Setting up Windows Server for high-density robots

A deployment with high-density robots lets you run multiple automations simultaneously on a Windows Server machine, while each automation works in its own session.

For setting up the environment for high-density robots on a Windows Server machine, you need to install the Remote Desktop Session Host. It allows users of the Windows Server machine to access virtual and session-based desktops, or RemoteApp programs. Next, add the users who can connect to the machine and serve as Robots. Finally, turn on the High-Density Robots feature in UiPath.

Setting up Windows server for high-density robots consists of the following steps:

1. Installing the Remote Desktop Session Host

2. Adding users

3. Enabling the High-Density Robots feature

Installing the Remote Desktop Session Host

Installing the Remote Desktop Session Host allows users of the Windows Server machine to access virtual and session-based desktops, or RemoteApp programs.

1. Open Server Manager.
2. In the Dashboard panel, select Add roles and features. The Add Roles and Features Wizard opens.
3. Follow the wizard (select Next) until you reach the Select Server Roles step.
4. In the Roles section, select the Remote Desktop Services option and click Next.
   
   

   

   
   
5. Follow the wizard until you reach the Select Role Services step, without changing the displayed settings.
6. In the Role Services section, select the Remote Desktop Session Host option. A dialog box is displayed prompting you regarding some required features.
   
   

   

   
   
7. Select Add Features to return to the wizard.
8. Follow the wizard until the Confirm Installation Selections step, then select Install. Once the feature installation completes, you might need to restart the server.
   Important:

   • Remote Desktop Session Host option is a Microsoft paid service.

   • You need to enable the Network Level Authentication for RDP: go to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Remote Desktop Services > Remote Desktop Session Host > Security, then select Require user authentication for remote connections by using Network Level Authentication.

Adding users

Add the users who can connect to the machine. These users, who would not require administrator rights, also serve as Robots.

1. Open Computer Management.
2. In the left-side panel, navigate to Computer Management (Local) > Local Users and Groups > Groups. The right panels update accordingly.
3. Open the Remote Desktop Users Properties wizard.
4. Select Add. The Select Users, Computers, Service Accounts, or Groups window opens.
5. In the Enter the object name to select field, include the domain users who would serve as Robots and need to access the machine.
6. Select OK. The configuration is saved and the Select Users, Computers, Service Accounts, or Groups window closes.
7. In the Remote Desktop Users Properties window, select Apply and OK. This action saves your settings and allows the newly added users to log in to the Windows Server machine.

Enabling the High-Density Robots feature

1. Create a machine template, and allocate the necessary runtimes to that template.
   A template with X runtimes reserves X licenses for every connected machine, permitting X concurrent executions on each machine.

   If a machine template has been assigned 2 unattended and 3 non production runtimes, and three machines are connected using that template, the following happens: the system sets aside 6 unattended (2 runtimes x 3 machines) and 9 non production (3 runtimes x 3 machines) licenses from available licenses for the tenant. With this setup, each machine can run 2 unattended and 3 non production automations simultaneously.

2. Connect your machines to Orchestrator using the key generated by the machine template.
3. In Orchestrator, configure the user account:
   1. Assign the role of the user entity at the tenant level.
   2. Turn on the automatic creation of the robot.
   3. Enter the username and password for the Robot to use when logging into the machine.
   4. Select the appropriate credential store.
   5. Set up the execution settings for the Robot.
   6. Make sure to set the Login to console option to No.
4. Assign the user and machine template to one or multiple folders, and select the user folder level roles.
   This grants access to the folder, making the processes deployed there readily available for execution.
5. Start a job, and configure the priority and the runtime type. You can specify the user to execute it.

   Unattended jobs automatically match users and machines for execution. If a user is specified, the system automatically assigns a machine. If no users is specified, the system automatically pairs both the user and the machine. This method of pairing optimizes resources.