devices, such as a keyboard and mouse. The primary difference between Remote Desktop Services and the traditional mainframe environment is that the dumb terminals in a mainframe environment only provide character-based input and output. Each terminal session is independent, with the host operating system managing conflicts between multiple users contending for shared resources. A user can log on at a terminal, and then run applications on the host computer, accessing files, databases, network resources, and so on. Each terminal provides a conduit for input and output between a user and the host computer. Remote Desktop Services (formerly known as Terminal Services) provides functionality similar to a terminal-based, centralized host, or mainframe, environment in which multiple terminals connect to a host computer.
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