ICA Client Types

ICA Client Types

In addition to the different platforms supported, the exact method by which a user accesses published resources is dictated by the type of client used. Although many platforms support only a single type of client, others support multiple types that serve different client access and administrative requirements. Citrix supports four basic types of ICA clients :

• Program Neighborhood (PN) Program Neighborhood is the full Win32 client environment within which both application sets (groups of published resources available within a server farm) and specific connections (to published resources or directly to servers) can be configured and accessed. Although Program Neighborhood was once the main client used for Win32 desktop deployments, Citrix has since placed more emphasis on deploying the alternate Win32 client types because of their reduced desktop complexity and more centralized management features. Program Neighborhood is most often used by administrators who must manage access to a wide number of resources as well as more advanced users who require the ability to manage access to different servers or published applications. Figure 13.1 shows the main PN window. NRSC Farm represents the Noisy River farm application set that has been configured on the client. The Find New Application Set icon accesses a wizard that allows you to connect to a server farm and create an associated application set. The final icon, labeled Custom ICA Connections, allows you to select specific servers or published applications to connect to. The PN client is described further later in this chapter.

  Figure 13.1. Program Neighborhood is available for Win32 operating systems only.

  

• ICA Client Connections Depending on the client, this will either be the sole function of the client or a particular view within the client software. For example, the Program Neighborhood client supports a special view called Customer ICA Connections (see the icon in Figure 13.1), where you can create or manage connections to individual servers or published applications. This is also the default view when running other clients such as the ICA Client for Linux or Solaris SPARC. Other clients such as the Macintosh OS X client or the IBM AIX client support only this view. Figure 13.2 shows the main connection view for the ICA Client for Linux. Note the list of available client connections. ICA Client Connections do not support the creation and use of application sets in the way presented in the PN client.

  Figure 13.2. The ICA Client for Linux has a client view similar to the Custom ICA Connections view in the Program Neighborhood client.

  

• Program Neighborhood Agent (PN Agent) The PN Agent works in conjunction with the Web Interface for Presentation Server (discussed in Chapter 14) and provides a seamless method of integrating published applications with the user's desktop. Within the PN Agent client, unlike the full PN client, only basic configuration options are managed directly. Instead, the majority of the client settings are controlled through the web-based Program Neighborhood Agent Console. There is a completely separate Win32 PN Agent client. It can be installed onto a Win32 desktop independent of the full PN client.

  The only other clients that support the PN Agent interface are the Windows CE, Linux x86, and Solaris SPARC clients. These clients do not have separate PN Agent components , but instead offer a PN Agent view. This view can be configured to retrieve the necessary information from the Web Interface, just as the Win32 PN Agent client does. Figure 13.3 shows the extent of the Win32 PN Agent interface visible to the user. The small icon on the system tray, which looks very similar to a lowercase i , allows access to menus that are completely configurable through the PN Agent Console. The published applications listed under the Applications menu can just as easily be configured to appear on the user's desktop or even the user's Start menu.

  Figure 13.3. The PN Agent provides minimal visual overhead on the client device while providing full Win32 client functionality. An administrator's dream-come-true.

  

• Web Client The fourth and final client type is the Web client, another Win32-only client that provides minimal overhead by allowing access to published resources directly from hyperlinks on a web page. The Web client is officially supported only with the Internet Explorer (5.0 or higher) or Netscape Navigator/Communicator (4.78, 6.2 or higher) web browser. Unlike other clients, the Web client does not have a distinct client-side interface component. Instead, all the published application access information is retrieved directly from the host website. To learn more about configuring Web client access, see Chapter 14.

  Actually, two different versions of the Web client are available. The first is the full-featured Web client, supported with both the Internet Explorer and Netscape browser. This client can be installed from a self-extracting executable or a compressed Microsoft cabinet (CAB) file. The second client, also known as the minimal Web client, is supported only with Internet Explorer, and sacrifices a number of client features to achieve its small footprint. This client is available only in a CAB file.

  Note

  There is a common misconception that should be addressed. It is the mistaken thought that, to access published applications via a website (using the Web Interface for MPS, for example), you must use the Web client. This is not true. As long as the client device accessing the website has a valid ICA client installed, published applications will be accessible. For example, if you are running a Linux desktop and navigate to a Web Interface for MPS site, as long as the ICA Client for Linux is installed, you can click and launch applications directly from the browser. A special Web client for Linux is not required, and Web-based access is not limited to only the Win32 client platform.

  
  

  Alert

  You should know the difference between the three Win32 clients and be able to describe the key benefits that they provide.

  
  

  Note

  MPS 3.0 also introduced support for the Microsoft Remote Desktop (RDP) Web Connection software to access published content through the Web Interface. Use of the RDP Web client limits the features available when compared to an ICA client. You can find more details on the RDP Web client in Chapter 14.