MSI enhancement to update RDP files

• US 8,127,286 B2
• Filed: 02/16/2007
• Issued: 02/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: London, Kevin Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Deng, Anna
• Assistant Examiner(s): RAMPURIA, SATISH
• Application Number:
  US11/707,613
• Publication Number:
  US 20080201457A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,838 Days
• Field of Search: 717168-178, 709/222
• US Class Current: 717/169
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/08 specially adapted for terminal emulation, e.g. Telnet
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A Terminal Server Administrator is provided with the ability to indirectly update RDP files that have been placed inside an MSI file. The TS Web Access server retrieves the RDP file from the MSI file being published by the Active Directory, contacts the corresponding Terminal Server for any updated settings to the RDP file and icon allowing the remote program to be launched, and then passes the updated RDP file and icon to the client that is to connect to the Terminal Server. In this way RDP files can be dynamically updated without creating a new MSI file.

Claims

1. A method of using a web-based interface residing on a web server to update a structured storage file associated with a remote program requested by a client, the method comprising the steps of:

extracting a first file containing a link to the requested remote program from the structured storage file;

parsing the first file to obtain a name of a second server to which the first file points;

connecting to the second server;

determining if the remote program identified in the first file is on the second server and is enabled to be shown in the web-based interface, wherein if the remote program is on the second server and if the remote program is enabled to be shown in the web-based interface, obtaining an updated first file from the second server;

extracting an icon from the structured storage file, said icon allowing the remote program to be launched; and

embedding the icon and the updated first file in a HyperText Markup Language (HTML) page that is rendered by the web-based interface

wherein said web-based interface residing on the web server is compliant with a Terminal Services Web Access (TS Web Access) protocol, and wherein the first file is compliant with a Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) protocol, and wherein the structured storage file includes a Microsoft Installer (MSI) file.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said RDP file contains configuration information including how to connect to the server.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said RDP file contains information including which remote program to launch once connected.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of retrieving the structured storage file from Active Directory.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said Active Directory is configured to selectively limit the ability of users to access the files therein.

6. A module, residing on a web server, for updating Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) files within an MSI file associated with a remote program requested by a client, said module comprising:

a parser for parsing an RDP file associated with a Microsoft Installer (MSI) file to obtain a name of a server to which the RDP file points;

an interface for connecting to said server;

a program-identifying component for determining if a remote program identified in the RDP file is on said server, and wherein if the remote program is on the server and if the remote program is enabled to be shown in the module, obtaining an updated version of the RDP file and an icon allowing the remote program to be launched from said server;

an embedding component for embedding the icon and the updated RDP file in a HyperText Markup Language (HTML) page and rendering said HTML page;

an interface for connecting to Active Directory and querying said Active Directory to obtain information including links to MSI files that contain the RDP files associated with the requested remote program; and

an extraction component for extracting the RDP file from the MSI file.

7. The module of claim 6, wherein said module comprises Terminal Services Web Access (TS Web Access).

8. The module of claim 6, wherein said RDP file contains configuration information including how to connect to the server.

9. The module of claim 8, wherein said RDP file contains information including which remote program to launch once connected.

10. A method of using Terminal Services Web Access (TS Web Access) to enhance Microsoft Installer (MSI) files to update Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) files within MSI files, the method comprising the steps of:

parsing an RDP file to obtain a name of a server to which the RDP file points;

connecting to said server;

determining if a remote program identified in the RDP file is on said server, wherein if the remote program is on said server, and if the remote program is enabled to be shown in TS Web Access, obtaining an updated RDP file, and an icon allowing the remote program to be launched, from said server;

embedding the icon and the updated RDP file in a HyperText Markup Language (HTML) page;

rendering said HTML page;

retrieving a Group Policy Object (GPO) associated with the user, with links to MSI files that contain the RDP files, from Active Directory prior to said parsing step; and

extracting the RDP file from the MSI file.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of querying Active Directory to obtain a list of links to MSI files that contain RDP files.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising repeating the steps recited for each of the remote programs included on said list.