RemoteApp in Windows Server 2012R2
To use Remote App on Windows Server 2012 R2, the server must be connected to a domain for RemoteApp to work (this was not a requirement in 2008 R2). See link below, in 2012 R2 (but not 2012), Active Directory can be on the same server as RD Connection Broker.
http://blogs.msdn.com/b/rds/archive/2013/07/09/what-s-new-in-remote-desktop-services-for-windows-server-2012-r2.aspx — See this section: “Single server RDS deployment including Active Directory. We now support running our RD Connection Broker role service on the same physical instance as an Active Directory Domain Controller. In addition, we published guidelines for how RD Session Host could be used without the RD Connection Broker.”
Ways to Distribute RemoteApps in Windows Server 2012 R2:
http://social.technet.microsoft.com/wiki/contents/articles/14488.distribution-of-remote-apps-and-desktops-in-windows-server-2012.aspx — “Distribution of Remote Apps and Desktops in Windows Server 2012”
1) Distribute using RD Web Access – similar to how it was done in 2008 R2 by going to your site: http://IPofSERVER/rdweb
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee216776.aspx 2008R2Access RemoteApp and Desktop Connection by Using the RD Web Access Web Site
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc731508.aspx 2008R2 Connect to Remote Desktop Web Access
2) Distribute using Web Feed URL in the control panel – In 2008R2, you could create .rdp files using RemoteApp Wizard but that has been replaced in 2012 and the Web Feed method is recommended.
http://social.technet.microsoft.com/wiki/contents/articles/14488.distribution-of-remote-apps-and-desktops-in-windows-server-2012.aspx — Distribution of Remote Apps and Desktops in Windows Server 2012
Another approach (which isn’t specific to RemoteApp) is to create remote desktop shortcuts – see video on our website – http://www.riptidehosting.com/Dedicated-Server-Configuration-Videos.aspx These shortcuts can be made regardless of remote app but users have the ability to edit them.
Additional Links relating to 2012 RDS:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh831447.aspx – remote desktop services overview for 2012
http://social.technet.microsoft.com/wiki/contents/articles/10817.publishing-remoteapps-in-windows-server-2012.aspx – Publishing RemoteApps in 2012
http://blogs.technet.com/b/windowsserver/archive/2012/05/09/windows-server-2012-remote-desktop-services-rds.aspx – Windows Server 2012 Remote Desktop Services (RDS) on windows server blog