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Configure RDP for Windows Azure cloud service instance


 In order to RDP to a windows azure cloud instances execute the steps given below:


  • Generate an encryption certificate and upload to the respective cloud service. This certificate is used to encrypt the RDP communication
  • Encrypt the RDP password using teh certificate thumbprint. You can use the csencrypt command line utility available with the Windows Azure SDk to encrypt the password- Ref: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windowsazure/hh403998.aspx
  • Import the RemoteAccess and RemoteForwarder modules in the csdef file
    <Imports>
      <Import moduleName="RemoteAccess" />
      <Import moduleName="RemoteForwarder" />
    </Imports>
  • Update the Remote desktop connection configuration values in the cscfg file. The settings are

<Setting name="Microsoft.WindowsAzure.Plugins.RemoteAccess.Enabled" value="true " />
<Setting name="Microsoft.WindowsAzure.Plugins.RemoteAccess.AccountUsername" value=" " />        <Setting name="Microsoft.WindowsAzure.Plugins.RemoteAccess.AccountEncryptedPassword" value="" />
<Setting name="Microsoft.WindowsAzure.Plugins.RemoteAccess.AccountExpiration" value="2014-06-27T23:59:59.0000000+05:30" />
<Setting name="Microsoft.WindowsAzure.Plugins.RemoteForwarder.Enabled" value="true" />
  • In the above settings the value of username and encrypted password should be updated
  • The cscfg file updated with the above settings can be deployed to the cloud service along with the cspkg file
  • Once the deployment is completed, login to Azure management portal-> cloud service-> Instances. Select the instance you want connect using RDP, and click on connect in the bottom menu
  • An RDP file will be downloaded,which you an open/save and then use the username password provided in the .cscfg file to connect to the selected instance
  • In case you need to reset the password, go to cloud service->configure and select Remote on the bottom menu.You will get options to enable/disable RDp, set new password, select the certificate, update the expiry date etc

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