Migrating to Windows 2003 server. Citrix still needed?

[Samduhman]

Hello,

It looks like we are finally going to upgrade from Windows NT 4.0 terminal server and Citrix 1.8 to Windows 2003 Server. A quick draft of our current setup basically is this. Users on IBM RS6000's running AIX. Will occassionally need Microsoft Windows access. They do this using a Citrix Client.

Is this function now built into Windows 2003 or is Citrix still necessary and if so whats the latest version?

While Im at it is there a Windows 2003 terminal server or is it all one package now?

Basically what software are we going to need to accomplish what we were doing with NT4.0 terminal server and Citrix 1.8?

Thanks for your time!

 

[Ogi]

Do you need local printers?

Do you need local drives?

Are your users local or remote?

Are the remote users on the WAN or VPN over the Internet?

Depending on your requirements depends on an answer!

If your users don't need access to printers or drives (although it is possible in TS) then it might be more cost effective to use Terminal Services. However, you will still need TS Client Access Licenses and a service running on a W2003 server (even if it's the only TS Server)

Cheers,
Carl.

 

[Samduhman]

Thanks Carl for the assist. Lets see if I can answer these.

Do you need local printers?
Network printers with IPs

Do you need local drives?
No, everything is either on the NT Terminal Server or the file server

Are your users local or remote?
Local

Are the remote users on the WAN or VPN over the Internet?
No remote

Depending on your requirements depends on an answer!

If your users don't need access to printers or drives (although it is possible in TS) then it might be more cost effective to use Terminal Services. However, you will still need TS Client Access Licenses and a service running on a W2003 server (even if it's the only TS Server)

 

[Ogi]

Why go Citrix then? It costs a lot of money and in your case, I personally don't think it's worth it.

Unless you need to publish just an application but if you're publishing a desktop, then just use RDP.

For the extra cost of Citrix, you can budget at least two extra servers!

Does this help any? I'm sure others should be commenting on why go Citrix ???

Cheers,
Carl.

 

[aco636]

I am about to do the same upgrade from Win2K to Win2003 and wondered about the same thing, do I still need Citrix?

Citrix does have its benefits, for me the first is load balancing between more than one Citrix server.

Another is published applications inc desktops.
Not sure if you can shadow sessions in WIndows yet but I find this useful.

Have concluded Windows is not ready to replace Citrix fully yet so will stick withit for a while.

Regards ACO

 

[Ogi]

Hi,

I've written an application that has a web front end and load balances TS Servers. However, unless you're in the UK, it's unavailable to you!

But do agree on your comments ACO.

Cheers,
Carl.

 

[Samduhman]

Hi Ogi,

That's what I was trying to figure out. Whether or not we still needed Citrix. I was not the original admin that set up our network and not sure why it was used. Im just a low lvl admin struggling along trying to keep things running.

I believe the main reason we used Citrix was because NT 4.0 Terminal server did not allow our users to open NT sessions on their IBM workstations running the AIX OS or if it did it didn't do a good job of it.

Thanks for any help guys I can use it