Remote Desktop Services allows a single server to be used for multiple users, with each user having a separate virtual environment on the Remote Desktop Services server. All processing is performed by the Remote Desktop Services server.

Users access the server using a client containing only the minimum software necessary to boot the device, establish a connection to the server, and present the user interface. This type of client is sometimes called a Thin Client.

Windows Server 2016 provide integrated support for a Thin Client environment in the form of Windows Server 2016 Remote Desktop Services.