How to Set Up Multiple RDP Users on a Windows VPS for Your Team

One of the most common questions from businesses setting up a Windows VPS is: "How many people can use this server at the same time?" The answer depends on how you configure it, but the good news is that Windows Server is built for multi-user access. Whether you have two team members who need shared access or twenty employees who all need their own desktop session, a Windows VPS can handle it — you just need to set it up correctly.

This guide walks through everything from using the built-in RDP sessions that come with every MassiveGRID Windows VPS, to deploying full Remote Desktop Services for larger teams, to planning the right server resources so everyone gets a smooth experience.

Understanding RDP Session Limits on Windows Server

Before diving into configuration, it's important to understand how Windows Server handles remote desktop connections, because this is where most people get confused.

Every Windows Server installation includes two concurrent administrative RDP sessions by default. These are meant for server administration, but in practice, they work perfectly as full desktop sessions. Each user gets their own independent Windows desktop with their own profile, files, and running applications — it's like having two separate computers that happen to share the same hardware.

MassiveGRID includes both of these RDP sessions on every Windows VPS plan. Many providers advertise low prices then add $10-20/month for the Windows license. MassiveGRID includes Windows Server licensing in every plan — the price you see is the price you pay. Both admin sessions are ready to use immediately, with no additional licensing or configuration needed.

For more than two concurrent users, you'll need to install the Remote Desktop Services (RDS) role and purchase Remote Desktop Services Client Access Licenses (RDS CALs). We'll cover that in detail below, but first let's set up the simple two-user configuration that works right out of the box.

Option 1: Two to Three Users (Using Built-In Sessions)

If your team has two to three people who need access to the server, the built-in administrative sessions are the fastest and most cost-effective approach. Here's how to set it up.

Step 1: Create Individual User Accounts

Never have multiple people sharing the same Administrator account. It's a security risk, you can't track who did what, and it makes file management chaotic. Instead, create a separate Windows account for each team member.

1. Connect to your VPS via RDP using the Administrator account (credentials provided by MassiveGRID upon activation).
2. Open Server Manager and navigate to Tools > Computer Management.
3. Expand Local Users and Groups and click Users.
4. Right-click in the user list and select New User.
5. Enter a username and password for the team member. Uncheck "User must change password at next logon" if you want to set the password yourself, or leave it checked to let them choose their own.
6. Click Create and repeat for each team member.

Step 2: Grant Remote Desktop Access

By default, only the Administrator account and members of the Administrators group can connect via RDP. To let your new user accounts connect:

1. Open System Properties (right-click This PC > Properties > Remote settings).
2. Under Remote Desktop, click Select Users.
3. Click Add, type the username, and click OK. Repeat for each user.
4. If you want users to have admin rights (install software, change settings), also add them to the Administrators group in Computer Management. If they should only have standard access, leave them as regular users.

Step 3: Using the Console Session (Third User)

There's a less-known option for getting a third concurrent user: the console session. Windows Server has a physical console session (session 0) in addition to the two RDP admin sessions. One user can connect to this console session using the /admin flag in their RDP client:

In the Remote Desktop Connection client, instead of just entering the IP address, open a command prompt and type:

mstsc /v:YOUR_SERVER_IP /admin

This connects to the console session rather than creating a new RDP session. It's useful for a third user in a pinch, but be aware that this session shares the console — if someone logs into the server's virtual console directly (through the hosting provider's panel), they'll see the same session.

Option 2: Four or More Users (Remote Desktop Services)

For teams with four or more concurrent users, you need to install the Remote Desktop Services (RDS) role on your Windows Server. RDS removes the two-session limit and allows as many concurrent users as your server hardware can support — the only limit becomes the resources available and the number of CALs you've purchased.

Understanding RDS Licensing

Before installing RDS, understand the licensing model:

• Per-User CALs: Each named user gets a license. That user can connect from any number of devices. Best when each person uses one or two devices and you have a defined team.
• Per-Device CALs: Each device (computer, tablet, thin client) gets a license. Any number of users can use that device. Best when you have shared workstations or kiosks.

For most small business teams, Per-User CALs are the straightforward choice. You can purchase RDS CALs from Microsoft or authorized resellers.

Step 1: Install the Remote Desktop Services Role

1. Open Server Manager and click Add roles and features.
2. Proceed through the wizard until you reach Server Roles.
3. Check Remote Desktop Services and click Next.
4. Under Role Services, select:
   • Remote Desktop Session Host — this is the core service that allows multiple RDP sessions.
   • Remote Desktop Licensing — this manages your CALs. You can install this on the same server for small deployments.
5. Complete the wizard and restart the server when prompted.

Step 2: Configure RD Licensing

1. After restart, open Server Manager > Tools > Remote Desktop Licensing Manager.
2. Right-click your server and select Activate Server. Follow the activation wizard (you'll need internet connectivity).
3. Once activated, right-click the server again and select Install Licenses.
4. Enter your RDS CAL license agreement number and complete the installation.

Step 3: Configure the Session Host to Use Your License Server

1. Open Local Group Policy Editor (gpedit.msc).
2. Navigate to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Remote Desktop Services > Remote Desktop Session Host > Licensing.
3. Enable Use the specified Remote Desktop license servers and enter your server's name or IP address.
4. Enable Set the Remote Desktop licensing mode and select either Per User or Per Device, matching your CAL type.

After completing these steps, your server can accept as many concurrent RDP connections as you have CALs and hardware resources to support.

User Management for Multi-User Environments

Once you have multiple users on a single server, proper management becomes essential. Here's how to keep things organized and secure.

Per-User Drive Mappings and Folders

Give each user their own workspace on the server:

• Create a folder structure like D:\Users\JohnSmith, D:\Users\JaneDoe, etc.
• Set NTFS permissions so each user can only access their own folder. Right-click the folder, go to Properties > Security, and configure permissions to grant Full Control only to the specific user and Administrators.
• Create a shared folder (e.g., D:\Shared) for files that everyone needs access to.
• Map these folders as network drives in each user's profile for easy access.

User-Specific Application Access

Not every user needs access to every application. Use Windows Group Policy to control who can run what:

• Create user groups (e.g., "Accounting," "Sales," "Management") in Computer Management.
• Install applications for all users but use Group Policy Software Restriction Policies to limit which groups can launch specific executables.
• For applications that store per-user settings (QuickBooks, Sage, etc.), ensure each user has their own application profile directory. Most business software handles this automatically when run under different Windows user accounts.

Group Policy for Multi-User Environments

Group Policy is your best tool for managing a multi-user Windows Server. Key policies to configure:

• Folder redirection: Redirect each user's Documents, Desktop, and other profile folders to their dedicated directory on a separate drive. This keeps the system drive clean and makes backups easier.
• Drive restrictions: Prevent users from accessing drives they shouldn't, such as the system drive (C:).
• Software installation restrictions: Prevent standard users from installing software. Only administrators should be able to install new applications.
• Desktop restrictions: Lock down desktop customization if you want to maintain a consistent environment across all users.

Resource Planning for Multiple RDP Users

This is where many businesses get the sizing wrong. Each concurrent RDP user running standard office applications (email, web browser, Office suite, a business application or two) needs approximately 2 GB of RAM and 1 vCPU. The Windows Server operating system itself needs roughly 2 GB of RAM as a baseline.

Here's a practical sizing guide:

The formula is straightforward: 2 GB base (OS) + 2 GB per concurrent user for standard office workloads. So a 5-user setup needs a minimum of 12 GB RAM. Add more if users run resource-heavy applications like data analysis tools, design software, or multiple browser tabs.

This is where MassiveGRID's independent resource scaling becomes genuinely valuable for multi-user setups. As your team grows from 3 to 5 to 8 users, you can add RAM in increments without changing your CPU allocation or storage. Need to go from 8 GB to 16 GB because you hired three new people? Add the RAM, keep your existing CPU and storage unchanged, and pay only for the additional memory. No plan upgrades, no migrations, no downtime debates about whether to move to a larger tier.

Security for Multi-User Windows VPS Environments

A multi-user server requires more security attention than a single-user setup. When multiple people share a server, a security mistake by one user can affect everyone.

Separate User Profiles and Permissions

• Never share accounts between users. Every person gets their own Windows account with a unique password.
• Use the principle of least privilege — give users only the permissions they need. Standard users can't modify system settings or install software, which prevents accidental (or intentional) changes that affect everyone.
• Separate each user's file storage with NTFS permissions. Users should not be able to browse other users' personal folders.

Audit Logging

• Enable Windows Security Auditing to log login attempts, file access, and privilege use. Open Local Security Policy (secpol.msc) and configure audit policies under Local Policies > Audit Policy.
• At minimum, enable auditing for: Account Logon Events, Logon Events, Object Access (for sensitive files), and Policy Change.
• Review the Security event log periodically. Look for failed login attempts, unusual access times, or access to files outside a user's normal scope.

Session Timeouts and Disconnection Policies

• Set idle session timeouts so disconnected sessions don't consume resources indefinitely. In Group Policy, navigate to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Remote Desktop Services > Remote Desktop Session Host > Session Time Limits.
• Configure "Set time limit for disconnected sessions" (recommended: 30-60 minutes). After this time, disconnected sessions are terminated and resources are freed.
• Configure "Set time limit for active but idle sessions" (recommended: 2-4 hours) to disconnect users who step away without logging off.

RDP Security Hardening

With multiple users connecting via RDP, the attack surface increases. Follow our complete Windows VPS security guide to harden your RDP configuration, including changing the default port, enabling NLA, and configuring account lockout policies. MassiveGRID adds infrastructure-level protection with 12 Tbps DDoS protection and the Cluster Firewall, which blocks attacks before they reach your server — essential when multiple team members depend on the same server being available.

High Availability for Team Servers

When a server hosts one person's desktop, downtime is inconvenient. When it hosts your entire team's desktops, downtime stops your whole business. This is where the infrastructure under your server matters enormously.

Every MassiveGRID Windows VPS runs on a Proxmox High Availability cluster with a minimum of three physical nodes. If the hardware node hosting your team's server experiences a failure, the system automatically restarts your VM on a healthy node — typically within seconds. Your data lives on Ceph distributed storage with 3x replication, so even a complete disk failure doesn't threaten your team's files.

For a team server, this automatic failover means the difference between a brief interruption (users reconnect after a few seconds) and a multi-hour outage while hardware is manually repaired and data is restored from backup. When five or ten people are sitting idle because the server is down, the cost of downtime far exceeds the cost of proper HA infrastructure.

Choosing the Right MassiveGRID Product for Your Team Size

Different team sizes call for different infrastructure tiers. Here's a practical breakdown:

• H/A Cloud VPS (from $3.99/mo): Best for 1-3 users. The two included RDP sessions handle a pair of concurrent users, and independent resource scaling lets you add RAM as your team's workload grows. Self-managed — you handle user setup, security, and updates.
• H/A Cloud VDS (from $17.39/mo): Best for 4-8 users who need dedicated CPU performance. With multiple concurrent RDP sessions, the guaranteed CPU and RAM of a VDS ensures that one user's heavy workload doesn't slow everyone else down. No noisy-neighbor effect.
• H/A Managed Cloud Servers (from $27.79/mo): Best for teams that want MassiveGRID to handle server management — OS updates, security patches, monitoring, and backups. You focus on setting up users and applications; the infrastructure takes care of itself.
• H/A Managed Dedicated Servers (from $76.19/mo): Best for 10+ users or mission-critical team environments. Dedicated physical hardware means maximum performance and isolation, with full management and 24/7 monitoring included. When your entire team depends on this server, dedicated hardware and professional management are worth the investment.

Next Steps

Ready to set up a multi-user Windows VPS for your team? Here are some useful resources:

• Set up your Windows VPS for remote work — the foundational guide for configuring RDP, optimizing display settings, and getting your environment running
• Run business software on your VPS — set up QuickBooks, Sage, CRM tools, and other multi-user business applications
• Secure your Windows VPS — essential hardening steps for any server that's accessible over the internet, especially important for multi-user environments
• Configure your Windows VPS — choose the right specs for your team size and start today

Need help planning the right configuration for your team? Contact MassiveGRID's support team — they can recommend the optimal specs and product tier based on your number of users, the applications you'll run, and your performance requirements.