3,621 settings · 25H2 · 1.0 · 29 Sep 2025

5 settingsCSV

Windows Components › Remote Desktop Services › Remote Desktop Session Host › RD Connection Broker

Join RD Connection Broker

ComputerNative Intune settingTS_JOIN_SESSION_DIRECTORY

Supported on At least Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition

25H2 · 1.0

What it does

This policy setting allows you to specify whether the RD Session Host server should join a farm in RD Connection Broker. RD Connection Broker tracks user sessions and allows a user to reconnect to their existing session in a load-balanced RD Session Host server farm. To participate in RD Connection Broker, the Remote Desktop Session Host role service must be installed on the server. If the policy setting is enabled, the RD Session Host server joins the farm that is specified in the RD Connection Broker farm name policy setting. The farm exists on the RD Connection Broker server that is specified in the Configure RD Connection Broker server name policy setting. If you disable this policy setting, the server does not join a farm in RD Connection Broker, and user session tracking is not performed. If the policy setting is disabled, you cannot use either the Remote Desktop Session Host Configuration tool or the Remote Desktop Services WMI Provider to join the server to RD Connection Broker. If the policy setting is not configured, the policy setting is not specified at the Group Policy level. Notes: 1. If you enable this policy setting, you must also enable the Configure RD Connection Broker farm name and Configure RD Connection Broker server name policy settings. 2. For Windows Server 2008, this policy setting is supported on at least Windows Server 2008 Standard.

What it writes

Hive: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
Registry key: SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services
Value name: SessionDirectoryActive
When enabled: DWORD 1
When disabled: DWORD 0

In Intune

Native Intune setting: Yes — Policy CSP

./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_TerminalServer/TS_JOIN_SESSION_DIRECTORYADMX_TerminalServer on Microsoft LearnADMX-backed: Windows ships this template, so it is set with the template's own values, without an import.Windows builds listed: 10.0.22000, 10.0.19043.1202, 10.0.19042.1202, 10.0.19041.1202.

From Microsoft's Policy CSP DDF files (DDF v2 Files, February 2026), read 18 Oct 2026.

Configure and deploy

Choose a state; the output below is generated from the template for exactly that.

Enabled · Computer · template defaults

Registry file (.reg)

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services]
"SessionDirectoryActive"=dword:00000001

PowerShell

$ErrorActionPreference = 'Stop'

function Set-RegistryValue {
    param(
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Name,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $PropertyType,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][object] $Value
    )

    if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path)) {
        New-Item -Path $Path -Force | Out-Null
    }

    New-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -PropertyType $PropertyType -Value $Value -Force | Out-Null
}

function Remove-RegistryValue {
    param(
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Name
    )

    if (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path) {
        Remove-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
    }
}

function Clear-RegistryKeyValues {
    param(
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path
    )

    if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path)) {
        return
    }

    foreach ($propertyName in (Get-Item -LiteralPath $Path).Property) {
        Remove-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $propertyName -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
    }
}

# Policy: Join RD Connection Broker
# Name: TS_JOIN_SESSION_DIRECTORY
# Scope: Machine
# State: Enabled
# Source: TerminalServer.admx

Set-RegistryValue -Path 'Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services' -Name 'SessionDirectoryActive' -PropertyType 'DWord' -Value 1

These deployment candidates come from the ADMX template; they are separate from the native CSP mapping above.

The OMA-URI is an inferred ADMX-backed Policy CSP candidate derived from the source ADMX file name and policy name.
Some Microsoft policies use built-in Policy CSP pages whose area names don't match the ADMX file name, so verify the candidate against Microsoft Learn before deployment.

ADMX profile candidate (OMA-URI)

./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_TerminalServer/TS_JOIN_SESSION_DIRECTORY

ADMX SyncML candidate

<SyncML xmlns="SYNCML:SYNCML1.2">
  <SyncBody>
    <Replace>
      <CmdID>1</CmdID>
      <Item>
        <Meta>
          <Format>chr</Format>
          <Type>text/plain</Type>
        </Meta>
        <Target>
          <LocURI>./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_TerminalServer/TS_JOIN_SESSION_DIRECTORY</LocURI>
        </Target>
        <Data>&lt;enabled/&gt;</Data>
      </Item>
    </Replace>
    <Final/>
  </SyncBody>
</SyncML>

Intune remediation scripts

Detection

$ErrorActionPreference = 'Stop'
$reasons = [System.Collections.Generic.List[string]]::new()

function Test-RegistryValueExists {
    param(
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Name
    )

    if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path)) {
        return $false
    }

    return $null -ne (Get-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue)
}

function Test-RegistryValueEquals {
    param(
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Name,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Kind,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][object] $Expected
    )

    if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path)) {
        return $false
    }

    $valueObject = Get-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
    if ($null -eq $valueObject) {
        return $false
    }

    $actual = $valueObject.$Name
    switch ($Kind) {
        'String' { return [string]$actual -ceq [string]$Expected }
        'ExpandString' { return [string]$actual -ceq [string]$Expected }
        'DWord' { return [uint32]$actual -eq [uint32]$Expected }
        'QWord' { return [uint64]$actual -eq [uint64]$Expected }
        'MultiString' {
            $actualArray = @($actual)
            $expectedArray = @($Expected)
            if ($actualArray.Count -ne $expectedArray.Count) { return $false }
            for ($index = 0; $index -lt $actualArray.Count; $index++) {
                if ([string]$actualArray[$index] -cne [string]$expectedArray[$index]) { return $false }
            }
            return $true
        }
        'Binary' {
            $actualArray = [byte[]]$actual
            $expectedArray = [byte[]]$Expected
            if ($actualArray.Length -ne $expectedArray.Length) { return $false }
            for ($index = 0; $index -lt $actualArray.Length; $index++) {
                if ($actualArray[$index] -ne $expectedArray[$index]) { return $false }
            }
            return $true
        }
        default { return [string]$actual -ceq [string]$Expected }
    }
}

# Policy: Join RD Connection Broker
# Name: TS_JOIN_SESSION_DIRECTORY
# Scope: Machine
# State: Enabled
# Source: TerminalServer.admx

$isMatch = Test-RegistryValueEquals -Path 'Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services' -Name 'SessionDirectoryActive' -Kind 'DWord' -Expected 1
if (-not $isMatch) {
    $reasons.Add('Value mismatch: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services\SessionDirectoryActive') | Out-Null
}

if ($reasons.Count -eq 0) {
    Write-Output 'Compliant'
    exit 0
}

$reasons | ForEach-Object { Write-Output $_ }
exit 1

Remediation

$ErrorActionPreference = 'Stop'

function Set-RegistryValue {
    param(
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Name,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $PropertyType,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][object] $Value
    )

    if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path)) {
        New-Item -Path $Path -Force | Out-Null
    }

    New-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -PropertyType $PropertyType -Value $Value -Force | Out-Null
}

function Remove-RegistryValue {
    param(
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Name
    )

    if (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path) {
        Remove-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
    }
}

function Clear-RegistryKeyValues {
    param(
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path
    )

    if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path)) {
        return
    }

    foreach ($propertyName in (Get-Item -LiteralPath $Path).Property) {
        Remove-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $propertyName -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
    }
}

# Policy: Join RD Connection Broker
# Name: TS_JOIN_SESSION_DIRECTORY
# Scope: Machine
# State: Enabled
# Source: TerminalServer.admx

Set-RegistryValue -Path 'Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services' -Name 'SessionDirectoryActive' -PropertyType 'DWord' -Value 1

History 5 retained releases

22H2 · 1.015 Jul 2024
- Already present in the first release ChangeIntel keeps.

4 later releases left it unchanged.

Template

Internal name: TS_JOIN_SESSION_DIRECTORY
Namespace: Microsoft.Policies.TerminalServer
Template file: TerminalServer.admx
Release: Windows 11 25H2 · 1.0 · file set de4e49983ebd651f…

Definition, editor controls and support

Definition

<policy class="Machine" displayName="$(string.TS_JOIN_SESSION_DIRECTORY)" explainText="$(string.TS_JOIN_SESSION_DIRECTORY_EXPLAIN)" key="SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services" name="TS_JOIN_SESSION_DIRECTORY" valueName="SessionDirectoryActive" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
      <parentCategory ref="Microsoft.Policies.TerminalServer:TS_SD_Node" />
      <supportedOn ref="Microsoft.Policies.TerminalServer:SUPPORTED_WindowsNET_Enterprise" />
      <enabledValue>
        <decimal value="1" />
      </enabledValue>
      <disabledValue>
        <decimal value="0" />
      </disabledValue>
    </policy>

Editor controls

Supported platforms and category

Microsoft.Policies.TerminalServer:category:TS_GP_NODE
<category displayName="$(string.TS_GP_NODE)" explainText="$(string.TS_User_Help)" name="TS_GP_NODE" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
      <parentCategory ref="Microsoft.Policies.Windows:WindowsComponents" />
    </category>
Microsoft.Policies.TerminalServer:category:TS_SD_Node
<category displayName="$(string.TS_SD_Node)" explainText="$(string.TS_SD_Node_Help)" name="TS_SD_Node" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
      <parentCategory ref="Microsoft.Policies.TerminalServer:TS_TERMINAL_SERVER" />
    </category>
Microsoft.Policies.TerminalServer:category:TS_TERMINAL_SERVER
<category displayName="$(string.TS_TERMINAL_SERVER)" explainText="$(string.TS_TERMINAL_SERVER_Help)" name="TS_TERMINAL_SERVER" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
      <parentCategory ref="Microsoft.Policies.TerminalServer:TS_GP_NODE" />
    </category>
Microsoft.Policies.TerminalServer:definition:SUPPORTED_WindowsNET_Enterprise
<definition displayName="$(string.SUPPORTED_WindowsNET_Enterprise)" name="SUPPORTED_WindowsNET_Enterprise" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
        
        <or>
          <reference ref="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindowsServer2003" />
        </or>
      </definition>
Microsoft.Policies.TerminalServer:unresolved:Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindowsServer2003
<unresolved reference="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindowsServer2003" />
Microsoft.Policies.Windows:category:WindowsComponents
<category displayName="$(string.WindowsComponents)" explainText="$(string.WindowsComponents_Help)" name="WindowsComponents" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions" />
Microsoft.Policies.TerminalServer:category:TS_GP_NODE
<category displayName="$(string.TS_GP_NODE)" explainText="$(string.TS_User_Help)" name="TS_GP_NODE" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
      <parentCategory ref="Microsoft.Policies.Windows:WindowsComponents" />
    </category>
<strings><string id="Microsoft.Policies.TerminalServer:TS_GP_NODE">Remote Desktop Services</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.TerminalServer:TS_User_Help">Controls configuration of Remote Desktop Services technologies that enable access to a server running Windows-based programs or the full Windows desktop</string></strings>
Microsoft.Policies.TerminalServer:category:TS_SD_Node
<category displayName="$(string.TS_SD_Node)" explainText="$(string.TS_SD_Node_Help)" name="TS_SD_Node" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
      <parentCategory ref="Microsoft.Policies.TerminalServer:TS_TERMINAL_SERVER" />
    </category>
<strings><string id="Microsoft.Policies.TerminalServer:TS_SD_Node">RD Connection Broker</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.TerminalServer:TS_SD_Node_Help">Controls configuration of an RD Session Host server that is a member of a load-balanced RD Session Host server farm</string></strings>
Microsoft.Policies.TerminalServer:category:TS_TERMINAL_SERVER
<category displayName="$(string.TS_TERMINAL_SERVER)" explainText="$(string.TS_TERMINAL_SERVER_Help)" name="TS_TERMINAL_SERVER" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
      <parentCategory ref="Microsoft.Policies.TerminalServer:TS_GP_NODE" />
    </category>
<strings><string id="Microsoft.Policies.TerminalServer:TS_TERMINAL_SERVER">Remote Desktop Session Host</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.TerminalServer:TS_TERMINAL_SERVER_Help">Controls configuration of a Remote Desktop Session Host server</string></strings>
Microsoft.Policies.TerminalServer:definition:SUPPORTED_WindowsNET_Enterprise
<definition displayName="$(string.SUPPORTED_WindowsNET_Enterprise)" name="SUPPORTED_WindowsNET_Enterprise" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
        
        <or>
          <reference ref="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindowsServer2003" />
        </or>
      </definition>
<strings><string id="Microsoft.Policies.TerminalServer:SUPPORTED_WindowsNET_Enterprise">At least Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition</string></strings>
Microsoft.Policies.Windows:category:WindowsComponents
<category displayName="$(string.WindowsComponents)" explainText="$(string.WindowsComponents_Help)" name="WindowsComponents" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions" />
<strings><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Windows:WindowsComponents">Windows Components</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Windows:WindowsComponents_Help">Contains settings for operating system components.</string></strings>