Forum Discussion

Copper Contributor

Aug 20, 2019

Remote Desktop Sessions same user multiple sessions

One area where IE really excelled was with terminal server sessions where the same user is logged in multiple times. IE natively handled this, if you logged into the same user multiple times, eac...

FreekBloemhof

Brass Contributor

Aug 23, 2019

I already have FSLogix running so the test was easy.

I have setup Edge with the DiskCacheDir to ${local_app_data}\Microsoft\EdgeCache and the UserDataDir to ${roaming_app_data}\Microsoft\EdgeData. Logged on to server 1, launched Edge and created a Favorite. Logged off to initially save my FSLogix profile (not sure if needed).

Logged on again, launched Edge and Favorite is still available. Started a second session (on another machine because we don't allow double session, but on a single machine I guess it will work the same), launched Edge without a problem.

Adding a new favorite or anything won't instantly synchronize to the other session (in fact, the profile using FSLogix in the secondary session is read only). So I'm guessing that the situation is not ideal for your wishes. But it can facilitate you in launching to instances in separate sessions, using the same UserDataDir.

Maybe you can look into other profile management solutions, some can instant sync certain folders between sessions. Or reconsider the situation that is created, maybe you can provide you boss a dual monitor setup? 😉

ray73864

Copper Contributor

Aug 23, 2019

They don't like dual monitors, but it's not just him, everyone in our admin has 2 or 3 thinclients each, and our stores have 5 thin clients each, all logged in with the appropriate username (in the case of our stores, 1 store will have all the thin clients logged in with the same username).

I think this is what irks me the most, this set up works 100% with IE.

rayld
Copper Contributor
Oct 02, 2019
I found this thread because I had a similar issue: was trying to publish the new Edge Beta as a remote app but multiple clients would be trying to use it using the same account. My workaround was similar to what FreekBloemhof suggested which was set the user data directory via the Edge GPO template ("${profile}/Edge/${session_name}").

This works (multiple sessions of the same user can now run Edge) but back to the same end: no new favorites will be saved, and preferences like "last download paths" will never be saved either. The favorites can be worked around (some what) with a managed favorites list but the downloads part needs a bit more finesse. Oh, now you have to worried about those ${session_name} folders as they're a few MB each.

ray73864 Just curious what you've done thus far?
- ray73864
  Copper Contributor
  Oct 02, 2019
  rayld We are still running Server 2008 R2 at present, so not a big issue for us right now, though we are looking at moving to Server 2019 within the next year I believe.
  
  I have a bodged up method working with Firefox, but I prefer the elegance of how IE11 does things.
  
  Would be nice if Edge could go the same way.
  - rayld
    Copper Contributor
    Oct 10, 2019
    ray73864 Sadly, if Edge is moving towards the Chromium route, it might not go back to how IE functions. I think if we can redirect where certain things go the we'll be okay. I haven't had a chance to fiddle with UserDataDir vs the other folder you can redirect via GPO, that might be the solution.
    
    I'd rather not deal with profile related software to redirect. However... Have you considered allowing the user to sign into Edge with a profile? That might retain settings and preferences like favorites. Sadly that isn't an option I want to move towards with our generic accounts...