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Citrix Metaframe 1.8

Introduction to Metaframe


Describe Metaframe and its purposes

bullet Software that installs on top of MS Windows NT 4.0 Terminal Server Edition (TSE) and extends many of its capabilities.
bullet Metaframe incorporates the ICA protocol, which allows for a much wider range of client type and protocol connectivity.
bullet Metaframe also allows for better enterprise level management, scalability and performance through many of its features.

Identify the major features of Metaframe

Multiple Protocol Support

bullet TSE with its proprietary RDP presentation protocol is limited to running over TCP/IP and TCP/IP over RAS.
bullet Metaframe’s ICA presentation protocol runs over TCP/IP, IPX/SPX, NetBIOS, RAS, Dial-in Asynchronous.


Direct ICA

bullet Allows for the direct serial connection of keyboard(s) and monitor(s) to a single Metaframe server configured with a special VGA multi-port video adapter.
bullet A good option for graphically intense applications such as CAD.

Seamless Desktop Integration

bullet A very nice feature that can automatically map client side printers and local drives, and allows for client COM and LPT port redirection to the user’s Metaframe session.
bullet Also provides the capability of Audio mapping and Clipboard mapping.

Shadowing

bullet The ability to “look over a user’s shoulder” while they are logged on. You can see everything the user sees and therefore this feature is very good for technical support issues.
bullet Shadowing requires ICA client software (even when running from the server) and an additional client license is consumed while in use.

Published Applications

bullet Provides the ability for users to use only applications rather than connecting to the full desktop. This feature goes hand-in-hand with program neighborhood and Web application access.

Anonymous User Access

bullet Metaframe installs 15 local anonymous user accounts that can be used in situations where secure access is unnecessary. Very useful feature for Web application access.

Load Balancing

bullet Feature that provides for much better application availability via published applications.
bullet Applications can be published across 2 or more servers. Servers can fail or be taken down for maintenance and the application will still be available.
bullet Not to be confused with fault tolerance!

Server Farms

bullet Another application publishing feature that allows servers to be grouped together as a single entity.
bullet Primarily used with program neighborhood on the client side, which dynamically allows applications to be “pushed” out to users based on domain access permissions.

Program Neighborhood

bullet Citrix client software for Win32 platforms that allows for a more dynamic application environment.
bullet Non Win32 platforms can benefit from program neighborhood via the pass-through technology of Metaframe.

Speedscreen2

bullet Client side bitmap caching that minimizes bandwidth usage and improves end user experience

SecureICA

bullet 40, 56 and 128 bit encryption for North American customers and 40 bit encryption for International users allows for better security at the cost of additional SecureICA licensing

Recognize Metaframe’s value to a specific environment

bullet Large scale enterprises distributing applications over a WAN can greatly improve their management and scalability with Metaframe’s many features. Smaller businesses can make use of ICA and its wide range of client types and protocols to save money by retaining existing PCs, DOS terminals and MACs.

Terminal Server Overview

Installation requirements

bullet Requires a clean system, or can be installed on top of NT 3.51, 4.0, Winframe 1.6, 1.7 or 1.8.
bullet Local security will be preserved; however, applications will need to be reinstalled.
bullet Hardware compatible with MS HCL for NT Server 4.0.
bullet Requires Pentium processor, VGA resolution or higher, 300Meg of disk space, CD ROM, 32Meg RAM + 4-12Meg RAM/user, NIC and mouse.

Identify steps to configure user account properties

bullet User Manager for Domains (UMFD) is the tool that configures properties for single or multiple users.
bullet You must use the UFMD that ships with TSE in order to configure TSE-specific properties.
bullet The user Config button displays options for individual user connections. A check box allows or disallows user to log on to TSE. If checked, you can configure user timeout settings, client device settings, an initial program to run at logon, and various connection and shadowing options.
bullet The Profile button allows you to specify settings for normal NT profiles as well as TSE profiles. The terminal server profile path and the terminal server home directory path are useful for segregating NT from TSE profiles.

Identify the methods to install applications on the Terminal Server

bullet Start by either going to the “Add/Remove Programs” applet in the Control Panel or by going to a command prompt and typing CHANGE USER /INSTALL.
bullet Install the application as you would normally then when finished, type CHANGE USER /EXECUTE at the command prompt.
bullet The command prompt method enables and disables ini file and registry mapping in order to propagate user settings in the multi-user environment.

Implementing and Installing Metaframe

Identify the steps to properly plan a Metaframe installation

bullet Requires a server with TSE installed + at least 30 MB of additional disk space and all necessary network protocols previously installed.
bullet Metaframe is compatible with MS HCL for NT Server 4.0.
bullet Factors influencing server sizing and protocol choices include the number of users per server, types and usage of applications, and locations of users relative to the server (LAN, WAN, dial-up, RAS, Web or VPN).
bullet Performance monitor used with load testing can give a good picture of how this all works together prior to production deployment.

Identify proper Metaframe licensing procedure

bullet Locate the 21-character serial number that begins with 3 letters. You can usually find this serial number on the box or the CD jewel case.
bullet Enter the serial number into the Citrix licensing utility or during initial Metaframe setup. (Note: For this test, the license will last for 30 days inactivated—real life, it lasts for 35 days!)
bullet Obtain an activation code from Citrix via the Citrix Activation Wizard over the Internet, by modem, by telephone, or by Fax. Fastest method is via the wizard.
bullet Enter the activation code into the Citrix licensing utility for the license.

Choose which protocol options are needed to connect to Metaframe

bullet TCP/IP will always be present in a TSE installation. In addition you need IPX/ SPX for Novell support, NetBIOS/NetBEUI for legacy DOS and Windows networks and Asynchronous modems.
bullet If NetBIOS is installed on a TSE server, NWLink and NetBEUI will be installed during Metaframe installation.
bullet When Metaframe installs, ICA listener ports will automatically be set up for each protocol type installed previously on TSE.
bullet Workstations requiring connection to a Metaframe server need to be running at least one of the protocols.
bullet Mac and UNIX clients require a special Metaframe client and additional support on the server.
bullet ICA traffic by default is passed through TCP port 1494. ICA browser traffic by default is passed through UDP port 1604.

Identify the steps to install a direct Asynchronous (Async) connection

bullet If server has RAS ports configured, they CANNOT be used for Async connections.
bullet Async connections can be configured during the Metaframe install or later using the Citrix Connection Configuration (CCC) utility.
bullet Citrix recommends using high-speed serial ports or intelligent multi-port hardware to ease the processing burden of the server.
bullet During configuration, the wizard allows you to install a modem if necessary or selects a previously installed modem.
bullet Only TAPI compliant modems can be used.

Identify the benefits of server drive mapping

bullet This is most useful when you purposely redirect client drives at logon.
bullet This process is best done during initial setup; doing it later can cause problems with application and system paths.
bullet The benefit of server drive letter re-assignment is to minimize user confusion. They see their own local PC drives as C:, D:, etc; server drives are set to M:, N:, etc.

Identify the components of an ICA packet

bullet Frame head, reliable, encryption, compression, command, command data, and frame trail can all be present in an ICA packet.
bullet Only command is always present

Installing and Configuring ICA Clients

Identify the ICA Windows and non-Windows clients and their major functions

bullet Win16 (Win3.1 Enhanced mode, and 3.11) running NetBIOS, IPX/SPX, TCP/IP, and Async.
bullet Win32 (9x, NT 3.51 and up, MF/WF) running the same protocol stacks as Win16.
bullet WinCE (2.0 and up) running only TCP/IP, client s/w only available from OEM vendors.
bullet Web (ALE) client for IE and Netscape. Only TCP/IP connections allowed.
bullet DOS16 (3.3 and up) running same protocol stacks as Win16.
bullet DOS32 (4 and up) running same protocol stacks as Win16.
bullet UNIX (DEC3.2, HPUX10.x, AIX4.1.4, RedHat 5.1, SCO 2.1, SGI IRIX 6.2, Solaris 2.5.1 SPARC, 2.6 x86, SunOS 4.1.4. Only TCP/IP connections allowed.
bullet Mac (7.5.3 and up) running only TCP/IP.
bullet Java (JDK1.0 and up) running only TCP/IP.
bullet A unique workstation name, destination directory and destination folder are required to install client software for all client types.

Identify the major features of SecureICA

bullet Allows for client server communication over an RC5 encrypted link.
bullet It is a separately purchased option pack from Citrix.
bullet Two versions are available: North American (40, 56 and 128 bit) and International (40 bit only).
bullet Secure ICA software must be installed on both client and server. Client must have at least the level of encryption that the server has in order to connect.
bullet Encryption levels can be set in UMFD for individual users and the CCC utility for all users for a given connection.
bullet Win32, Win16, Web and DOS clients can utilize SecureICA.

Identify the options that can be set within Program Neighborhood

bullet Application Set Manager contains icons used to manage and connect to application sets.
bullet Options that can be set include: connection type, description, application set, server location, sound, window color, and window size.
bullet The find new application set wizard allows user to connect to remote server farms.
bullet Custom ICA connection wizard allows user to set up custom connections to published applications.
bullet Add ICA connection and Find new application set wizards by default configure compressed data stream, low speed connections to bitmap cache, no queuing of mouse movements and keyboard strokes, set encryption to the highest available on the client.

Creating a Seamless User Experience

Describe the components of a seamless user experience

bullet All applications and resources (server-based and local) on the client appear as if they are all running locally.
bullet Client drive redirection, client printer mapping, clipboard mapping, serial port redirection all help to enable the seamless user experience.

Identify the steps to manually mapping a client drive and a printer

bullet Local drive mapping can be done via explorer or via a command prompt.
bullet If you use Explorer, you map the local client drive to what is shown in the map network drive dialog.
bullet If you use the command prompt, the syntax is net use x \\client\y: where x is a server drive and y: is a client drive.
bullet Local printer mapping can be done via the Printers folder or via a command prompt.
bullet From the printers folder, select new printer, network printer, then select the workstation and printer (printer needs to be shared).
bullet From a command prompt, the syntax is net use lptx: \\client\lpty: where x is an available server printer port and y is the client port that the printer is connected to.

Describe client clipboard mapping

bullet Ability to make use of both the local client clipboard and server clipboard for copying/pasting data between local and server based applications.
bullet Enabled by default for all transport protocols; can be disabled in the CCC utility.

Identify the features and limitations of client audio mapping

bullet Enabled by default for all protocols. Allows for listening to WAV, system and broadcast sounds if the client has a SoundBlaster-compatible sound card.
bullet The ICA client for DOS, Win16 or Win32 can use audio mapping. That is, WAV files in 8 or 16 bits can be played.
bullet High (1.3Mps), medium (64Kps) and low (16kps) quality audio can be configured for a given connection type. Audio quality can be set in the Published Application Manager (PAM) on an application set level and in the CCC utility for all applications over a given connection type.
bullet If audio quality levels differ from the published application to the connection, the lower setting will be selected. Only the client can adjust volume.

Configuring ICA Client Features

Identify the steps to implement seamless Windows

bullet Feature only of the Win32 client.
bullet Allows user to run multiple applications from a single ICA connection.
bullet Eliminates the need for users to log on each time they start another application.
bullet Reduces the overhead on servers by reducing the number of ICA connections.
bullet Applications must be set up with these components exactly the same: encryption, bitmap cache, compression, mouse/keyboard queue, audio and window colors. Else, another ICA license will be used.

Identify the steps to administer client cache options

bullet Bitmap cache settings can only be administered for application sets as a whole, not for single applications.
bullet The Program Neighborhood ICA settings Bitmap Cache tab allows you to specify maximum % of hard disk space to use; it defaults to 1% of partition containing the cache directory.
bullet Cache directory, minimum sized bitmap cached and clear cache now options are available on the client.
bullet Cache info for a connection can be viewed in Citrix Server Administration via the Cache tab.

Identify the benefits of speedscreen

bullet Reduces transmission of frequently painted screens, reducing network traffic by transmitting only images that change.
bullet Speedscreen 1 in MF 1.0 reduced retransmission 25 to 30%. Speedscreen2 in MF1.8 reduced by up to 60%.
bullet Automatically configured for each ICA connection type.

Identify the steps to implement Windows TAPI emulation

bullet Remote Application Manager (RAM) client software provides TAPI emulation support for DOS and Win16 clients.
bullet Set up a Dial-in connection and the RAM will detect previously configured TAPI compliant modems or allow you to set up such modems.

Administering Metaframe

Administer connections using the Citrix Server Administration (CSA) utility

bullet The CSA utility allows you to log off users, reset sessions, send messages, disconnect users, view/terminate processes, display client settings, connection status and shadow.
bullet Keep in mind what tabs are available for selected views. With a server selected in the left pane as shown below, note the available tabs. With a single connection selected in the left pane, only Processes, Information, Modules and Cache tabs are available.
bullet CSA allows you to manage connections based on servers, published applications and video servers. The status of connections viewed from the Sessions tab can be active, listen, down, conn and idle.
bullet Resetting of a listener port (all configured connection types have a listener port) for a connection will reset ALL sessions over that connection.
bullet The two default idle connections consume 2M total server memory.

Configure ICA gateways

bullet Use the CSA utility to configure ICA gateways for server and client connectivity across subnets.
bullet In CSA, select all servers in the left pane then select the ICA Gateways tab in the right pane. You need to configure at least one server for an ICA gateway.
bullet ICA gateways are primarily intended for server-to-server communication across subnets.

Configure connections using the Citrix Connection Configuration (CCC) utility

bullet The CCC utility allows for configuration of each connection type. ICA-TCP, RDP-TCP, ICA-IPX, Async, etc.
bullet Manage security for each connection type. The figure below shows the configuration dialog for an ICA-TCP connection. Settings such as idle timeout, disconnect timeout, printer connections, client drive mapping, and shadow settings can be configured for ALL sessions over a given connection. As mentioned previously, audio quality is also set here for a given connection type.

Implementing Load Balancing

Identify the major components in the Published Application Manager (PAM) utility

bullet The PAM utility is a very powerful tool for setting up and managing published applications, load-balanced applications, and server farms.
bullet From the Application menu, you can create/manage published application(s), either load balanced or not. You can enable or disable applications, create ICA and HTML files for published application ALE use, and migrate applications to farm scope (if they were created in at least MF 1.8 domain scope).
bullet From the View menu, you can select server(s) to manage and change scopes.
bullet From the Configure menu you can create/manage server farms, migrate servers to farms or move them from farm to farm.

Identify the steps to publish an application

bullet In PAM, select new from the Application menu or right-click on the screen.
bullet Name the application as it will appear in the program neighborhood client and in PAM.
bullet Define whether the application is explicit (requires user authentication) or anonymous.
bullet Metaframe 1.8 automatically creates 15 anonymous local user accounts during initial setup.
bullet Define the command line, working directories (leave them blank to publish the server desktop), and default window properties. You then define domain global group and/or domain user access and server(s) to run the application on.
bullet The application is considered load balanced if more than one server is selected.
bullet If configuring in a farm scope, you can manage audio/video settings, application sets and folders for use by program neighborhood clients.

Identify the steps to load balance Citrix servers

bullet The load balancing option pack license must be installed on each server.
bullet In PAM for each application, you specify each server that the application will run on.
bullet Application software must be installed on each load-balanced server.
bullet The ICA master browser (configured in the CSA utility) is the component that manages load balancing for all server connections.
bullet A master browser election can occur for these reasons: a server starts up, a master browser fails to respond to a request, or a master browser shuts down.
bullet The server with the highest ICA browser version number will always win an election regardless of settings.

Identify the steps to configure load balancing parameters for a server

bullet The Load Balancing Administration tool allows you to set up load balancing in a basic or advanced manner.
bullet Load-balancing parameters are set up on a server-by-server basis. Basic load balancing is based only on user load.
bullet Each server defaults to a baseline of 10000 allowable user connections. Vary this number up or down with respect to all other servers. One server set to 10000 and the other set to 11000 will place greater user load on the latter server by about 10%.
bullet Advanced load balancing can make use of local system resource usage as shown in the figure below. Pagefile usage, swap activity, processor usage, memory load, # of open sessions relative to available sessions or overall adjustment.
bullet Overall adjustment is used to vary all parameters relative to each other. You can temporarily prevent a server from participating in load balancing by setting pagefile usage, swap, processor and memory to 0, and overall importance to -10.

Configure server farms

bullet Server farms are created and managed in the PAM utility.
bullet Server farms DO NOT require a load balancing license.
bullet Server farms must have Administrators with administrator rights to all servers, common base of user accounts and a physical connection.
bullet A common base of user accounts is based on NT domain trust relationships. The domain(s) that is trusted will contain the common base of users accounts that applications can be published to.
bullet The physical connection can be LAN, WAN, or dial-up. An ICA gateway must be in place if servers are separated by a router.

Migrating applications to server farms

bullet PAM allows you to migrate applications published in a domain scope to a farm scope if they were published in Metaframe 1.8.
bullet Metaframe 1.0 applications cannot be migrated. The server(s) containing the applications to be migrated must already be a member of the farm.

Changing server farm membership

bullet Servers can be moved from one farm to another farm or to a new farm.
bullet Servers cannot be removed from a farm and put back in a domain scope.
bullet Any load-balanced applications on the server must have the server removed before taking the server out of the farm.

Configuring Web Connectivity

Identify Launched applications versus Embedded applications

bullet Launched applications launch from an embedded ICA file in a Web page and run in a separate window. Closing the Web browser will not close the application.
bullet Embedded applications also launch from an ICA file embedded in a Web page, but they run inside the browser window. Closing the Web browser will close the application.

Identify the steps to create an ICA file and identify its role in ALE

bullet ICA files (plain text) files are created in the PAM utility.
bullet The published application must be created prior to creating the file.
bullet Using the menu or right clicking on a published application will start the ICA wizard.
bullet First, choose how much help you need (a little or a lot). Enter the window size in pixels or % desktop. Enter the color depth (16 or 256 colors). Enter the encryption level (defaults to basic). Finally, enter a filename and location and click Finish to create the file.
bullet Files default to creating in %systemroot%\system32.
bullet ICA files contain all the information necessary to establish communication with the server(s), what published application to launch, whether to embed or launch, and what window and color depths to use.

Identify the steps to create an HTML page for a published application and to identify the role of the HTML page in ALE

bullet The PAM utility is also used to create HTML files from ICA files.
bullet Again, right click on a published application or use the menu to start HTML generation.
bullet Again, choose how much help you need. Select an existing ICA file or create one.
bullet Choose whether the application should be embedded or launched. For embedded apps, choose the type of Web client (IE/Netscape or Java) and the embedded window size.
bullet For embedded and launched apps, select verbose page or not, and the name of the file. Files default to creating in %systemroot%\system32.
bullet The HTML page is intended to house the ICA file(s) for ALE. It is not necessary to create the HTML page with this tool; it is provided more as a convenience.

Identify the steps to configure Web clients to use ALE

bullet WFICA32.EXE and WFICA16.EXE are the Web plugins for Win32 and Win16 respectively.
bullet Simply execute wfplug32.exe or wfplug16.exe on the client and it will extract the necessary 3 files (wfica32.exe, wfica.ocx, wfica.inf); no further configuration is required.
bullet Java clients run in Application mode or in Applet mode.
bullet Application mode requires that the JVM 1.1 or higher be installed on the client.
bullet Applet mode runs almost entirely on the server with Web server housing java applets.
bullet Code is downloaded to the client each time an app is run. The Web browser must be JDK 1.1 compliant.

Performance Monitoring and Troubleshooting Metaframe

Identify how to use Performance Monitor to track objects and counters

bullet TSE adds the session and user objects to Performance Monitor objects in addition to the objects supplied from regular NT server.
bullet The user object allows monitoring of typical counters (%proc time) against one or multiple users.
bullet The session object allows for monitoring of a much wider array of TSE specific counters (bitmap reads) against one or multiple sessions.

Identify the key components of Resource Management Services

Citrix proprietary monitoring software consists of three components:
bullet The Data Collection Service runs on all servers to be monitored. This service monitors application and users on each server while using less than 1% of local system CPU.
bullet The Data Source utilizes an ODBC-compliant database or file to store information gathered by the data collection service. Excel or text files are not compliant with RMS.
bullet The Analysis Tools allow for the display and interpretation of data gathered by RMS. Displays are available for applications, users, fees, cost center, reports, system snapshots and current system status.

This information came actually came from http://cramsession.brainbuzz.com/cramsession/Citrix/cca/guide.asp and NOT http://www.ais.ualberta.ca/Technical/Citrix/CitrixInstall.htm as previously stated. I apologize for the incorrect link. If this page is missing, it is because a member of brainbuzz emailed us on a holiday and cc'ed the abuse team at terrashare.com (whom is going to be shutting down (that's what you get for not listening to your customers (hahahahahahaahahahahahaha). Oh, and have a nice day)). As you know, most of these abuse teams just delete the site without reading the requests sent to them.

Please note: just a friendly reminder, any page within this help site is for MY benefit, NOT yours. I receive no money and no help from you or anyone else. Also, I am not responsible for what you do with information found here or the fact that you found it. I have no control over your actions. Act responsibly and friendly. If there you have a problem with a page (anywhere on the net), give the contact person 24 to 48 hours for them to comply with your request before you go above them (this means not cc'ing an abuse team or a persons' employer). Let's keep the net friendly and not spiteful; intentions good. When one loses, we all lose. Have a nice day.

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