Articles & Tutorials

General issues regarding various Server based computing issues. Information about Windows Terminal Services and Citrix.

Articles & Tutorials / General

Working With Terminal Services Remote Applications (Part 5): Date - Jun 23, 2009; Author - Brien M. Posey; How to create traditional Windows Installer packages for remote applications.
Working With Terminal Services Remote Applications (Part 4): Date - May 19, 2009; Author - Brien M. Posey; How to access remote applications over the Internet using TS Web Access.
Working With Terminal Services Remote Applications (Part 3): Date - Apr 21, 2009; Author - Brien M. Posey; Hosting a remote application and generating an RDP file, demonstrating some settings that we did not mention in part 2.
Working With Terminal Services Remote Applications (Part 2): Date - Mar 17, 2009; Author - Brien M. Posey; A walk through the configuration process necessary for application hosting.
Working With Terminal Services Remote Applications (Part 1): Date - Feb 24, 2009; Author - Brien M. Posey; Discussing a Windows Server 2008 feature called Terminal Service RemoteApp, which allows you to host individual applications on a Terminal Server.
Windows Server 2008 Terminal Services Web Access (Part 2): Date - Jun 11, 2008; Author - Michael Burke; How to configure TS Web Access and examine other aspects including farm coordination and SharePoint Services integration.
Windows Server 2008 Terminal Services Web Access (Part 1): Date - Apr 16, 2008; Author - Michael Burke; This two-part article series will explore what Terminal Services Web Access means to terminal server deployments as well as how to set up and use it.
How to install and configure Provision Networks Virtual Access Suite (VAS) Enterprise Edition (Part 4): Date - Apr 09, 2008; Author - Patrick Rouse; This article describes the problems inherent to printing on Windows Terminal Services, and how Print-IT, the Universal Printing feature of Virtual Access Suite, addresses each problem. This article also details how to install and configure the different components of Print-IT.
How to install and configure Provision Networks Virtual Access Suite (VAS) Enterprise Edition (Part 3): Date - Mar 12, 2008; Author - Patrick Rouse; A core component of Virtual Access Suite Enterprise Edition is Desktop Services, a Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) Connection Broker. This article will describe how to install, configure and administer the Desktop Services features.
How to install and configure Provision Networks Virtual Access Suite (VAS) Enterprise Edition (Part 2): Date - Feb 20, 2008; Author - Patrick Rouse; How to install VAS Enterprise on a Windows Terminal Server and how to publish applications to Users, Groups, Device Addresses (IP Addresses), Device Names (Client Names) and Active Directory Organizational Units (OUs).
How to install and configure Provision Networks Virtual Access Suite (VAS) Enterprise Edition (Part 1): Date - Jan 09, 2008; Author - Patrick Rouse; How to install and configure each of the components of VAS Enterprise Edition. These articles will also detail best practices on where each component should be deployed in a typical deployment.
What's new with Remote Desktop?: Date - Dec 05, 2007; Author - Robert J. Shimonski; How to use Remote Desktop as well as what new features and updates the Remote Desktop Connection 6.0 client update contains.
How to Configure the Citrix Program Neighborhood Agent: Date - Nov 21, 2007; Author - Patrick Rouse; How to install and configure a Citrix Program Neighborhood Agent Services Site and the Citrix Program Neighborhood Agent Client.
SBC Migration Best Practices: Date - Nov 07, 2007; Author - Wilco van Bragt; How do we migrate users smoothly to a new SBC Infrastructure? In this article several scenarios will be described.
How To: Install and Configure Citrix Web Interface 4.6 and Citrix Secure Gateway on the same server (Part 1): Date - Sep 13, 2007; Author - Patrick Rouse; Installing and configuring Citrix Web Interface 4.6 and Citrix Secure Gateway on the same server.
Inside the Web Interface Configuration File: Date - Aug 08, 2007; Author - Duane Bradley; Examples of useful settings in the WebInterface.conf file and a few tips for successfully editing this file.
Alternatives to Citrix Presentation Server (Part 3): Date - Jul 25, 2007; Author - Wilco van Bragt; Taking a look at Genuit Thinworx and Provision Networks VAS, and recommendations on where to find more information.
How to: Publish Windows Explorer Shell Extensions and Control Panel Applets: Date - Jul 12, 2007; Author - Patrick Rouse; How to publish Windows Explorer shell extensions with Windows Server 2008 Beta 3 TS RemoteApps, Citrix Presentation Server and Provision Networks Virtual Access Suite.
Alternatives to Citrix Presentation Server (Part 2): Date - Jul 10, 2007; Author - Wilco van Bragt; In this part we will discuss the alternatives 2X ApplicationServer, Ericom PowerTerm WebConnect and Jetro COCKPIT.
Customizing Citrix Web Interface 4.x – Beyond the GUI!: Date - Jul 04, 2007; Author - Duane Bradley; This article will delve into customizations outside of the AMC and provide details on how to go above and beyond what the AMC provides.
Alternatives to Citrix Presentation Server (Part 1): Date - Jun 27, 2007; Author - Wilco van Bragt; Taking a look at the SBC market and which products are competing with Citrix.
Using Group Policies and Scripting to Ensure a Consistent User Experience: Date - Jun 12, 2007; Author - René Vester; How to maintain a consistent user experience using GPOs and some simple scripting.
New Terminal Services Features in Longhorn Server (LHS) Beta 3: Date - May 08, 2007; Author - Patrick Rouse; A description of the new features added to Windows Terminal Services in LHS Beta 3.
How To: Simulate WAN Connections in Your Own Test Lab, For Free!: Date - May 02, 2007; Author - Michel Roth; How you can simulate poor WAN connections by using free tools.
Citrix Web Interface 4.5: Date - Apr 04, 2007; Author - Duane Bradley; An overview of the Citrix Web Interface 4.5.
Managing Terminal Services with Group Policy: Date - Mar 15, 2007; Author - Patrick Rouse; How to manage Windows Terminal Servers with Group Policy.
Troubleshooting Common Terminal Service Connection Errors: Date - Mar 13, 2007; Author - Brien M. Posey; Possible reasons why a client’s attempt to establish a connection to a terminal server might be refused.
Presentation Server 4.5 Preview: Date - Jan 31, 2007; Author - Rich Brumpton; The new management features in the Technical Preview including the migration of many settings from the Presentation Server Console to the Access Management Console.
Citrix Presentation Server Load Management - Part 3: Load Evaluators: Date - Jan 03, 2007; Author - Duane Bradley; Insight into the Citrix supplied load evaluators and the many available load evaluator rules.
An Introduction to Terminal Services Remote Programs (Part 4): Date - Dec 27, 2006; Author - Brien M. Posey; How to create and deploy a Windows Installer package.
An Introduction to Terminal Services Remote Programs (Part 3): Date - Dec 06, 2006; Author - Brien M. Posey; How to distribute the remote programs that were authorized in the previous article.
Citrix Presentation Server Load Management - Part 2: Load Biasing: Date - Nov 29, 2006; Author - Duane Bradley; Uncovering hidden secrets related to server load biasing and Intelligent Load Biasing.
Modifying the Citrix Access Gateway: Date - Nov 23, 2006; Author - Rick Mack; How to customise some Citrix Access Gateway settings.
An Introduction to Terminal Services Remote Programs (Part 2): Date - Nov 21, 2006; Author - Brien M. Posey; This article leads through the rest of the configuration process.
Using Windows Performance Monitor to Baseline a Terminal Server (Part 2): Date - Nov 15, 2006; Author - Michael Burke; Part two reviews the data gathered and looks at how to interpret the counters.
Terminal Server Session Sharing Explained: Date - Nov 08, 2006; Author - Patrick Rouse; We would like to welcome Terminal Services MVP Patrick Rouse to our team of authors as he presents his first article to MSTerminalServices.org readers. This article describes what terminal server session sharing is, why one would use it, and how it's configured in Citrix Presentation Server.
Citrix Presentation Server Load Management (Part 1): Date - Oct 25, 2006; Author - Duane Bradley; This three part article will delve into the underlying structure of the complex load management subsystem in Presentation Server and discuss best practices for implementing and monitoring this process.
Using Windows Performance Monitor to Baseline a Terminal Server (Part 1): Date - Oct 18, 2006; Author - Michael Burke; This article discusses Windows Performance Monitor and how to use it to create a baseline Terminal Server in order to analyze any performance issues.
An Introduction to Terminal Services Remote Programs (Part 1): Date - Oct 11, 2006; Author - Brien M. Posey; This article will introduce you to a new type of Terminal Service session called Terminal Services Remote Programs.
Selecting an SBC Product for your Environment: Date - Oct 04, 2006; Author - Wilco van Bragt; This article discusses which components should be considered when building an SBC infrastructure for your environment.
Server Based Computing: Goldmine Or Snakepit? (Part 2): Date - Sep 06, 2006; Author - Michel Roth; In the second part of this series, I will discuss some of the disadvantages of Server Based Computing and what the limitations of Windows Server Based Computing are. We’ll also talk about what you need to know about to make your Server Based Computing initiative a success.
Server Based Computing: Goldmine Or Snakepit? (Part 1): Date - Aug 23, 2006; Author - Michel Roth; Server Based Computing is hot these days. Seems like Server based Computing is the way to go. But is it? Is Server Based Computing a goldmine or a snakepit?
Deploying your customized RDP client: Date - Aug 09, 2006; Author - Cláudio Rodrigues; In this article I will explain how you can get your own customized RDP client and create an MSI file so you can deploy it remotely using Group Policies, SMS or any other tool you may have in place.
Using Group Policy To Support Custom Applications In Your Environment: Date - Aug 03, 2006; Author - Michel Roth; In Terminal Server/Citrix environments there are always applications that aren’t exactly mainstream. Usually they do not come with proper management tools. You of course want to manage them in a professional manner, preferably using Group Policy. In this article I’ll show you how to go about this.
Client To Server Content Redirection Explained: Date - Aug 01, 2006; Author - Wilco van Bragt; This article will describe Client to Server content redirection in detail.
Customizing the Microsoft RDP Client (Part 2): Date - Jul 26, 2006; Author - Cláudio Rodrigues; In part two we will cover another great modification to the RDP client you can do that will greatly enhance security on your Terminal Services environment.
Customizing the Microsoft RDP Client (Part 1): Date - Jul 12, 2006; Author - Cláudio Rodrigues; In this two part article series we will check some useful options available for customizing the Microsoft Remote Desktop client, showing you all the tools to get the job done, in a step-by-step guide!
The benefits of Application Streaming in a TS/Citrix environment: Date - Jul 04, 2006; Author - Cláudio Rodrigues; In this article I will try to explain what application streaming is all about and how it can help you a LOT in a TS/Citrix world.
Third Party add-ons: Do you really need them?: Date - Jun 14, 2006; Author - Cláudio Rodrigues; I will examine the popular question of the necessity of third party add-ons within an SBC environment and give advice on whether it is a good idea or not.
Terminal Service Administration and Folder Redirection: Date - Jun 06, 2006; Author - Brien M. Posey; If Remote Desktop for Administration is enabled on a server that’s running Windows Server 2003, then the server can not be configured to use offline files and vice versa. In this article, I will explain why that is and how you can decide which of these two features is more important to you.
Seamless Application explained: Date - May 23, 2006; Author - Stefan Vermeulen; In this article I will describe the technology involved in seamless applications and give you some insight as to why seamless does not always work 100% correctly.
What to Expect From the Windows Terminal Services in a 64-Bit Environment (Part 2): Date - May 17, 2006; Author - Brien M. Posey; In this article, I will continue my discussion by talking about the impact of a move to a 64-bit operating system on your server’s hardware.
How to: Unattended Citrix Presentation Server Installation (Part 2): Date - May 11, 2006; Author - Wilco van Bragt; In this article I will show the different parameters for creating and joining the farm and will also describe how to create a farm with a local database.
Designing and Implementing Effective Disaster Recovery Strategies with Citrix Technology Part 3: The Data Store: Date - Apr 25, 2006; Author - Paul Stansel; While we as administrators often spend a considerable amount of time planning our production environment, Disaster Recovery issues with complex Citrix environments remain the weak point of many installations. This three-part article will focus on effective disaster recovery strategies for organizations of any size.
How to: Unattended Citrix Presentation Server Installation (Part 1): Date - Apr 19, 2006; Author - Wilco van Bragt; In this article I will discuss and describe how to perform an unattended installation of Citrix Presentation Server.
What to Expect From the Windows Terminal Services in a 64-Bit Environment (Part 1): Date - Apr 13, 2006; Author - Brien M. Posey; In this article, I will discuss why 64-bit servers may be a worthwhile investment for organizations that are currently using Windows Server 2003 based terminal servers.
Buying Your First Terminal Server: Date - Apr 11, 2006; Author - Stefan Vermeulen; The use of Server Based Computing for home workers or connecting a small branch office is very appealing to small companies. However this often means that most companies buy their first Terminal Server without any prior knowledge of the technology. Here are some useful recommendations to keep in mind when purchasing your first Terminal Server.
To Citrix or Not to Citrix?: Date - Apr 05, 2006; Author - Cláudio Rodrigues; The main question most companies just starting to use SBC technology have is if Citrix is needed or not. This article is for everyone that is now looking at Terminal Services/Citrix as a new technology to be used in-house and are now at a crossroad, having to decide/justify if such an expensive add-on like Citrix is required or not.
Creating a Terminal Service Pilot Deployment Program: Date - Mar 22, 2006; Author - Brien M. Posey; If you have spent much time on this Web site, then you probably know that if properly deployed, the Terminal Services can greatly ease a network’s administrative burden, and can be a huge cost saver for a company. In spite of its many benefits, switching all of the users in the company from a client/server deployment to a thin client deployment is a big undertaking. In this article, I will discuss how to go about performing a pilot deployment for your new thin client environment.
MUI in a Terminal Services World: Date - Mar 07, 2006; Author - Cláudio Rodrigues; This articles describes what MUI (Multilingual User Interface) is and the main reasons why it is a must on corporate environments dealing with multiple language requirements.
Designing and Implementing Effective Disaster Recovery Strategies with Citrix Technology Part 2: The Strategy: Date - Mar 02, 2006; Author - Paul Stansel; While we as administrators often spend a considerable amount of time planning our production environment, Disaster Recovery issues with complex Citrix environments remain the weak point of many installations. This three-part article will focus on effective disaster recovery strategies for organizations of any size.
Terminal Server Environment Basic Concepts: Date - Feb 28, 2006; Author - Wilco van Bragt; Most IT professionals think that Terminal Servers are complex and difficult to administrate. This feeling is further enforced by stories where users complain about low performance, strange behavior and so on. This article will describe the basic concepts to keep in mind for Terminal Server Environments. Adopting these concepts in your environment will result in an easily manageable terminal server farm.
Designing and Implementing Effective Disaster Recovery Strategies with Citrix Technology Part 1: The Plan: Date - Feb 16, 2006; Author - Paul Stansel; While we as administrators often spend a considerable amount of time planning our production environment, Disaster Recovery issues with complex Citrix environments remain the weak point of many installations. This three-part article will focus on effective disaster recovery strategies for organizations of any size.
Do I Really Need Citrix for Effective Application Hosting?: Date - Jan 25, 2006; Author - Paul Stansel; Microsoft has long been making inroads into application hosting with the Terminal Services improvements. Given the added cost Citrix brings, why not just use Terminal Services? We'll take a look at where the gaps remain between the products and why you might be happy with a Terminal Services solution.
Citrix Client Types: Features and Limitations: Date - Jan 18, 2006; Author - Stefan Vermeulen; Citrix has a few client versions available. Choosing a specific type could look good in the beginning, but turn sour at a later stage. This article should help you fully understand the consequences of a client type, the features and the infrastructure needed.
Managing User Specific Application Configuration Data in a Terminal Service Environment: Date - Dec 14, 2005; Author - Brien M. Posey; Today almost every Windows application writes data to the Windows registry during the installation process. Although the way that the application uses the registry isn’t usually a pressing issue on a standard PC, registry key placement becomes crucially important when the application is run in a Terminal Service environment. In this article, I will explain why this is the case and how the Terminal Services manages application related registry entries for multiple users.
Terminal Services Features in Longhorn: Date - Nov 23, 2005; Author - Paul Stansel; Microsoft has finally released some concrete information about the Terminal Services features in their next server OS platform release, still titled “Longhorn”. We'll take a look at what they plan to provide and how it can impact your installation.
Juggling Terminal Service Resources: Date - Nov 17, 2005; Author - Brien M. Posey; Thin client computing has been around for many decades. Although the basic underlying principles are the same for terminal sessions today as they were thirty years ago, the demands made against the servers that host terminal sessions have increased exponentially. Bloated applications and resource hungry operating systems place huge demands on terminal servers. In this article, I will discuss how you can plan your terminal server hardware so that your terminal service environment will run efficiently.
Citrix Access Suite 4.0 – It’s Not Your Daddy’s MetaFrame: Date - Oct 19, 2005; Author - Paul Stansel; Citrix has released their newest product line, Access Suite 4.0. Find out what`s different and why you want it in your environment.