Direct RDP login into Virtual Desktop Pool with Smart Card (Windows Server 2012)

In my earlier post, I've explored about Single Sign On for WS2012 Virtual Desktop. Normally, we have to login through the Remote Connection Web server. Can we do direct RDP with smartcard logon i.e. bypass RDWeb server? Yes, it's possible.

Open up MSTSC, key in the FQDN of your RD Connection Broker, configure whatever RDP settings and save it into a .rdp file. Open the .rdp file with notepad.

Modify this line (change from 0 to 1): use redirection server name:i:1

Add this line: loadbalanceinfo:s:tsv://[TSV URL]

Substitute the [TSV URL] path with your RD collection name. To find out the exact name, go to Event Viewer of your connection broker server. Look for event under TerminalServices-SessionBroker. Do a normal login via the usual RDWeb console. Refresh and look out for event 800. You'll find the TSV URL information.

Test this by double clicking on the new RDP file.