{ "api_version": "1", "kind": "dse_post", "self": "https://update.dsesecurity.com/api/v1/posts/dse-20260908-064-keep-each-rds-session-collection-at-a-consistent-windows-server-version/", "item": { "id": "https://update.dsesecurity.com/updates/dse-20260908-064-keep-each-rds-session-collection-at-a-consistent-windows-server-version/", "slug": "dse-20260908-064-keep-each-rds-session-collection-at-a-consistent-windows-server-version", "url": "https://update.dsesecurity.com/updates/dse-20260908-064-keep-each-rds-session-collection-at-a-consistent-windows-server-version/", "alternate_urls": { "markdown": "https://update.dsesecurity.com/updates/dse-20260908-064-keep-each-rds-session-collection-at-a-consistent-windows-server-version.md", "json": "https://update.dsesecurity.com/api/v1/posts/dse-20260908-064-keep-each-rds-session-collection-at-a-consistent-windows-server-version/" }, "title": "Keep each RDS session collection at a consistent Windows Server version", "summary": "Can different Windows Server versions coexist within one RDS session collection?", "format": { "slug": "guide", "name": "Guide" }, "priority": { "slug": "info", "name": "Information" }, "featured": false, "image": { "theme": "managed-it", "label": "Managed IT operations", "alt": "A controlled technology lifecycle progressing from assessment to approved production.", "card_url": "https://update.dsesecurity.com/assets/editorial/managed-it-card.webp?v=1.8.20", "hero_url": "https://update.dsesecurity.com/assets/editorial/managed-it-hero.webp?v=1.8.20", "social_url": "https://update.dsesecurity.com/assets/editorial/managed-it-social-v2.jpg?v=1.8.20", "width": 2400, "height": 1350 }, "topics": [ { "slug": "it", "name": "IT", "url": "https://update.dsesecurity.com/topic/it/" }, { "slug": "networks-infrastructure", "name": "Networks & Infrastructure", "url": "https://update.dsesecurity.com/topic/networks-infrastructure/" } ], "author": { "name": "DSE Security Editorial Team", "url": "https://update.dsesecurity.com/#editorial-team", "type": "Organization" }, "publisher": { "name": "Detection Systems & Engineering", "url": "https://dsesecurity.com/" }, "published_at": "2026-09-08T18:16:07+00:00", "modified_at": "2026-09-08T18:20:22+00:00", "reviewed_on": "2026-09-08", "reading_minutes": 1, "word_count": 213, "potentially_affected": "Use this review when designing or auditing a mixed-version RDS environment.", "dse_recommendation": "Build a collection-membership matrix rather than relying on a deployment-wide list of servers.", "primary_source": { "name": "Supported Configurations for Remote Desktop Services", "url": "https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/remote/remote-desktop-services/rds-supported-config", "published_on": null, "authority": "Microsoft Learn" }, "publishing_principles": "https://update.dsesecurity.com/updates/dse-updates-editorial-methodology/", "usage_info": "https://update.dsesecurity.com/usage/", "copyright_notice": "Copyright © 2026 Detection Systems & Engineering. All rights reserved.", "content_html": "

Source facts

\n

Microsoft requires the Session Hosts within one collection to use the same version level, while allowing separate collections. Connection Brokers in a highly available deployment must also share an operating-system level. The source’s compatibility example allows a Windows Server 2022 Session Host with a Windows Server 2025 Broker, but not the reverse pairing. Microsoft documentation.

\n

Applicability

\n

Use this review when designing or auditing a mixed-version RDS environment. Identify every collection, its member hosts, and the brokers serving it. Check the current interoperability tables for the actual proposed combinations.

\n

DSE recommendation

\n

Build a collection-membership matrix rather than relying on a deployment-wide list of servers. Have the RDS owner confirm the intended version for each collection and the consistent level of the broker group. Review any newly added host against that matrix before admitting user sessions. Keep a subsequent migration or upgrade sequence separately planned from this supported steady-state design.

\n

Verification

\n

Inspect actual collection membership and operating-system versions, then test representative sessions through the intended broker path. Record the specific host and collection serving each test. Resolve an inconsistent collection or unsupported broker pairing before adding more hosts. Retain the accepted matrix with the deployment inventory and review it after membership changes.

\n

Official references

\n

Microsoft Learn: Supported Configurations for Remote Desktop Services. Source reviewed September 8, 2026.

", "content_text": "Source facts\nMicrosoft requires the Session Hosts within one collection to use the same version level, while allowing separate collections. Connection Brokers in a highly available deployment must also share an operating-system level. The source’s compatibility example allows a Windows Server 2022 Session Host with a Windows Server 2025 Broker, but not the reverse pairing. Microsoft documentation.\nApplicability\nUse this review when designing or auditing a mixed-version RDS environment. Identify every collection, its member hosts, and the brokers serving it. Check the current interoperability tables for the actual proposed combinations.\nDSE recommendation\nBuild a collection-membership matrix rather than relying on a deployment-wide list of servers. Have the RDS owner confirm the intended version for each collection and the consistent level of the broker group. Review any newly added host against that matrix before admitting user sessions. Keep a subsequent migration or upgrade sequence separately planned from this supported steady-state design.\nVerification\nInspect actual collection membership and operating-system versions, then test representative sessions through the intended broker path. Record the specific host and collection serving each test. Resolve an inconsistent collection or unsupported broker pairing before adding more hosts. Retain the accepted matrix with the deployment inventory and review it after membership changes.\nOfficial references\nMicrosoft Learn: Supported Configurations for Remote Desktop Services. Source reviewed September 8, 2026.", "content_markdown": "## Source facts\n\nMicrosoft requires the Session Hosts within one collection to use the same version level, while allowing separate collections. Connection Brokers in a highly available deployment must also share an operating-system level. The source’s compatibility example allows a Windows Server 2022 Session Host with a Windows Server 2025 Broker, but not the reverse pairing. [Microsoft documentation](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/remote/remote-desktop-services/rds-supported-config).\n\n## Applicability\n\nUse this review when designing or auditing a mixed-version RDS environment. Identify every collection, its member hosts, and the brokers serving it. Check the current interoperability tables for the actual proposed combinations.\n\n## DSE recommendation\n\nBuild a collection-membership matrix rather than relying on a deployment-wide list of servers. Have the RDS owner confirm the intended version for each collection and the consistent level of the broker group. Review any newly added host against that matrix before admitting user sessions. Keep a subsequent migration or upgrade sequence separately planned from this supported steady-state design.\n\n## Verification\n\nInspect actual collection membership and operating-system versions, then test representative sessions through the intended broker path. Record the specific host and collection serving each test. Resolve an inconsistent collection or unsupported broker pairing before adding more hosts. Retain the accepted matrix with the deployment inventory and review it after membership changes.\n\n## Official references\n\n[Microsoft Learn: Supported Configurations for Remote Desktop Services](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/remote/remote-desktop-services/rds-supported-config). Source reviewed September 8, 2026." }, "json_ld": { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://dsesecurity.com/#organization", "name": "Detection Systems & Engineering", "alternateName": "DSE Security", "url": "https://dsesecurity.com/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://update.dsesecurity.com/assets/dse-logo-20260812.png?v=1.8.20" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://update.dsesecurity.com/#editorial-team", "name": "DSE Security Editorial Team", "url": "https://update.dsesecurity.com/", "parentOrganization": { "@id": "https://dsesecurity.com/#organization" } }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://update.dsesecurity.com/#website", "name": "DSE Updates", "alternateName": "DSE Security Knowledge Hub", "url": "https://update.dsesecurity.com/", "inLanguage": "en-US", "publisher": { "@id": "https://dsesecurity.com/#organization" }, "potentialAction": { "@type": "SearchAction", "target": { "@type": "EntryPoint", "urlTemplate": "https://update.dsesecurity.com/?q={search_term_string}" }, "query-input": "required name=search_term_string" } }, { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://update.dsesecurity.com/updates/dse-20260908-064-keep-each-rds-session-collection-at-a-consistent-windows-server-version/", "url": "https://update.dsesecurity.com/updates/dse-20260908-064-keep-each-rds-session-collection-at-a-consistent-windows-server-version/", "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://update.dsesecurity.com/#website" }, "lastReviewed": "2026-09-08" }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "@id": "https://update.dsesecurity.com/updates/dse-20260908-064-keep-each-rds-session-collection-at-a-consistent-windows-server-version/#breadcrumbs", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "DSE Updates", "item": "https://update.dsesecurity.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Keep each RDS session collection at a consistent Windows Server version", "item": "https://update.dsesecurity.com/updates/dse-20260908-064-keep-each-rds-session-collection-at-a-consistent-windows-server-version/" } ] }, { "@type": [ "Article", "TechArticle" ], "@id": "https://update.dsesecurity.com/updates/dse-20260908-064-keep-each-rds-session-collection-at-a-consistent-windows-server-version/#article", "identifier": "https://update.dsesecurity.com/updates/dse-20260908-064-keep-each-rds-session-collection-at-a-consistent-windows-server-version/", "url": "https://update.dsesecurity.com/updates/dse-20260908-064-keep-each-rds-session-collection-at-a-consistent-windows-server-version/", "headline": "Keep each RDS session collection at a consistent Windows Server version", "description": "Can different Windows Server versions coexist within one RDS session collection?", "abstract": "Can different Windows Server versions coexist within one RDS session collection?", "articleBody": "Source facts\nMicrosoft requires the Session Hosts within one collection to use the same version level, while allowing separate collections. Connection Brokers in a highly available deployment must also share an operating-system level. The source’s compatibility example allows a Windows Server 2022 Session Host with a Windows Server 2025 Broker, but not the reverse pairing. Microsoft documentation.\nApplicability\nUse this review when designing or auditing a mixed-version RDS environment. Identify every collection, its member hosts, and the brokers serving it. Check the current interoperability tables for the actual proposed combinations.\nDSE recommendation\nBuild a collection-membership matrix rather than relying on a deployment-wide list of servers. Have the RDS owner confirm the intended version for each collection and the consistent level of the broker group. Review any newly added host against that matrix before admitting user sessions. Keep a subsequent migration or upgrade sequence separately planned from this supported steady-state design.\nVerification\nInspect actual collection membership and operating-system versions, then test representative sessions through the intended broker path. Record the specific host and collection serving each test. Resolve an inconsistent collection or unsupported broker pairing before adding more hosts. Retain the accepted matrix with the deployment inventory and review it after membership changes.\nOfficial references\nMicrosoft Learn: Supported Configurations for Remote Desktop Services. Source reviewed September 8, 2026.", "datePublished": "2026-09-08T18:16:07+00:00", "dateModified": "2026-09-08T18:20:22+00:00", "mainEntityOfPage": { "@id": "https://update.dsesecurity.com/updates/dse-20260908-064-keep-each-rds-session-collection-at-a-consistent-windows-server-version/" }, "inLanguage": "en-US", "isAccessibleForFree": true, "author": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "DSE Security Editorial Team", "url": "https://update.dsesecurity.com/#editorial-team" }, "publisher": { "@id": "https://dsesecurity.com/#organization" }, "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://update.dsesecurity.com/updates/dse-20260908-064-keep-each-rds-session-collection-at-a-consistent-windows-server-version/#primaryimage", "url": "https://update.dsesecurity.com/assets/editorial/managed-it-social-v2.jpg?v=1.8.20", "contentUrl": "https://update.dsesecurity.com/assets/editorial/managed-it-social-v2.jpg?v=1.8.20", "width": 1200, "height": 630, "caption": "Keep each RDS session collection at a consistent Windows Server version" }, "articleSection": [ "IT", "Networks & Infrastructure" ], "keywords": [ "IT", "Networks & Infrastructure", "Guide", "Information priority" ], "genre": "Guide", "about": [ { "@type": "Thing", "name": "IT", "url": "https://update.dsesecurity.com/topic/it/" }, { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Networks & Infrastructure", "url": "https://update.dsesecurity.com/topic/networks-infrastructure/" } ], "wordCount": 213, "timeRequired": "PT1M", "publishingPrinciples": "https://update.dsesecurity.com/updates/dse-updates-editorial-methodology/", "usageInfo": "https://update.dsesecurity.com/usage/", "copyrightHolder": { "@id": "https://dsesecurity.com/#organization" }, "copyrightNotice": "Copyright © 2026 Detection Systems & Engineering. All rights reserved.", "citation": { "@type": "CreativeWork", "name": "Supported Configurations for Remote Desktop Services", "url": "https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/remote/remote-desktop-services/rds-supported-config" } } ] } }