CCA Citrix MetaFrame XP for Windows Administrator Study Guide (Exam 70-220)

Certification Objective 2.01: Identifying Software and Hardware for MetaFrame XP

MetaFrame XP is an add-on product and requires an existing Microsoft operating system running Terminal Services. It is compatible with the hardware listed on the Microsoft Windows Hardware Compatibility List (HCL), so if you have carefully selected your equipment for the operating system, MetaFrame will be supported as well. In the sections that follow, you will find the hardware and software requirements for both the server and the clients. Which operating system you choose will depend on the size of your user base and the load of applications that will be run. Use the Microsoft recommendations for selecting the operating system.

Server Software Requirements

As an add-on product, MetaFrame XP must be installed onto an existing Microsoft operating system. The following lists the operating system requirements:

Operating Systems

MetaFrame XP can be installed on these Microsoft operating systems:

• Microsoft Windows NT 4.0, Terminal Server Edition with Service Pack 5 or later

• Windows 2000 Server with Service Pack 1 or later

• Windows 2000 Advanced Server with Service Pack 1 or later

• Windows 2000 Datacenter Server with Service Pack 1 or later

If using the Windows 2000 family of servers, the Terminal Services component must be installed prior to installing MetaFrame XP. It is not installed by default. If the component was not installed initially, it can be installed later by using Add/Remove Programs in the Control Panel or from Configure Your Server in Administrative Tools, as shown in Figure 2-1. From the Configure Your Server screen, select Application Server.

Figure 2-1: The Windows 2000 Configure Your Server screen

If installing MetaFrame XP on a Windows 2000 family server, make sure you do not use one that will act as a Domain Controller. Unless users are given the Log On Locally right, they will not be able to log on to a Terminal Services session on a domain controller. Whether you are using NT 4.0 Terminal Server or Windows 2000, it is not advisable to run Terminal Services and MetaFrame from a domain controller. The caveat is that Terminal Services can be installed on Windows 2000 Server in remote administration mode, as shown in Figure 2-2. In that case, Terminal Services would be used to remotely administer the server, and the Administrators Group would require Log On Locally rights, but separate licenses would not be necessary.

Figure 2-2: Selecting the Windows 2000 Server Terminal Services modes

Exercise 2-1: How to Determine if Terminal Services Are Installed

How can you tell if Terminal Services have already been installed on a Windows 2000 Server? A quick way to check is to look in the Administrative Tools folder. If you have a Windows 2000 family server currently installed, use the following exercise.

1. Log into the server.

2. Double-click My Computer.

3. Double-click the Control Panel.

4. Double-click Administrative Tools.

When Terminal Services have been installed, the Administrative Tools folder will contain the four Terminal Server shortcuts, Terminal Services Manager, Terminal Services configuration, Terminal Services Client Creator, and Terminal Services Licensing, as shown in Figure 2-3. If already installed, be sure to double-check your hardware and software settings for compliance before installing MetaFrame XP.

Figure 2-3: Windows 2000 Server Administrative Tools with Terminal Services installed

Other Software Requirements

Depending on your environment and how you intend to configure your server, you may also need to install additional software to support various components:

• Microsoft Internet Information Server (IIS) version 4.0 or later and Microsoft Java Virtual Machine (JVM) must be installed prior to installing MetaFrame XP if Citrix NFuse will be used to publish applications.

• In mixed environments, where Novell Netware will be used in conjunction with Windows NT 4.0 Terminal Server Edition and MetaFrame XP, the Netware client must be installed prior to installing MetaFrame XP.

• You may also choose to install Adobe Acrobat Reader if you plan to read or print the documentation found on the installation CD. Adobe Acrobat reader can be downloaded free of charge from: http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep.html.

Hardware Requirements

The hardware requirements for MetaFrame XP are based upon the requirements for the operating system it is run on. Thus, the hardware requirements will vary by operating system. Table 2-1 lists the bare minimums required to install just the Windows operating systems, and does not take into account other factors that may affect server performance and user experience. In the next section, we will go over server sizing and recommendation issues.

MetaFrame XP Operating Requirements

In addition to the hardware required for the operating system, MetaFrame XP requires additional resources. Again, these figures do not take into account factors that affect server sizing and performance. The next section will cover server sizing and recommendations.

Minimum Requirements for MetaFrame XP

The following are the hardware and software minimums that must be adhered to when installing MetaFrame XP. Remember, these are in addition to those required by the operating system.

• 75MB of disk space for a standard MetaFrame XP installation.

• 25MB minimum disk space for the Citrix Management Console. (Note: Citrix Management Console, which you will learn about in a later chapter, can be installed on any Windows NT or 2000 computer providing it meets or exceeds the minimum hardware and software requirements. Those requirements will be discussed later in this section.)

• 64MB of random access memory (RAM) for MetaFrame XP services and Independent Management Architecture Services (IMA).

• 64MB additional RAM for the Citrix Management Console.

• 1.7MB of RAM for each Idle Session awaiting a connection.

• Super Video Graphics Array (SVGA) Display supporting at least 800×600×256.

• Multiple processors are recommended.

Optional Components

During the installation, you will be prompted to install optional components such as the Independent Computing Architecture (ICA) Clients and NFuse if you have MetaFrame XPa or XPe, however, you will need additional disk space.

• 200MB of disk space for installing all ICA Client software.

• 20MB of disk space if installing NFuse.

• 6MB for the Resource Manager plug-in and an additional .075MB of space per metric hour for Management Reporting.

• 315KB of disk space for the Installation Manager plug-in.

• 2569KB of disk space for Installer Service.

• 8151KB of disk space for Citrix Packager.

• 1-5MB of disk space for Microsoft Software Installation (MSI) Service. (Note: This component is native to Windows 2000 but must be installed on Windows NT 4.0 Terminal Server Edition.)

• 10MB of disk space for MetaFrame Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) agent for Hewlett Packard (HP) Open View or Tivoli Netware.

Remember that these are the minimum hardware requirements. In the real world, more is better, especially where processors and memory are concerned. Server-based computing places the workload on the server, thus clients can get by with fewer resources. Put your money into your servers, making sure you have plenty of resources and room for expansion. The prices involved may seem exorbitant, but you can lower your total cost of ownership (TCO) by spending less on client machines and upgrading them less frequently.

Citrix Management Console Requirements

The Citrix Management Console is a Java Application that allows for the management of all MetaFrame XP servers within a server farm from one central location, such as an NT 4.0 or Windows 2000 Pro computer. It is installed by default with MetaFrame XP on the server but can be installed on another computer as a standalone console, provided it meets the minimum hardware and software requirements. MetaFrame XP is not required on the workstation to run the Citrix Management Console. In order for a computer to be used as a console, it will need to meet the minimum hardware requirements for the operating system, as well as specific requirements for Citrix Management Console. Those requirements are shown in Table 2-2.

Now that you know some of the basic server requirements, here is a quick reference for possible scenario questions relating to hardware and software requirements.

Citrix Independent Computing Architecture

Citrix's Independent Computing Architecture (ICA) is a Distributed Presentation Services protocol that allows clients to establish sessions with the MetaFrame XP server and to run server-based applications as if they were installed locally. Though the client device does not require a hard drive, it can still run the most up-to-date programs. Being platform independent, ICA can run on practically any client platform. As a Universal Application Client, it supports all Windows 16- and 32-bit applications, yet requires very few resources on the client side.

All this is possible because ICA separates the program logic from the user's keystrokes and mouse clicks. One hundred percent of application processing occurs on the server side. Only keystrokes, mouse clicks, and screen updates are carried between the client and server. Since no data moves between the client and server, it only requires, on average, 10-20KB of network bandwidth per session and is optimized for connections as low as 14.4 Kbps. In fact, the technology is so efficient that client devices with very few resources can run the latest 32-bit applications.

The ICA client uses the ICA presentation layer protocol to transmit user keystrokes and mouse clicks from the client device to the MetaFrame XP server. Various transport and connection protocols can be used with the ICA client. They include:

• Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)

• Internetwork Packet Exchange/Sequenced Packet Exchange (IPX/SPX)

• Network Basic Input/Output System (NetBIOS)

• NetBIOS Extended User Interface (NetBEUI)

• Virtual Private Network (VPN)

• Wireless connections

• Internet and intranet connections

• Direct asynchronous connections (dialup)

• WAN links such as T1, T3, 56K, and X.25

ICA Client Software Requirements

As stated earlier, the ICA client enables almost any client device to connect to a MetaFrame server. It can be run on practically any platform allowing diverse clients to access the applications installed on the server. The following are current platforms that ICA supports:

• 386, 486, Pentium, and higher. Computers that would normally not be able to run today's operating systems or software can be used as thin client devices that require very few resources.

• Unix

• PowerPCs

• X-based devices

• Networked computers

• Windows-based terminals

• ICA-based information appliances

• RISC

Industry vendors such as Compaq, HP, IBM, Sun Microsystems, Wyse, Sharp, NEC, and others have begun including Citrix ICA in their new hardware and software products. The list of devices and operating systems ICA can be run on is growing rapidly.

Supported Client Operating Systems

ICA currently supports the client operating systems shown in Table 2-3.

Requirements for Win32 ICA Client

The Win32 ICA client is used for newer operating systems and provides the Citrix Program Neighborhood that allows users to browse published applications within the server farm. The minimum requirements necessary for the Win32 ICA client are:

• The 32-bit version of the Windows ICA Client can be installed on Windows 9x, Windows NT 3.51 or 4.0 (server or workstation), Windows 2000, and Windows ME.

• The processor must be at least an 80386 for Windows 95, but later operating systems will require a faster processor. Use Microsoft's recommendations for newer operating systems.

• Windows 9x requires at least 8MB of RAM, while Windows NT 3.51 and 4.0 require 16MB of RAM. Again, for the newer operating systems, stick with Microsoft's recommendations. (Note that, the figures given here are bare minimums.)

• Available hard disk space.

• VGA or SVGA display adapter and a color monitor.

• A Windows-compatible mouse or other pointing device.

• A floppy drive for high-density 3.5-inch diskettes.

• A network interface card for connections to the MetaFrame XP server.

• An approved network transport protocol, such as TCP/IP, IPX, SPX, and NetBIOS.

• An optional Windows-compatible sound card for audio support.

• An optional Windows-compatible modem for dial-up support.

• If using the Win32 ICA Client with NFuse, the client device will also need a standard Web browser such as Internet Explorer 4.0 or greater, or Netscape Navigator or Communicator 4.0 or greater.

Win16 ICA Client

The Win16 ICA client is for use on older operating systems and does not support Program Neighborhood. Win16 clients use Remote Application Manager and must configure specific access to published applications. The minimum requirements for running the Win16 client are as follows:

• Windows 3.1 or greater running in enhanced mode.

• Windows for Workgroups, 3.11 or greater.

• Ability to support TCP/IP, NetBIOS, IPX, SPX, and asynchronous connections.

• Can use TPC/IP 32 or other Winsock-compliant stack (for Windows for Workgroups 3.11 or later).

• Available hard disk space.

• VGA display adapter and a color monitor.

• A Windows-compatible mouse or other pointing device.

• A floppy drive for high-density 3.5-inch diskettes.

• A network interface card for connections to the MetaFrame XP server.

WinCE ICA Client

The Windows CE client is required for many handheld and Windows Terminal devices. Before installing the client, make sure you have the correct client for the device you will run it on. Requirements for the Windows CE client are as follows:

• A Windows CE device, usually a handheld or Windows Terminal.

• Should be able to work with Windows CE 2.0 or later.

• A display that supports at least 16 colors or gray scales.

• A network adapter for connections to a local area network using TCP/IP, or a modem for dialup using SLIP or PPP.

• The appropriate WinCE ICA client. Clients are available for SH3, SH4, X86, MIPS, PowerPC, and ARM.

Note: Windows CE ICA clients are available through Citrix OEM partners.

Web ICA Clients

Web ICA clients are necessary to run published applications via the Internet. The following describes Web ICA clients and the requirements for their use:

• The ICA Web client is an add-in to Microsoft Internet Explorer and Netscape Navigator or Communicator. The Internet Explorer version uses ActiveX Control and the Navigator version uses the Netscape plug-in.

• Should support Windows 3.1 in enhanced mode, as well as Windows 3.11, Windows 9x, Windows NT 3.51, and 4.0 (server or workstation), Windows 2000, and Windows ME.

• Only TCP/IP connections can be made using the Web browser client.

Non-Windows ICA Clients

Other operating systems can also act as clients and connect to the MetaFrame XP server. This allows MetaFrame XP to coexist in various computing environments, thus earning the name 'Independent Computing Architecture.' The current list of operating systems is shown next.

ICA Clients DOS

There aren't many PCs around that still run DOS exclusively, but I have seen environments where certain legacy applications still operate using DOS. With the correct ICA client, even older machines running legacy applications can connect to a MetaFrame server and run the latest 32-bit applications. The requirements for the ICA DOS clients are as follows:

• The ICA 16-bit DOS client supports DOS 3.3 or later as well as DOS full-screen mode, and can use NetBIOS, IPX, SPX, TCP/IP, or asynchronous connections.

• The ICA 32-bit DOS client supports DOS 4.0 or later as well as DOS full-screen mode and can use NetBIOS, IPX, SPX, TPC/IP, or asynchronous connections.

ICA Client for Unix

The Unix ICA client connections must use TCP/IP and support the following platforms:

• DEC 3.2 or greater

• HP-UX 10.x or greater

• IBM AIX 4.1.4 or greater

• Linux Red Hat 5.1 or greater; other versions may work

• SCO and UnixWare 7 (UnixWare 2.1 and OpenServer 5 require respective binary compatibility modules from SCO)

• SGI IRIX 6.2 or greater

• Solaris 2.5.1 or greater

• SunOS 4.1.4 or greater

ICA Client for Macintosh

Supports Macintosh 7.5.3 or greater. Version 7.1 is also supported, but requires Thread Manager System from Apple. Only TCP/IP can be used for connections.

ICA Client for Java

Supports with an installed Java Virtual Machine using JDK 1.0 and JDK 1.1. Only TCP/IP can be used for connections.

ICA Client for X-11

Supports devices using X-ll through the Unix Integration Services (UIS) option package.

Here are a few more possible scenario questions you may encounter.

You should now have a good idea of what the hardware, operating system, and software requirements are to run Citrix MetaFrame XP in a server-based environment. If you're a fan of nostalgia or were around when the primary way of accessing data on a computer was via a 'dumb' terminal, you might see some resemblance. It's true, the 'thin client' device and the 'dumb terminal' have some similarities. However, the mainframe/dumb terminal scenario served up specific, usually proprietary applications. It did not empower the user with mainstream applications and the freedom to move about virtually as if one were on a standalone computer. With Citrix MetaFrame XP and ICA, there are far more possibilities. Not only can thin client devices be deployed at less than half the cost of PCs, and used for a longer period without upgrading, but older PCs that would be discarded as obsolete can continue to be used as thin clients without upgrading and with no degradation in performance.

-Connie Wilson, MCSE, MCP+I, CCA, CAN