Installation Guide - RDSWeb Custom

Overview

This guide walks through the complete installation process for deploying RDSWeb Custom in a production environment. The installation consists of two main components:

Backend API - Node.js/Express server for authentication and RemoteApp queries
Frontend Application - Angular-based web interface

Before starting, ensure you have completed all items in the System Requirements checklist.

Installation Methods

Manual Installation

Install and configure components manually on a Windows or Linux server

Production Deployment

Deploy with a reverse proxy (nginx/IIS) for SSL termination and production hosting

Manual Installation

Step 1: Clone the Repository

Download the source code to your server:

git clone https://github.com/your-org/rdsweb-custom.git
cd rdsweb-custom

Replace your-org/rdsweb-custom with the actual repository URL.

Step 2: Install Backend Dependencies

Navigate to the backend directory and install npm packages:

cd backend
npm install

Expected output:

added 150 packages in 8s

Verify the installation:

node --version  # Should show v16.x or later
npm --version   # Should show v7.x or later

Step 3: Configure Backend Environment

Create the production environment configuration:

cp .env.example .env

Edit the .env file with your production settings:

.env

# Server Configuration
PORT=3000
NODE_ENV=production

# JWT Configuration
JWT_SECRET=your-secure-random-secret-here-change-this
JWT_EXPIRES_IN=8h

# Active Directory Configuration
LDAP_URL=ldaps://dc01.company.local:636
LDAP_BASE_DN=DC=company,DC=local
AD_DOMAIN=COMPANY

# AD Service Account
AD_SERVICE_USER=[email protected]
AD_SERVICE_PASS=SecurePassword123!

# RD Connection Broker
RDCB_SERVER=rdcb.company.local

# RD Gateway (optional)
RDGATEWAY_HOSTNAME=rdgateway.company.local

# Disable simulation mode for production
SIMULATION_MODE=false

Security Critical:

Change JWT_SECRET to a strong random string (32+ characters)
Use LDAPS (ldaps://) instead of plain LDAP in production
Never commit the .env file to version control

Generate a secure JWT secret:

node -e "console.log(require('crypto').randomBytes(32).toString('hex'))"

See the Configuration Reference for detailed descriptions of all environment variables.

Step 4: Test Backend Server

Start the backend in development mode to verify configuration:

node src/index.js

Expected output:

  ╔══════════════════════════════════════╗
  ║       RDWeb-Moderno  Backend         ║
  ║   Servidor en puerto 3000            ║
  ║   Modo: PRODUCCIÓN 🟢                ║
  ║   RDCB: rdcb.company.local           ║
  ╚══════════════════════════════════════╝

  API Health: http://localhost:3000/api/health

Test the health endpoint:

curl http://localhost:3000/api/health

Expected response:

{
  "status": "ok",
  "simulationMode": false,
  "rdcbServer": "rdcb.company.local",
  "timestamp": "2026-03-04T10:30:00.000Z"
}

Troubleshooting Backend Startup

Common Issues:

LDAP connection errors: Verify LDAP_URL is accessible and service account credentials are correct
Port already in use: Change PORT in .env or stop conflicting process
Module not found errors: Run npm install again
PowerShell/WMI errors: Ensure server can access RD Connection Broker via WMI

Step 5: Install Frontend Dependencies

Open a new terminal and navigate to the frontend directory:

cd frontend
npm install

Expected output:

added 1200+ packages in 45s

Step 6: Configure Frontend Environment

Update the production API URL in src/environments/environment.prod.ts:

src/environments/environment.prod.ts

export const environment = {
    production: true,
    apiUrl: 'https://rdsweb.company.local/api',  // Update with your domain
};

If using a reverse proxy, set apiUrl to the public-facing URL where the backend will be accessible.

Step 7: Build Frontend for Production

Compile the Angular application for production:

ng build --configuration production

Expected output:

Building Angular application...
✔ Browser application bundle generation complete.
✔ Copying assets complete.
✔ Index html generation complete.

Output location: dist/frontend

The compiled application will be in dist/frontend/browser/.

Production Deployment

Option A: Deploy with nginx (Linux)

1. Install nginx

sudo apt update
sudo apt install nginx

2. Copy Frontend Build

sudo mkdir -p /var/www/rdsweb
sudo cp -r dist/frontend/browser/* /var/www/rdsweb/
sudo chown -R www-data:www-data /var/www/rdsweb

3. Configure nginx

Create /etc/nginx/sites-available/rdsweb:

/etc/nginx/sites-available/rdsweb

server {
    listen 80;
    server_name rdsweb.company.local;

    # Redirect HTTP to HTTPS
    return 301 https://$server_name$request_uri;
}

server {
    listen 443 ssl http2;
    server_name rdsweb.company.local;

    # SSL Configuration
    ssl_certificate /etc/ssl/certs/rdsweb.crt;
    ssl_certificate_key /etc/ssl/private/rdsweb.key;
    ssl_protocols TLSv1.2 TLSv1.3;
    ssl_ciphers HIGH:!aNULL:!MD5;

    # Frontend static files
    root /var/www/rdsweb;
    index index.html;

    # Frontend routing
    location / {
        try_files $uri $uri/ /index.html;
    }

    # Backend API proxy
    location /api/ {
        proxy_pass http://localhost:3000/api/;
        proxy_http_version 1.1;
        proxy_set_header Upgrade $http_upgrade;
        proxy_set_header Connection 'upgrade';
        proxy_set_header Host $host;
        proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;
        proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-For $proxy_add_x_forwarded_for;
        proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-Proto $scheme;
        proxy_cache_bypass $http_upgrade;
    }
}

4. Enable Site and Reload nginx

sudo ln -s /etc/nginx/sites-available/rdsweb /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/
sudo nginx -t  # Test configuration
sudo systemctl reload nginx

Option B: Deploy with IIS (Windows)

1. Install IIS and Required Modules

Install Internet Information Services (IIS) via Server Manager
Install URL Rewrite Module: https://www.iis.net/downloads/microsoft/url-rewrite
Install Application Request Routing (ARR): https://www.iis.net/downloads/microsoft/application-request-routing

2. Configure IIS Site

Open IIS Manager
Right-click Sites → Add Website
- Site name: RDSWeb Custom
- Physical path: C:\inetpub\rdsweb (copy frontend build here)
- Binding: HTTPS, port 443
- SSL certificate: Select your certificate

3. Configure URL Rewrite for API Proxy

Create web.config in the site root:

web.config

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<configuration>
  <system.webServer>
    <rewrite>
      <rules>
        <!-- Proxy API requests to backend -->
        <rule name="API Proxy" stopProcessing="true">
          <match url="^api/(.*)" />
          <action type="Rewrite" url="http://localhost:3000/api/{R:1}" />
        </rule>
        
        <!-- Angular routing -->
        <rule name="Angular Routes" stopProcessing="true">
          <match url=".*" />
          <conditions logicalGrouping="MatchAll">
            <add input="{REQUEST_FILENAME}" matchType="IsFile" negate="true" />
            <add input="{REQUEST_FILENAME}" matchType="IsDirectory" negate="true" />
          </conditions>
          <action type="Rewrite" url="/index.html" />
        </rule>
      </rules>
    </rewrite>
  </system.webServer>
</configuration>

Running Backend as a Service

Linux (systemd)

Create /etc/systemd/system/rdsweb-backend.service:

[Unit]
Description=RDSWeb Custom Backend API
After=network.target

[Service]
Type=simple
User=www-data
WorkingDirectory=/opt/rdsweb/backend
Environment="NODE_ENV=production"
ExecStart=/usr/bin/node src/index.js
Restart=on-failure
RestartSec=10

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

Enable and start:

sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl enable rdsweb-backend
sudo systemctl start rdsweb-backend
sudo systemctl status rdsweb-backend

Windows (NSSM)

Download NSSM (Non-Sucking Service Manager): https://nssm.cc/download
Install the backend as a Windows service:

nssm install RDSWebBackend "C:\Program Files\nodejs\node.exe" "C:\inetpub\rdsweb-backend\src\index.js"
nssm set RDSWebBackend AppDirectory "C:\inetpub\rdsweb-backend"
nssm set RDSWebBackend DisplayName "RDSWeb Custom Backend"
nssm set RDSWebBackend Start SERVICE_AUTO_START
net start RDSWebBackend

Post-Installation Steps

1. Verify Installation

Test the complete stack:

Access the web interface

Navigate to https://rdsweb.company.local in a browser

Test authentication

Verify RemoteApps appear

Confirm published applications are listed after login

Launch a RemoteApp

Click an application to generate and download the RDP file

2. Configure Firewall

Ensure the following ports are accessible:

# Linux (ufw)
sudo ufw allow 80/tcp
sudo ufw allow 443/tcp

# Windows (PowerShell)
New-NetFirewallRule -DisplayName "RDSWeb HTTPS" -Direction Inbound -Protocol TCP -LocalPort 443 -Action Allow

3. Enable Logging

Configure application logging for troubleshooting:

backend/src/index.js

// Add logging middleware (optional)
const morgan = require('morgan');
app.use(morgan('combined'));

4. Set Up Monitoring

Monitor the backend service:

# Check service status
sudo systemctl status rdsweb-backend

# View logs
sudo journalctl -u rdsweb-backend -f

Security Hardening

Apply these security measures before exposing the application to users.

SSL/TLS Configuration

Use certificates from a trusted Certificate Authority
Enable TLS 1.2+ only (disable TLS 1.0/1.1)
Configure strong cipher suites
Enable HSTS (HTTP Strict Transport Security)

Application Security

Change JWT_SECRET to a cryptographically random string
Use LDAPS (port 636) instead of plain LDAP
Set NODE_ENV=production to disable debug features
Implement rate limiting on /api/auth/login endpoint
Configure CORS to only allow your domain

Network Security

Restrict backend port 3000 to localhost only (not exposed publicly)
Use a reverse proxy (nginx/IIS) for SSL termination
Configure firewall rules to limit access to trusted networks
Use RD Gateway for external RemoteApp access

Next Steps

Configuration Reference

Learn about all available environment variables and advanced configuration options

Quick Start Guide

Set up a local development environment for customizing RDSWeb Custom

Get Started

Deployment

Features

Administration

​Overview

​Installation Methods

Manual Installation

Production Deployment

​Manual Installation

​Step 1: Clone the Repository

​Step 2: Install Backend Dependencies

​Step 3: Configure Backend Environment

​Step 4: Test Backend Server

​Step 5: Install Frontend Dependencies

​Step 6: Configure Frontend Environment

​Step 7: Build Frontend for Production

​Production Deployment

​Option A: Deploy with nginx (Linux)

​1. Install nginx

​2. Copy Frontend Build

​3. Configure nginx

​4. Enable Site and Reload nginx

​Option B: Deploy with IIS (Windows)

​1. Install IIS and Required Modules

​2. Configure IIS Site

​3. Configure URL Rewrite for API Proxy

​Running Backend as a Service

​Linux (systemd)

​Windows (NSSM)

​Post-Installation Steps

​1. Verify Installation

​2. Configure Firewall

​3. Enable Logging

​4. Set Up Monitoring

​Security Hardening

​SSL/TLS Configuration

​Application Security

​Network Security

​Next Steps

Configuration Reference

Quick Start Guide

Build docs developers (and LLMs) love

Overview

Installation Methods

Manual Installation

Step 1: Clone the Repository

Step 2: Install Backend Dependencies

Step 3: Configure Backend Environment

Step 4: Test Backend Server

Step 5: Install Frontend Dependencies

Step 6: Configure Frontend Environment

Step 7: Build Frontend for Production

Production Deployment

Option A: Deploy with nginx (Linux)

1. Install nginx

2. Copy Frontend Build

3. Configure nginx

4. Enable Site and Reload nginx

Option B: Deploy with IIS (Windows)

1. Install IIS and Required Modules

2. Configure IIS Site

3. Configure URL Rewrite for API Proxy

Running Backend as a Service

Linux (systemd)

Windows (NSSM)

Post-Installation Steps

1. Verify Installation

2. Configure Firewall

3. Enable Logging

4. Set Up Monitoring

Security Hardening

SSL/TLS Configuration

Application Security

Network Security

Next Steps