The Win32 Presentation Server Client


We now turn our attention specifically to the features and configuration of the Win32 Presentation Server Client. Currently, it is the most common client platform, so you should not be surprised that the more detailed client questions on the exam center on this client.

Fortunately for us, Citrix has maintained (as much as possible) commonality between the different clients , so when you are familiar with the configuration of one client (Win32, for example), you will have little difficulty configuring an ICA client for an alternate platform. When appropriate, we reference some of the other common client platforms such as Linux, Macintosh, and Java.

Alert

The Java client is a popular choice for ICA client- related questions.


Note

We encourage you to take every opportunity to expose yourself to as many different clients as possible. Viewing first-hand the behavior and support differences between the clients helps improve your overall understanding of the capabilities of the different clients.


Client Deployment Methods

Before you deploy the client, it is recommended that you review the latest README file for the particular client version. You can find the README file for a particular client in the same location as the client binary files are found for download.

The various client deployment methods available are

  • Installation using the Components CD The Components CD contains the installation files for all the client software available at the time of the Presentation Server release. The contents of this CD can be copied to a network share point (see later in this list) for remote access, or the CD can itself be used to install the desired Presentation Server client. Use of the Components CD to deploy the client directly to the end user is advised only in smaller environments and situations in which staff can quickly move from device to device to perform the installation.

    Note

    Installation of the ICA client requires administrative privileges on the user's workstation.


  • Installation with floppy disks Citrix still supports the installation of the Win32 client using floppy disks. Floppy-based deployments are practical only in small (single-site) companies or for remote users who cannot perform an installation using a CD-ROM drive.

    An automated disk builder tool is provided with Windows 2000 Server, but not with Windows Server 2003. This Microsoft-developed tool is provided as part of the Windows operating system, not a utility that ships with Presentation Server. On a Windows 2000 Server, you can create disks by running the ICA Client Creator utility.

    On a Windows Server 2003 machine, you must manually copy the disk images to preformatted floppies. The disk images can be found on the Components CD, under the folder \ICAINST\en\<client>\disks\. The supported disk-installable clients are Win16, Win32, and DOS. The corresponding folders are ICA16, ICA32, and DOS32, respectively.

  • Client download from a network share point Creating a network share point containing the desired client installation files is an effective way to deploy the client to the end user. The network share point can be populated with the client files from a couple of different locations on the CD-ROM. The \ICAINST folder contains all the available client installation files, and the ICAWEB folder contains clients that can automatically be installed via the Web Interface. The ICAWEB folder contains multiple languages labeled de (German), en (English), es (Spanish), fr (French), or ja (Japanese). You can also populate a share location with client files downloaded directly from the Citrix website (www.citrix.com). Setup packages can be customized to ensure a consistent installation. This topic is discussed in the "Client Deployment Customization" section of this chapter.

  • Web-based client installation Two methods of web-based client deployment are available. The first leverages the Web Interface for Presentation Server and its built-in capability to prompt a user for the desired client installation when necessary. The Web Interface is a convenient and reliable deployment method for organizations of any size (enterprise, application service provider, or small business).

    Figure 13.4 demonstrates the client installation message displayed in the Message Center portion of the Web Interface logon screen. Client deployment settings are managed from within the Web Interface Console (WIC). Configuration of the Web Interface is discussed in Chapter 14.

    Figure 13.4. The Web Interface informs the user that installation of the client is required before applications can be launched.

    An alternate web-based deployment method involves the manual creation of a website that simply provides links to the appropriate client software to be downloaded and installed. Logistically, this is similar to the creation of a network share point for client installation.

  • Active Directory (AD) or Microsoft Systems Management Server (SMS) Organizations that have the necessary Windows AD domain or SMS infrastructure available may want to leverage this deployment to push out the appropriate Win32 client to the desired target desktops. The Win32 MSI package can be configured and deployed using either one of these methods.

  • Client Update Database For those devices that are already running a version of the ICA client, the Client Update Database can be used to completely automate the ICA Client upgrade process. If you want to use the Client Update Database, an older version of the ICA client must already be installed and must also understand remote update requests originating from the Client Update Database. The Client Update Database is described further in the "ICA Client Update Database" section of this chapter.

    Note

    The one exception to the installation requirement is the Java client, which is completely contained within a Java applet. Although the applet must be downloaded to the client device, there is no installation process. The applet is simply downloaded and then executed by the client device's Java Virtual Machine. The Web Interface for Presentation Server can be configured to employ the Java client by default, as well as determine what client features such as audio or client drive mapping are enabled. Configuration and use of the Java client are discussed in Chapter 14.


    Alert

    Expect to identify the different client deployment options and understand what conditions must be satisfied to be able to use the Client Update Database.


Choosing the Client Deployment Method

When you are deciding on the type of client deployment method (or methods) to use, be sure to take the following points into consideration:

  • The client operating systems to be supported Each distinct operating system requires its own planning and preparation to ensure that it has been properly configured for the end users. Smaller environments with a more homogeneous client configuration are well suited for disk, CD-ROM, or the network share point deployment methods. In larger, heterogeneous client environments (enterprise or ASP configurations), it can be difficult or impossible to predict the client operating system being used. A web-based deployment is most effective in these situations.

  • How users will access published applications How users will access the required published applications can dictate the deployment method employed. If the Web Interface is going to be used, client deployment naturally can be driven through this same web method. Clients using Program Neighborhood, Program Neighborhood Agent, or an alternate client may want to use a custom web page, network share point, or deployment tool such as SMS or other third-party product. In general, clients that do not rely on the Web Interface to provide configuration information (Web client or PN Agent) require customization before deployment. These clients are generally deployed using a network share point or pushed out using Active Directory, SMS, or another tool.

    Note

    The type of published application can not only influence how users access the applications, but also the client that is used and ultimately deployed. When users are accessing individual applications, either the Web Interface or PN Agent clients are generally the recommended methods of remote access. On the other hand, when a full desktop is published, the PN Agent or even the full Program Neighborhood might be better suited. Typically, when users are required to access a full desktop session, it is better not to require them to open a web browser, provide their credentials, and then launch a connection to a full desktop session. It would be better if the full desktop session was initiated immediately after they log on or start up their client device.


  • Ease-of-use requirements for the end user If users are required to perform their own client installation, you may need to customize the installation to hide the majority of the installation prompts that typically appear. More technically savvy users can be instructed on the required settings and expected to complete the setup successfully. The more typical user may have far less comfort with technology and, as a result, require a more foolproof method of client installation. Using customized client setup or automated deployment tools is suggested in this situation.

Client Installation Files

Three types of client installation files can be used to deploy the MetaFrame Presentation Server Clients for 32-bit Windows:

  • MSI Client Package Available on the Components CD or downloadable from the Citrix website, the Ica32Pkg.msi package contains the three Win32 clients (Program Neighborhood, Program Neighborhood Agent, and Web clients). Specific clients and client features can be configured for the package; these customization steps are reviewed in more detail in the next section of this chapter. As with all MSI packages, this package supports all the features provided by the Windows Installer technology, including the ability to install, uninstall, modify, repair, and upgrade client installations. MSI package installation requires Windows Installer Service 2.0 or later.

  • Self-extracting executables For each of the available Win32 clients, an individual self-extracting executable is available and can be preconfigured before deployment, much like the MSI package. Configuring self-extracting executables is also discussed in the next section of this chapter. The available executables are

    • Ica32.exe Program Neighborhood; approximately 4MB in size.

    • Ica32a.exe Program Neighborhood Agent; approximately 3.55MB in size.

    • Ica32t.exe Web client; approximately 2.5MB in size.

  • Cabinet files Citrix provides the following compressed Microsoft Cabinet installation files for the Web and Program Neighborhood clients. Cabinet files are most commonly used when performing a web-based client installation. Unlike MSI and executable installation files, the preconfiguration of settings before deployment is not supported with cabinet-based installation files.

    • Wfica.cab Program Neighborhood client; approximately 3.8MB in size.

    • Wficat.cab Full Web client; approximately 2.1MB in size.

    • Wficac.cab Minimal Web client; approximately 1.3MB in size.

    Alert

    You should be able to identify the different clients that will be installed based on the executable or cabinet filename.


    Note

    A fourth deployment method was recently introduced by Citrix: the Citrix Access Client MSI Package. The Citrix Access Client package is a single MSI installation package containing all Win32 client pieces for the Citrix Access Suite. This consolidated package can be downloaded from the Citrix website and is intended to ease the administrative task of deploying the multiple Access Suite components throughout the organization. The Citrix Access Client Package contains all three of the Win32 Presentation Server clients (PN, PN Agent, and Web client), Citrix Access Gateway clients, and the Citrix Password Manager agent.


Client Deployment Customization

Both the MSI installation package and the self-extracting executable allow you to customize the installation process, as well as preconfigure many of the client settings. The MSI package can be customized in any one of three ways:

  • MSI Client Packager The client packager provides a wizard-based tool for customizing the behavior of the MSI package.

  • Command-line parameters Command-line parameters can be fed to the MSI package file when executed to modify the default behavior of the installation.

  • MSI transform file Custom transform files can be created to modify the default behavior of the installation. A third-party tool is required to create a transform file (MST). Products from Wise Solutions Inc. (www.wise.com) or Macrovision Corporation (www.installshield.com) are just two examples of tools you can use.

MSI Client Packager Wizard

The Client Packager Wizard provides an easy method of modifying the default behavior of the MSI installation package. The wizard is initiated by running the command

 msiexec.exe /a <  path to package  >/ica32pkg.msi 

where <path to package> is the full path to the ica32pkg.msi file if it is not in the current directory.

The /a parameter launches the installation package in administration mode. You know you have initiated the packager properly if you receive the message "Welcome to Client Packager Setup." The first input dialog box to appear prompts you to provide a location to store the generated client package image as well as how the package will be generated:

  • Uncompressed All the deployment files are copied into the target folder.

  • Compressed All the deployment files are compressed into a single cabinet file in the target folder.

  • Single Windows Installer file All the deployment files are compressed into a single MSI installation package.

The Client Packager then prompts you to choose the specific clients that will be included in the custom installation (PN, PN Agent, Web). After you decide on the client(s) that will be installed, the remaining dialog boxes prompt you to provide defaults for the information that is usually prompted for during the installation. Some of the information requested is common to all clients, whereas other information is valid only for a specific client. For example, when deploying the PN Agent, you can provide the server URL where the client will retrieve configuration and application information.

In a dialog that appears near the end of the Package Configuration Wizard, you choose what installation dialog boxes will be presented to the end user during the client installation. Figure 13.5 shows how this dialog box would appear. Each of the dialog boxes in the left-hand list will appear during the installation. You can see how the dialog box would appear to the user by highlighting and clicking the View button. When a feature is hidden from the user, the default option defined within the package is automatically used.

Figure 13.5. In Select Users Dialog Boxes, you define the prompts that will appear during the customized client installation.

MSI Client Command-line Parameters

As an alternative to creating a custom MSI package, you can also provide command-line parameters to the provided package, modifying the default behavior of the installation. The basic command-line syntax is as follows :

 msiexec.exe /I <  path to MSI package  >\ica32pkg.msi [options] 

The parameter /i (either upper or lowercase) initiates an install, and the additional [options] controls the behavior of the installation. Table 13.1 lists the supported options you can use. Note that all properties shown in uppercase must be provided with matching case; they are case sensitive . Using allow_reboot is not equivalent to using ALLOW_REBOOT .

Table 13.1. Options for Command-Line Modification of the MSI Client Installation Package

Option

Description

/qn

Performs a silent installation.

/qb

Shows only progress and error messages during the installation. Otherwise , the installation is silent. The Cancel button is visible to the user.

/qb-!

Shows only progress and error messages during installation. This option also suppresses the display of the Cancel button to the user. Otherwise, the installation is silent.

/l*v <Logfile>

Enables verbose logging to the provided log filename. The full path to the log file must be provided. You must also include quotation marks if the path contains spaces.

ALLOW_REBOOT={YesNo}

Controls whether the client is allowed to reboot the device. The default is Yes.

CLIENT_ALLOW_DOWNGRADE={YesNo}

Enables or disables the overwriting of a newer client version with the current version. The default is No.

CLIENT_NAME= <ClientName>

<ClientName> uniquely identifies the Presentation Server client. The default value is %COMPUTERNAME% .

CLIENT_UPGRADE={YesNo}

Enables or disables the automatic upgrade of the client if an earlier version is installed. The default is Yes.

DEFAULT_NDS_CONTEXT=<Context1[, Context2,...]>

Allows you to define one or more default Novell Directory Services (NDS) contexts for the client. If more than a single context is being used, make sure to enclose the entire option within quotation marksfor example "Context1,Context2" . Omitting quotation marks causes the parameter to fail.

ENABLE_DYNAMIC_CLIENT_NAME={Yes,No}

Enables or disables support for dynamically changing the MPS client name if the device name is changed.

ENABLE_SSON={YesNo}

Enables or disables support for pass-through authentication. The default value is No. If this setting is enabled, a client restart is required.

INSTALLDIR= <Installation folder>

Specifies the location where the client will be installed. The default location is "C:\Program Files\Citrix\ICA Client" .

PROGRAM_FOLDER_NAME= <Start menu folder name>

Allows you to specify the Start menu folder that will contain the client icons. This applies only to the PN and PN Agent clients. The default is "Citrix\MetaFrame Access Clients" .

SERVER_LOCATION= <Web server URL>

Applies only to the PN Agent client. Allows you to specify the URL of the Web Interface server that has the configuration file for PN Agent. You must prefix the server name with either http:// or https :// followed by the server name. If the default folder location is being used, you are not required to provide it. If you have changed the location of the configuration file, the full path must also be included in the URL.


Alert

Given a list of options, you should be able to identify the resulting installation behavior.


MSI Transform File

If you have created a custom transform file for the Win32 client package, you can employ this MST file by using similar syntax to that discussed for command-line parameters. The syntax is as follows:

[View full width]
 
[View full width]
msiexec.exe /I <path to MSI package> \ica32pkg.msi TRANSFORMS=<full path to file> \<transform file.mst>

The /I (upper or lowercase) and ica32pkg.msi parameters are required to use a transform file.

Alert

You need to know only the syntax for employing a transform file, not the details on how one would be created.


Customizing Self-Extracting Executables

Before you can modify the configuration of a self-extracting executable, the contents of the file must be extracted into a folder where the necessary configuration settings can then be updated. You can extract the contents by using a compression utility such as WinZip or by issuing the command

 <  exe name  > -a -unpack:<  target folder  > 

where < exe name > is the name of the self-extracting executable, and < target folder > is the location where the contents will be placed.

Note

To repackage the contents into a new self-extracting executable, you must employ a third-party commercial package such as the WinZip Self-Extractor tool.


After the contents are extracted, the specific settings to modify vary depending on the Citrix client.

Customizing the PN Agent Self-Extracting Executable

The installation settings for the PN Agent are managed through the install.ini file. The default contents of this file are listed here, and a summary of the options is shown in Table 13.2. Any line that begins with a semicolon is considered to be a comment, so when you modify a setting in this file, be sure to remove the leading semicolon.

Table 13.2. PN Agent Installation Settings

Option

Description

ServerURL

The URL of the Web Interface server. The setting must be preceded by either http:// for insecure or https:// for secure SSL communications. If the configuration file is not located in the default location on the Web Interface server, this URL must include the full path to the file.

SetMachineNameClientName

Setting this value to Yes enables use of the Windows machine name as the ICA client device name.

Location

Installation location for PN Agent. Using the macro <PROGRAM FILES> automatically substitutes with the %ProgramFiles% environment variable. The default location is C:\Program Files\Citrix\PNAgent.

StartMenu

This setting specifies the Start menu path where the PN Agent icons will be placed. The path entered here is appended to the Start menu's Programs folder.

InstallSingleSignOn

Setting this value to Yes enables pass-through authentication. The default value is No.

AcceptClientSideEULA

Setting this value to Yes automatically accepts the end-user license agreement for the client. The default is No.


 [install] ;ServerURL=http://pnagent ;SetMachineNameClientName=DCN ;Location=<PROGRAM_FILES>\Citrix\PNAgent ;StartMenu=Citrix PNAgent ;InstallSingleSignOn=no ;AcceptClientSideEULA=no 

Customizing the Web Client Self-Extracting Executable

The configuration file for the Web client installation is called Ctxsetup.ini. When compared to the setup file for the PN Agent (install.ini), this file contains far more information, but only the first few lines should be modified. Anything that appears after the Win32 Section comment should not be changed. This is the editable information:

 ; ; INF file for use with CTXSETUP tool ; ; This INF file describes how to setup the Citrix 32-bit Web Client [Setup] Product=Citrix Web Client InitialPrompt=1 TARGETDIR=%PROGRAMFILES%Citrix\icaweb32 UninstFile=%TARGETDIR%uninst.inf DisplayLicenseDlg=1 AddUninstallLink=1 PromptForCopyingPlugins=0 DisplayStatusMsg=1 ;If you want the user to be prompted when a netscape ;plugin is being copied to netscape plugins directory, ;then use the below line ;PromptForCopyingPlugins=1 ; If you don't want license dialog to be displayed, then ; use the below line ;DisplayLicenseDlg=0 ; If you don't want a completion message to appear when installation ; is finished use the below line ; WARNING: if installation fails the user will receive no error message ;DisplayStatusMsg=0 

Table 13.3 summarizes the Web client setup options that can be modified.

Table 13.3. Web Installation Settings

Option

Description

InitialPrompt

Setting this value to 0 hides the initial prompt. The default value is 1, which shows the prompt.

TARGETDIR

The target location for the Web client files. Environment variables can be used to represent a target folder. The default is the Program Files\Citrix\Web folder.

UninstFile

Location of the file that contains uninstall information. It is recommended that you not modify this setting.

DisplayLicenseDlg

Setting this value to 0 suppresses display of the end-user license agreement for the client. The default is 1, which shows the EULA.

AddUninstallLink

Setting this value to 0 prevents adding an uninstall link to the user's client device. The default value is 1, which enables creation of the link.

PromptForCopyingPlugins

Setting this value to 1 prompts users when a Netscape plug-in is being copied to the Netscape plug-in folder. The default value is 0.

DisplayStatusMsg

Setting this value to 0 suppresses display of the status message saying that the installation is complete. When suppressed, if an error in the installation has occurred, the user will not be notified.


Customizing the Program Neighborhood Self-Extracting Executable

Unlike the Web and PN Agent clients, the customization settings for Program Neighborhood modify the behavior of the client after it has been installed. The reason is that, unlike the Web and PN Agent clients, the PN client settings are all managed locally, not centrally through a website. These settings do not modify the default installation behavior of the full PN client.

The configuration settings are read from a set of INI files each time the client is started. The first time a user launches a PN client, the INI files are copied from the client installation location into the user's personal Windows profile. Specifically, the files go into the Application Data\ICAClient folder within the user's profile. Profiles are stored by default on a MetaFrame server under C:\Documents and Settings, with each user receiving a folder that matches his or her user ID.

The files that directly impact the configuration of the client are listed here in their order of precedence. The file listed at the top (wfclient.ini) is applied first, but if a matching setting is found in any of the other files, they take precedence in the listed order.

  • wfclient.ini Contains initialization settings for the PN client.

  • module.ini Provides information on the communication stack modules. This file resides in the application folder. Matching entries may be found in the appsrv.ini file. If so, they override settings in this file. The contents of this file should not be modified.

  • pn.ini Contains information on all the defined application sets for the client. When a new application set is defined, the information is stored in this file.

  • appsrv.ini Serves two functions. First, this file contains user interface configuration settings that apply to the client in general. Options such as keyboard macros are stored here. This INI file also contains the defaults for all new ICA custom connections as well as the specific properties defined for each custom connection that has been created.

Within the packaged PN setup executable, these INI files are actually stored with an .src extension instead of a .ini extension. Only the extension has changed; the files otherwise remain plain-text files.

The PN installation is customized by modifying these INI files and then repackaging them as part of the installation process. During installation, the modified INI files and other client binaries are copied into the application folder. As mentioned, first-time users then receive a copy of the INI files in their personal profile.

Note

After a user has launched the PN client and received copies of the INI files, the client will never again attempt to retrieve files from the application folder, unless the files in the user's profile are moved or deleted.

If you upgrade an existing client with new custom INI files or modify the existing INI files for a PN installation, users will not necessarily pick up these changes. A method of forcing an update, such as scripting the removal of old INI files from the user's profile, would need to be performed before a user runs his or her PN client again.


The two INI files most often updated are the pn.ini and appsrv.ini files. These files can be modified in two different ways. The first involves copying the configuration files from an existing client installation into the folder containing the extracted setup files and replacing the existing SRC files with the modified INI files. The specific steps involved are as follows:

1.
Extract the setup executable into a working folder.

2.
Using either the extracted files or the self-extracting executable, install the client onto a test machine that is not used by regular users.

3.
Launch the PN client and perform any desired customization. For example, you could define the default application set, create any required custom connections, or define the default server location for the client. Configure whatever settings you would like applied as the default when installed.

4.
Traverse into the profile folder for the current user and copy all the INI files listed earlier from the Application Data\ICAClient folder into your installation working folder.

5.
Rename (or delete) the existing SRC files in the working folder and then rename all new INI files to have the .src extension instead of the .ini extension. The PN client now contains the default configuration settings that you defined. You can repackage the executable and deploy the custom client to the target client machines.

Another alternative is to directly modify the INI (or SRC) files using a text editor such as Notepad and manually configure the desired options. To do this, you need to be familiar with the various INI file parameters that are supported. Citrix has made available an Adobe Acrobat document titled "Citrix Presentation Server Program Neighborhood Client for 32-bit Windows Configuration Guide (.ini/.ica File Reference)." You can find this document at http://support.citrix.com/docs, under the ICA Clients option. This document contains a detailed listing of all supported parameters for the various .ini (and .ica for the Web Interface) files.

Instead of performing all the setting changes manually, most administrators make the majority of the changes to an installed client and then modify the updated INI files with the additional changes that they want implemented prior to repackaging the client executable.

Some commonly modified INI file parameters that cannot be directly manipulated via the GUI client interface are listed in Table 13.4. This is not a complete list. Refer to the Configuration Guide mentioned earlier for full details.

Table 13.4. Sample Program Neighborhood INI Settings

Option

Description

AddICAIconOff

When set to On, the option to add a new ICA Connection under Custom ICA Connections is hidden and not accessible to the user. This option can be used to prevent users from creating new connections.

ApplicationSetManagerIconOff

When set to On, the Application Set Manager icon is not available. This icon appears when you first open PN and allows you to manage application sets that have been defined as well as access Custom ICA Connections (if not the default).

CustomConnectionsIconOff

This option supports either an On or Off setting. When set to On, the Custom ICA Connections icon in the PN is hidden and not available to the users.

FindNewApplicationSetIconOff

When this option is set to On, users do not see the icon allowing them to find new application sets on the network. Removing this setting allows users to access only those application sets that you have already defined as part of the base installation.


Alert

You need to know the methods in which the PN client can be customized for installation. You are not required to know specific settings within the various configuration INI files.


ICA Client Update Database

The ICA Client Update Database was created to provide a mechanism for automatically updating a supported client device with the latest available MetaFrame client software. It is intended to solve the problem of keeping a large number of clients up to date and properly configured with the latest MetaFrame client. The client update process itself is initiated when a user logs on to a MetaFrame Presentation Server that has been configured to point to a local or remote Client Update Database.

An administrator can fully manage how various clients are updated through the ICA Client Update Configuration utility. Settings that can be configured include whether the update is visible or transparent to the user and whether all clients or only those running an older version are updated.

Alert

To be able to automatically deploy a client using the ICA Client Update Database, the target device must already have a supported client installed, and that client version must be 4.20.581 or higher. Earlier client versions do not support the automatic update feature.


The ICA Client Update Database has the following key characteristics:

  • A new client version must be added to the Client Update Database before it is eligible for deployment. The Client Update Database is initially created and populated using the ICA Client Distribution Wizard. We review this tool shortly.

  • Only newer versions of the same client product and model are updated. For example, Auto Update does not update a version of PN Agent with a newer version of Program Neighborhood.

  • Auto Update works only if the client has been installed from a self-extracting executable. If the installation source was an MSI package, Client Update is not available.

  • When version 4.20.581 or later of the ICA client is present, the Update Database automatically detects the version of the client currently installed and initiates an update if necessary.

  • An Update Database can be maintained on each MetaFrame server or centrally managed through a database located on a network share point.

  • The previous version is maintained in a folder called Backup within the ICA Client folder. This allows for the automatic restoration of the previous client version if necessary.

  • When the need for an update is detected , the update process informs the user by default that a client upgrade is necessary. The user has the option to proceed or cancel. This default behavior can be modified to completely hide this option and perform a silent update to the device.

  • The client update does not complete until users disconnect or log off their current session and completely close the client. When they log back in, the client update is complete. If users choose to wait for the download to complete, the update is performed automatically before they begin working. If they choose to continue working while it downloads in the background, the full client shutdown is required before they can access the new client version.

  • Administrators can force users to wait for the update to complete before they are able to log on to the server.

    Alert

    Remember that the Auto Update feature functions only for clients that have been installed using a self-extracting executable. MSI-based client installations cannot be updated using Auto Update.


    Note

    Depending on the client device, a user may require administrative access to successfully update the client. For example, although the Linux client supports the automatic update feature, the update will fail unless the user performing the update is logged on with root privileges.


Creating an Update Database

Although individual databases can be maintained on each server, it is typically best to configure a single database that updates client software for multiple servers. The ICA Client Update Database itself is created by running the ICA Client Distribution Wizard. This wizard automatically launches during the MetaFrame Presentation Server installation, so unless you skipped that portion of the installation, the database should already be configured by default on your MetaFrame server.

The ICA Client Distribution Wizard automatically creates the Update Database in the local folder %ProgramFiles%\Citrix\ICA\ClientDB on the MetaFrame server. A newly created database contains no client files. You must configure the desired clients for the Update Database before users will be able to receive automatic updates.

Note

When you select a currently active database to be the default, ICUC prompts you to select any other MetaFrame servers in the farm that you would also like to have automatically updated to point to this new database by default. This setting allows you to quickly create and configure a central Client Update Database that is accessed by all desired MetaFrame servers.


Adding or Updating Clients in the Update Database

You can add or update supported clients by downloading them from the Citrix website (www.citrix.com) or by using an updated Components CD-ROM. The ICA Client Distribution (ICD) Wizard is used to populate the Update Database with either downloaded clients or the clients on a Components CD-ROM. The client files loaded by the ICD Wizard are found in the ICAINST folder on the root of the Components CD-ROM drive.

The import of an individual client is performed directly within the ICA Client Update Configuration (ICUC) utility. Selecting New from the Client menu starts a wizard that directs you through selecting the individual Update.ini file associated with the client files. The Update.ini file contains information that describes the ICA Client Update capabilities for the client. The wizard also prompts you to provide the default settings shown in Figure 13.6. If the client is already present in the database, the ICUC utility does not allow you to re-import that image, unless the existing one is first deleted.

Figure 13.6. The default settings for a new client image are defined while the client is being imported.


Managing Database Properties in the Update Database

Table 13.5 summarizes the Update Database properties, which you access by choosing Properties from the Database menu.

Table 13.5. Update Database Properties

Property

Description

Database Path

This property shows the current database path where client information is retained. Auto-client update is active when the Enabled check box is selected.

Client Download Mode

Three modes exist. The first is Ask User, which prompts the user to confirm whether he or she wants to update the client. Notify User simply tells the user that the client is going to be updated. The user has no option to terminate the update process. Transparent allows the update to be silently performed on the client. The changes do not take effect until the next time the users log on.

Version Checking

Update Older Client Versions Only. Updates only clients that are running an older client version than is available in the update database.

 

Update Any Client Version with This Client enforces not only updates of older clients, but also of newer clients as well. This is one way to force a rollback from a new version to an older version.

Logging

Enabling the log options Log Downloaded Clients and/or Log Errors During Download creates associated log entries in the Application event log.

Update Mode

This property dictates how the update is performed. Force Disconnection requires that users disconnect from their session to allow the completion of the client installation. The disconnect is automatically performed after the new client files have been downloaded. Allow Background Download allows users to keep working in their current session while the necessary client files are downloaded in the background. After the download is complete, the installation proceeds. If this setting is disabled, users must wait for the download to complete.

Maximum Number of Simultaneous Updates on the Server

This property dictates how many users can simultaneously update their client files from the Update Database. When the maximum number is reached, any new update attempts are ignored until the load drops below the maximum. The automatic update is initiated only during the logon process, so only new connections are updated. Any existing ones that were skipped would have to log off and back on to attempt a new update. This is the only setting that cannot be overridden with per-client property settings.


Managing Client Properties in the Update Database

When a new client is added to the database, it is assigned the default settings defined for the database. You can override these settings when creating the entry or at any time by opening the client's properties. Client properties have four tabs:

  • Description This tab provides information on the client version, product number, and in some cases, variant. You can enable or disable updating of this specific client from this tab. If the entire database has been disabled, enabling the client here has no effect.

  • Update Options The same client download mode and version checking options found in database properties are also found on this tab. From this tab, you can also define a message that will be displayed to users if they click the More Info button during the client update.

  • Event Logging This tab displays the same logging information discussed in Table 13.5. These settings override the database defaults.

  • Client Files This tab displays a list of all client files that make up this MetaFrame client.

The ICA Pass-through Client

We previously mentioned the ICA pass-through client and how the option to update or install the pass-through client appears when you run the ICA Client Distribution Wizard. The ICA pass-through client is simply an alternate name for running either the full Program Neighborhood or the PN Agent directly off a MetaFrame server. Running such a client on the server allows you to provide PN-based features to clients that do not directly support running the Program Neighborhood or PN Agent.

For example, you might have PN installation on a server and published as an application. A group of Macintosh users could access PN as a published application and have access to application sets that they otherwise would not be able to directly access. Running a pass-through client also allows you to quickly test client connectivity without having to use a separate client device.

Here are a couple of points to note about applications launched through the pass-through client:

  • Seamless window support Applications can run in a seamless window within a MetaFrame desktop session.

  • Local device support Even though the client is running on the MetaFrame server, it " knows " that it is acting as a pass-through client, so it still allows you to access supported devices directly on the client (printer, drive, COM port, and so on).



Citrix CCA MetaFrame Presentation Server 3. 0 and 4. 0 Exam CramT (Exams 223 and 256)
Citrix CCA MetaFrame Presentation Server 3. 0 and 4. 0 Exam CramT (Exams 223 and 256)
ISBN: N/A
EAN: N/A
Year: 2003
Pages: 199

flylib.com © 2008-2017.
If you may any questions please contact us: flylib@qtcs.net