13. Citrix ICA Session and Client Configuration Terms you'll need to understand: -
Presentation Server Client -
Citrix ICA Client -
Program Neighborhood -
Program Neighborhood Agent -
Citrix Web client -
Components CD -
Client Update Database -
Ica32Pkg client package -
Self-extracting executables -
Appsrv.ini and PN.ini -
ICA Client Distribution Wizard -
ICA Client Update Configuration -
ICAINST -
ICA pass-through client -
Remote Desktop Web Connection -
ICA browsing -
Citrix XML and ICA Browser Services -
Server location -
ICA dial-in -
Program Neighborhood Agent Console -
Workspace Control Concepts and techniques you'll need to master: -
Selecting the appropriate deployment method for a given implementation scenario -
Creating installation floppy disks for a Win32 client installation -
Locating the appropriate client on the Components CD -
Identifying and configuring the different Win32 clients -
Customizing the MSI installer package and self-extracting executables -
Understanding the role of the Client Update Database and how one is created and managed -
Explaining the purpose of the ICA pass-through client -
Explaining the difference between the Citrix XML and ICA Browser services -
Identifying where in the environment a given configuration setting would be modified For a user to be able to access content published on one or more Presentation Servers, he or she needs a Citrix MetaFrame Presentation Server client. Citrix provides client software for a wide variety of operating systems and devices. Currently, this list includes -
Windows 32-bit operating systems This includes Windows 95 and all later Windows desktop and server operating systems (Windows 9x/NT/2000/2003/XP). The Win32 client provides complete support for all the available client features. Client features are reviewed later in this chapter. -
Windows 16-bit operating systems Legacy support is available for Windows 3.1 and 3.11 environments. Only limited features are available with this client. -
Windows CE and PocketPC-based devices Clients exist for both Windows-based terminals and handheld devices that run these operating systems. Various processors are supported. Typically, if the processor supports Windows CE or PocketPC, an ICA client is available for that configuration. -
Apple Macintosh operating systems Both OS X and older versions (System 7.5.3 or later on PowerPC and System 7.1 or later on PowerPC or Motorola 68x processors) of the Macintosh operating system are supported with this client. An updated version of the OS X client was recently released. -
IBM OS/2 Warp operating system This is another legacy client that has not seen an update in a few years . Versions 3, 4, and 4.5 of IBM OS/2 Warp are supported. This client does not run on earlier versions of OS/2. -
DOS (16- or 32-bit clients) Both legacy clients provide similar capabilities, except for reduced conventional memory requirements and a few additional features such as bitmap caching available with the 32-bit client. Because of the use of extended memory, the 32-bit client requires at least an Intel (or compatible) 386 or later processor. Updates are no longer being made to the DOS clients. -
Linux and UNIX operating systems The increased popularity of Linux as an alternate business desktop operating system has not gone unnoticed by Citrix. Energy has been focused on ensuring that a current version of the Linux x86 and Solaris SPARC clients incorporate the majority of the features found in the Win32 client. The HP-UX and IBM AIX operating systems are the other two UNIX clients that are actively updated. The remaining UNIX-based clients (Solaris/x86, Sun OS, Compaq Tru64, SGI, and SCO) have not been updated in a few years and are maintained for legacy environments only. -
EPOC/Symbian devices A specialty client was developed for specific devices. The most recent additions are still considered to be alpha products and should not be deployed in a production environment. -
Java applet client Another client actively updated by Citrix, this platform-independent client runs on any client device that has a web browser and a Java 2 Standard Edition 1.4.x environment or later. The client is actually a Java applet that resides on a web server and is downloaded and launched when a user navigates to the page containing the appropriate applet tab. To find more details on the configuration and use of the Java client within a web browser, see Chapter 14, "Web Access to the MetaFrame Server Farm." Although a few of these clients are no longer being actively updated (Win16, DOS, and IBM OS/2, for example), Citrix still maintains 100% backward compatibility with these clients in its latest Presentation Server product. A user running the Win16 client can just as easily access an MPS server as a MetaFrame 1.8 server. Many of the newer features such as session reliability or universal printer driver support are not available, but common features such as published application connectivity and client device mapping support are available. Alert Ensure that you are able to readily identify what client platforms are and are not supported by Citrix Presentation Server. Before going much further, we should discuss the various naming conventions of the Citrix client software. As Citrix has moved to change the name of the MetaFrame product to Presentation Server, so has it begun to update the naming of its clients from Citrix ICA Client to Citrix Presentation Server Client. Currently, the client documentation and the client software itself are in different states of transition, so you will likely see a combination of these names depending on the client that you are working with. Regardless of the name used, it still references the same product. The Presentation Server Client for Linux and the ICA Client for Linux represent the same client software. You may encounter questions on the exam that reference either client name. You should not assume that a particular name refers to a particular version or type of client unless it is explicitly mentioned. |