Windows Server Hosting — RDP VDS

Why rent a Windows server?

Choosing Windows is usually a requirement rather than a preference: MSSQL Server, older ASP.NET Framework applications and commercial software written as desktop programs do not run on Linux. The second reason is the shape of the access — if several people from a team need to work on the same machine in a desktop they already know, RDP solves that with far less learning than a command line. The third is continuity: an application running on your own computer stops when the machine shuts down, one running on a server does not.

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These values match the VDS plan tiers in our catalogue; the exact price is calculated in the configurator.

Prices exclude VAT (20%).

MSSQL, IIS and sizing the machine

On the Windows side it is usually the database that decides your sizing. SQL Server Express is free but its limits are explicit: 10 GB per database, at most 4 cores (or a single socket) per instance, and roughly 1.4 GB of buffer pool. Because of that, giving 32 GB of RAM to a server running Express achieves nothing; if the database does not fit in memory the answer is not more RAM but a licensed edition — Standard and Enterprise licences are sold separately by Microsoft and remain your responsibility. IIS, by contrast, is a role of Windows Server: you add it from Server Manager and it costs nothing extra. Each application pool runs as its own w3wp process, so baseline memory use grows with the number of pools. A practical starting point: budget 2-3 GB for Windows, 1-2 GB for the application on IIS and 2 GB for Express — an 8 GB plan carries that trio comfortably. Finally, do not expose MSSQL's port 1433 to the internet; if the application sits on the same machine, the database never needs to leave it.

RDP: access, sessions and security

From the moment port 3389 is open to the internet it attracts automated password attempts; that is not a possibility but the unavoidable consequence of an open RDP port. The scale of the risk is different too: RDP is a desktop session, so one successful login means control of the whole machine. Three steps close that surface. First the firewall: allow port 3389 only from your own address in the panel, and if you have no fixed address, open access when you need it and close it afterwards. Second the account name: most automated attempts go straight for the Administrator user, and renaming that account makes all of that traffic worthless. Third the lockout policy: setting the threshold in secpol.msc to 5 failed attempts and 15 minutes makes password guessing practically impossible. Sessions need a habit as well — closing the window when you are done leaves the session running and holding memory, so sign out instead. If you lose access entirely you can reinstall the operating system from the panel, but that erases everything on the disk, which is exactly why a current backup matters.

Setup steps

1. 1Pick the Windows Server version in the configurator; installation starts automatically once payment is confirmed.
2. 2Take the IP address, username and password from the service detail in the customer panel.
3. 3Connect with Remote Desktop Connection (mstsc); on macOS use Windows App, on Linux Remmina or FreeRDP.
4. 4Make a firewall rule your first task: in the panel, allow port 3389 only from your own address.
5. 5Rename the Administrator account and set the lockout threshold in secpol.msc to 5 attempts / 15 minutes.
6. 6Install the roles you need; IIS is added as a role from Server Manager, MSSQL comes with its own installer.
7. 7Move Windows Update's active hours outside working hours and schedule daily backups from the panel.

Common mistakes

• Leaving Remote Desktop open to everyone. As long as port 3389 stays open it collects password attempts; narrow the rule to your own address in the panel.
• Choosing an older version because it sounds lighter. A Windows Server release whose support window has closed gets no security updates, and the resource saving does not pay for that risk.
• Closing the window and walking away. Until you sign out the session stays open and keeps holding memory; sign out when you are done.
• Forgetting Windows' own baseline. On a 2 GB plan there is practically nothing left for your application once the operating system is up.
• Discovering SQL Server Express' 10 GB per-database limit after the project has grown. If you expect growth, plan for a licensed edition from the start.

What is included at Datafex

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Windows Server version should I choose?

If your application does not demand a specific release, pick 2022 or 2025 — both have long support windows. 2019 is still a safe middle ground. Choose 2016 only if your application will not run on anything newer: its support window closes in January 2027.

Do I have to buy the Windows licence separately?

The server is installed from a ready template, so no product key is asked of you during setup. Licences for other Microsoft software you run on it are yours to hold; IIS needs none because it is a Windows role, and SQL Server Express needs none because it is free.

How many people can connect over Remote Desktop at once?

Windows Server allows two concurrent sessions for administration by default. If more users need to work at the same time you need the Remote Desktop Services (RDS) role plus an RDS CAL per user or device, and that licence is sold separately by Microsoft.

How much RAM does a Windows server need?

The operating system itself takes 2-3 GB. For a single-user remote desktop 4 GB is a comfortable start, for an IIS application with SQL Server Express beside it 8 GB, and for multi-user access or a large database 16 GB.

Do I have to expose the RDP port to the internet?

No, and you should not. Add a rule in the panel that allows port 3389 only from your own IP address. If you have no fixed address, open access only when you need it; the lockout policy and a renamed administrator account are your second layer.

Can I move to another version or to Linux later?

Yes. The reinstall flow in the customer panel moves you to any other supported template. Because it wipes the disk, export your data and configuration first; a clean install is preferable to an in-place version upgrade.