Remote application presentation over a public network connection

Abstract

Web access over a public network for applications that operate on virtual desktops on a plurality of servers is facilitated. Through the web access the user is provided with the information necessary to establish a connection with an application by way of the virtual desktop. Applications that the user is authorized to access are determined and those applications that the user is not authorized to access are filtered out. The applications associated access control list is used for determining the user's access to discover an application.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A method, comprising:
 determining a security identifier associated with a user account, the user account being associated with a request for access to an application;   querying a remote desktop session host to obtain a resource associated with the application, the resource comprising an access control list and information for connecting to the application;   using the security identifier and the access control list to determine that the user account should be granted access to the application;   creating a webpage comprising the information for connecting to the application; and   returning the webpage to a computer of the user account that originated the request for access to the application.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the request is an HTTP request. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining the security identifier associated with the user account comprises:
 comparing the user identification to an access control list associated with the application.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the webpage comprising the information for connecting to the application comprises an icon that contains a link to execute the application. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the request for access to the application includes an identification for the user account provided in a web browser cookie. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the remote desktop session host executes within a virtual machine. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the access control list identifies that the user account is authorized to access the first application. 
     
     
         8 . A computer-readable storage medium, bearing computer-executable instructions that, when executed on a computer, cause the computer to perform operations comprising:
 determining a security identifier associated with a user account, the user account being associated with a request for access to an application;   querying a remote desktop session host to obtain a resource associated with the application, the resource comprising an access control list and information for connecting to the application;   using the security identifier and the access control list to determine that the user account should be granted access to the application;   creating a webpage comprising the information for connecting to the application; and   returning the webpage to a computer of the user account that originated the request for access to the application.   
     
     
         9 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 8 , wherein the request is an HTTP request. 
     
     
         10 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 8 , wherein determining the security identifier associated with the user account comprises:
 comparing the user identification to an access control list associated with the application.   
     
     
         11 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 8 , wherein the webpage comprising the information for connecting to the application comprises an icon that contains a link to execute the application. 
     
     
         12 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 8 , wherein the request for access to the application includes an identification for the user account provided in a web browser cookie. 
     
     
         13 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 8 , wherein the remote desktop session host executes within a virtual machine. 
     
     
         14 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 8 , wherein the access control list identifies that the user account is authorized to access the first application. 
     
     
         15 . A system, comprising:
 a memory bearing instructions that, upon execution by a processor, cause the system to at least:   determine a security identifier associated with a user account, the user account being associated with a request for access to an application;   query a remote desktop session host to obtain a resource associated with the application, the resource comprising an access control list and information for connecting to the application;   use the security identifier and the access control list to determine that the user account should be granted access to the application;   create a webpage comprising the information for connecting to the application; and   return the webpage to a computer of the user account that originated the request for access to the application.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the request is an HTTP request. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the instructions that, upon execution by the processor, cause the system to at least determine the security identifier associated with the user account further cause the system to at least:
 compare the user identification to an access control list associated with the application.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the webpage comprising the information for connecting to the application comprises an icon that contains a link to execute the application. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the request for access to the application includes an identification for the user account provided in a web browser cookie. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the remote desktop session host executes within a virtual machine.