Using RDP to access CSGold Servers

Owned by Dave Flynn
Last updated: Sept 03, 2019 by Les LaCroix
3 min read

RDP, or the Remote Desktop Protocol, is a Microsoft remote connection protocol used to securely view the desktop of a Windows computer from another location. There are functional remote desktop clients for both Mac and PC, but the server - the machine to which you are connecting - must be running Windows.

Remote Desktop Connection has replaced the SSH/VNC method of remote access for working directly with the CSGold servers. The following article describes in detail the process by which you can connect to the TPS or Database server using RDP.

  1. Verify that you can communicate with your desired server over the network. If you can run the CSGold GUI, you're done.
  2. Launch Remote Desktop Connection from your Windows computer: Start -> All Programs --> Accessories -> Remote Desktop Connection.
  3. A new window should appear, looking something like the following screen capture:
  4. In the 'Computer' window, type the address of the server to which you connect. Note that there are two CSGold servers; in almost all cases, you'll be remoting in because you want to do something in CSDashboard. That means you want to connect to the CSGold TPS server csgoldtps.cbord.carleton.edu (formerly named nara.cbord.carleton.edu). Type that server name into this window and click 'Connect':
  5. A new window will appear asking for login information. Here is where things get just a bit weird. Your Windows computers have been connected electronically to a software platform called Active Directory or 'AD'. Carleton's version of AD is called 'ads.carleton.edu', and represents a logical grouping of computers and users into a 'Domain'. One of the things that a domain does for us is store credentials; when you log into a computer that is joined to a domain, the computer knows that it can ask the domain servers (called Domain Controllers) to authenticate you with the username and password you choose. The CSGold servers are, for various reasons, *not* joined to ads.carleton.edu, and so your normal user account won't work to log in. But further, because your machine is joined to ads.carleton.edu, you have to explicitly tell RDP *not* to authenticate against that domain. So, when the 'Enter your credentials' window pops up, choose 'Use Another Account', and type exactly the following as noted in the screenshot:
    1. Username: CSGOLDTPS\cbordmaster
    2. password: (you should know this, as it has not changed. It's in LastPass if you need it.)
  6. Note that the 'Domain' message below the password box will change from 'ads' to 'CSGOLDTPS' once you type the CSGOLDTPS\ part of the username. Click OK. If all goes well, you should be logged into the TPS server as cbordmaster and you will be able to do whatever you need.
  7. If you are connecting to the database server instead (formerly named matsue.cbord.carleton.edu), use the following information:
    1. Server name: csgolddb.cbord.carleton.edu
    2. User name: CSGOLDDB\cbordmaster
    3. Password: (as before, ask Dave if you don't know the cbordmaster account password)
  8. When you are done working, please explicitly log out rather than just clicking the X to close the session. You can do this just as you would on any Windows computer; Start -> Log Off.  Never select 'Shut down' form the sub menu.