Mapping a network drive for RAS published applications and desktops

Overview

Some published applications expect a data path to be available under a specific drive letter (for example, V:) rather than a UNC path. In other cases, mapping a drive automatically simply makes the session feel more like a local desktop, so users aren't prompted to browse a UNC path every time they open or save a file.

There are two ways to get a drive mapped automatically in a RAS session: setting the -mapnetworkdrive special application parameter on a specific published item, or mapping the drive at the session host level with Group Policy so it applies to every session regardless of which application is opened.

Option 1: Set the mapnetworkdrive parameter on the published application

As from RAS 20.1, the -mapnetworkdrive special application parameter maps a network path to a local drive letter when the published application or desktop starts. It is set in the application's Parameters field and is consumed by the RAS shell — it is not passed on to the application itself.

The path can be either a UNC path reachable from the session host, or a client-redirected drive exposed through \\tsclient\<drive letter> . For example, to expose the client's local C: drive as V: inside the session, use \\tsclient\c as the path — this behaves like running net use v: \\tsclient\c /persistent:no manually, so the mapping is recreated each time the application starts and isn't kept afterward.

To set the parameter:

• Open the RAS Console and go to Publishing.
• Select the published application or desktop, then open the Application tab.
• In the Parameters field, add the parameter using this syntax:

  -mapnetworkdrive "<drive letter>: <path>"

  If the published application:
  • has no parameters — use -mapnetworkdrive "v: \\fileserver\shared" as the entire contents of the field
  • already has parameters — prefix them with -mapnetworkdrive "v: \\fileserver\shared" followed by a space, e.g. -mapnetworkdrive "v: \\fileserver\shared" /silent
• Click Save as Default settings and apply changes.

• Reconnect the published application/desktop and confirm the drive letter appears in File Explorer inside the session.

Note: The parameter must be set on each site's published application/desktop — it is not a farm-level setting.

Note: Client drive redirection must be enabled on the connection (RAS Console → Connection settings, and on the client side under Local devices/drives) for the \\tsclient\ path to resolve. That can be drive letter (Parallels Client for Windows) or folder (other clients).

Option 2: Map the drive with Group Policy

Because a RAS session host is a standard, domain-joined Windows Server, a normal Group Policy drive mapping also works, and applies to every session on that host — published apps and published desktops alike — without configuring this via RAS.

Using Group Policy Preferences

• Open the Group Policy Management Console and edit (or create) a GPO linked to the OU containing the RAS session hosts.
• Go to User Configuration → Preferences → Windows Settings → Drive Maps.
• Right-click → New → Mapped Drive.
• Set Action to Create, enter the Location (UNC path, e.g. \\fileserver\shared, or \\tsclient\c for a client-redirected drive), and choose the drive letter.

• On the RAS session host, run gpupdate /force (or wait for the next policy refresh), then have a user log off and back on to test.

Using a logon script

• On the accessible RAS session host share, create a script (e.g. MapDrives.bat) containing:

  net use V: \\fileserver\shared /persistent:no

  or, for a client-redirected drive:

  net use V: \\tsclient\c /persistent:no

• In the GPO, go to User Configuration → Policies → Windows Settings → Scripts (Logon) and add the script.

Note: /persistent:no keeps the mapping scoped to the current session and stops Windows from trying to reconnect a stale drive at a later, unrelated logon.

Note: Use -mapnetworkdrive when only a specific application or desktop needs the drive, or different published items need different drive letters. Use Group Policy when most or all published apps/desktops on the host should see the same drive, or drive mappings are already managed centrally via GPO for other machines.