RDP · Controlled Vocabulary
RDP Vocabulary
Domain vocabulary for the Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP), a proprietary network protocol developed by Microsoft for remote graphical access to computers. Also covers the Refinitiv Data Platform (RDP) — the LSEG financial data delivery API platform sharing the same acronym. Includes protocol components, session types, security features, and related services.
12 Terms
Updated 2026-05-02
RDP Vocabulary is a controlled vocabulary published by RDP on the APIs.io network, defining 12 terms.
Defined terms include Remote Desktop Protocol, RDP Session, Remote Desktop Session Host, RD Gateway, and Network Level Authentication.
A controlled vocabulary pins the words an API’s schemas, parameters and documentation use to one agreed definition each — the shared language a human or an agent needs to read the API the same way its authors do.
Remote Desktop Protocol
RDP
A proprietary Microsoft network protocol that provides a graphical interface to connect to another computer over a network. RDP transmits display, keyboard, mouse, and audio data between client and host. It typically operates on TCP/UDP port 3389 and is defined in the MS-RDPBCGR open specification.
RDP Session
RDPSession
An active or disconnected remote desktop session on an RDS host. Each session has a unique session ID, state, and associated user. Multiple sessions can exist simultaneously on a single host.
Remote Desktop Session Host
RDSHost
A Windows Server role (RDSH) that allows multiple users to connect simultaneously to run programs or access desktops. Formerly known as Terminal Server.
RD Gateway
RDGateway
A role service that enables authorized users to connect to resources on an internal network from the internet using HTTPS. RD Gateway acts as a proxy between remote RDP clients and internal RDS servers.
Network Level Authentication
NLA
An authentication method for RDP that requires the connecting user to authenticate before a full remote session is established. NLA reduces the attack surface by rejecting unauthenticated connection attempts earlier in the handshake.
Virtual Channel
VirtualChannel
A multiplexed data channel within an RDP session that carries specific types of data (clipboard, audio, device redirection, etc.) independently from the primary display and input streams.
Device Redirection
DeviceRedirection
An RDP feature that makes local client devices (printers, drives, smart cards, audio devices, USB) available within the remote session as if they were connected to the remote host.
RDP File
RDPFile
A plain-text configuration file with the .rdp extension containing all connection parameters for an RDP session. RDP files can be opened directly by the Microsoft Remote Desktop client on Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android.
RemoteApp
A Remote Desktop Services feature that publishes individual applications as if they were running locally on the user's machine, without exposing the full remote desktop.
Refinitiv Data Platform (RDP)
RefinitivDataPlatform
A cloud-based financial data delivery platform from LSEG (formerly Refinitiv) that provides REST APIs for real-time and historical market data, news, reference data, ESG scores, and analytics. Authentication uses OAuth 2.0 with short-lived access tokens. The Refinitiv Data Platform APIs are now published as LSEG Data Platform APIs.
Session State
SessionState
The current status of an RDP session. Valid states include Active (connected and interactive), Connected (connected but no user logged in), Disconnected (user logged on but session is disconnected), Idle, and others defined by the WTS_CONNECTSTATE_CLASS enumeration.
RDP Encryption Level
EncryptionLevel
The encryption strength negotiated for an RDP session. Levels range from None to FIPS (Federal Information Processing Standards). Modern deployments should use TLS 1.2+ with High or FIPS encryption.