New to Citrix looking for some info

[proudusa]

We are in the process of setting up a second office at a remote location. We run two applications that are database intensive and therefore do not run properly over a standard VPN.

I'm looking at the option of web applications or Terminal server solution.

A couple of questions:

1) Installing Citrix on a WIndows 2000 Server requires licenses for Citrix, a 2000 CAL AND 2000 Terminal license?
2) If users VPN using a dial-up connection will they experience descent performance or would all users definitely need DSL ?
3) Is anyone using Windows 2000 Terminal Server without a Citrix Solution? Pros/CONS?
4) If i am sent all the software is the installation difficult or fairly intuitive?

Any other information that i should know about?

Thanks in advance

 

[JAsterin]

ProudUSA

I believe the answer to your question 1 is yes.

2. I would recommend DSL or Cable; however, the amount of bandwidth for Citrix is minimal, and they should not see much degradation in performance.

3. W/O Citrix, you are limited to 8 servers per farm. Citrix has superior load balancing and unlimited farm size.

4. I would recommend installation by a systems integrator.

Where are you located?

 

[proudusa]

Thanks for the feedback.

Does each application require 1 citrix server? Could I be running two apps on the same one?

I wouldn't require anything near 8 servers so i could use MS Terminal? Though how stable has that been for those using it?

Located in Florida

 

[JAsterin]

You could use terminal server; however, you may run into bandwidth problems with that. Citrix operates at about 14kbps, while MSTS is at 100+

I believe you could run more than one app on the server.

 

[CitrixEngineer]

You can host as many applications as you like on a Citrix Server/Terminal Server. How many will run simultaneously depends on the applications and the users using them. This needs to be monitored carefully before rollout. **TEST IT!!**

Terminal Server is probably as stable as MetaFrame, because both use the "Hydra" subsystem developed by Citrix back in 1996 (Microsoft licensed it from Citrix for T/S). Because you have many users logging onto a single machine, and each using virtual session spaces, a Terminal Server is likely to be less stable than other types of server. That is just the nature of it.

Citrix provide a means of providing continuity if a server should crash; if you have > 50 users, then you can use the Load Balancing feature of MetaFrame XPa or XPe to provide better availability. Note that this is not fault tolerance or clustering.

Terminal Server (RDP) is not as efficient over remote (WAN) connections as Citrix (ICA). ICA typically requires 12-20k bandwidth per session, while RDP typically requires around 50k, but that is not really the issue; Citrix have developed "SpeedScreen" and other technologies specifically to enhance this kind of connection.

The MetaFrame software installs "out of the box" with great ease - it is a "nice" app. Installation issues are rare, compared with other software.

For web application serving, MetaFrame together with NFuse is the only solution, IMO.

Hope this is helpful




CitrixEngineer@yahoo.co.uk

 

[proudusa]

JAsterin and CitrixEng.....Thanks for the helpful information!!

Citrix, the one thing i learned right away is to always test before rolling anything out. I agree completely.

Your insight into how Citrix compares to TS is greatly appreciated! Do you recommend any white papers out there that i can read prior to deployment. It does sound like Citrix will be the way to go.

I'll be having 2-5 users for now over a WAN link that will be using three tax applications. Two are database applications for tax preparation and time/billing. Another reason for Citrix over TS that i see is the bandwidth as some users might VPN through dial-up modems to their ISP.

Thanks again!