Web Interface for MetaFrame


Web Interface for MetaFrame (formerly called NFuse Classic) evolved from the Citrix ALE technology used to deploy applications to web browser clients. Web Interface combines the web-publishing features of the ALE client with many of the management features of Program Neighborhood, including the ability to dynamically publish a new application to a logged-on user. Users just click the Refresh button on their browser, and the new application icon appears on the desktop within the browser. Web Interface comes standard with a default web page setup that provides an administrator with a very simple and quick setup of the Web Interface. The web page can be customized with any standard HTML tool. An example of a default Web Interface session is shown next:

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Web Interface is a three-tier solution that includes a MetaFrame server component, a web server component, and an ICA client component with the web browser. Web Interface doesn't replace the ICA client; rather, it interoperates with it to provide the capabilities native to the operating system platform. Web Interface extends the publishing capabilities of the ALE client by providing a means to integrate applications from other sources, such as MetaFrame for UNIX, and by allowing applications and access to be customized by users. Figure 7-2 shows the Web Interface application publishing architecture.

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Figure 7-2: The Web Interface application publishing architecture

Web Interface supports the features of Program Neighborhood within the context of the browser. Instead of pushing an application icon to a PC's desktop using the Seamless Windows feature, the icon will appear on the desktop within the browser.

A subtle but important advance offered by Web Interface is that the web components can be configured to resolve application names to IP addresses, eliminating the need for the ICA client to use the UDP-based ICA browser. UDP access can then be eliminated from the firewall, thus enhancing overall security. Further, by utilizing MetaFrame Secure Gateway Server with Web Interface (discussed in Chapters 2, 8, and 16), no outside firewall ports have to be open at all, and the MetaFrame servers can be placed securely inside the firewall.

Finally, Web Interface offers both client and server scripting capabilities to run external programs, customize the user session, or integrate with other web technologies such as COM, Java Server Pages, or Active Server Pages.

Three components are required to run Web Interface for MetaFrame: a MetaFrame server running the Web Interface Service, a supported web server (Microsoft IIS or Apache), and an ICA client with a supported web browser.

Web Interface for MetaFrame, along with its big brother MetaFrame Secure Access Manager, which further automates the creation and integration of a full-blown access center, will be covered in depth in Chapter 16.




Citrix Metaframe Access Suite for Windows Server 2003(c) The Official Guide
Citrix Access Suite 4 for Windows Server 2003: The Official Guide, Third Edition
ISBN: 0072262893
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2003
Pages: 158

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