Publishing/Deploying shared folders?

[jerryk]

Hello,
We run a 2 published apps for users that travel with laptops. In addition to the apps, they need access to our server's (3)shared folders.

Currently the users connect to the office via vpn, then map a drive to the shared folders.

A Citrix-savvy friend of mine just told me that the citrix session can setup the shared folder(s) when the apps load, *removing* the need for the vpn.

Is this true? I'm really getting tired of vpn issues and would love it if Citrix can manage my remote data folders in addition to apps.

Many, many thanks for any insight you can offer.

Jerry

 

[mitchero]

Do they need the shares specifically for the apps that you have published via Citrix? If so, you can modify the usrlogon.cmd so that the shares are mapped when they log into the Citrix apps.

ifmember "domain\globalgroup"
if not errorlevel 1 goto END
net use P: \\servername\share1$
net use Q: \\servername\share2$
net use R: \\servername\share3$
:END

 

[jerryk]

Thanks for your reply.

These shares are simply a company "shared folder". It contains word docs etc. I'd like them to access whenever the citrix app is open....via the app directly or on the client pc's list of mapped drives.

Interestingly I just modified usrlogon.cmd and it didn't work. I did this:

net use U: \\servername\sharename password /USER:username

1: what was significance of the "$" in share1$ ?
2: I can trust using the "servername" across the internet, and across routers?

Many thanks,
Jerry

 

[mitchero]

The $ "best practices"...hidden share.

Are you modifying the usrlogon that is on the Citrix server? That's the one you need to change. When they launch the published app, the share will be mapped as their user session is being created on the Citrix server. Since the share is mapping from the Citrix server to the network share, the Citrix server will need to be able to resolve the share name...not the remote users' laptops.

Make sense?

 

[jerryk]

Yes, and I think I just resolved the problem. When the app opens, and I do a "file open" in the published app's menu, I can see the "U:" drive I'm trying to use.

The problem is, I was hoping that the Citrix session would map the drive on the actual client PC, e.g. The pc gets a mapped drive, not necessarily the remote app.

(I was hoping to do this to avoid using a VPN and mapping via a LAN UNC).

Does this make sense? Am I expecting too much of Metaframe?

Thanks again, Jerry

 

[patrickrouse]

Citrix MetaFrame can NOT map drives on the local computer, i.e. change the drive mappings the user sees when they open their My Computer on their local machine.

Most applications can have a default file location, where you can enter a drive letter or UNC path. In your situation you should probably make one DFS Root that contains links to these 3 shares, then map a drive in the Citrix Logon to this DFS Root, or just specify the UNC location in the application.

Citrix can add the user's local drives to the visible drives in a published application or ICA Desktop Session.


Patrick Rouse
Microsoft MVP - Terminal Server

http://www.workthin.com

 

[jerryk]

Thanks Patrick, Great information.

I'm studying up on DFS now, and will setup a couple of test shares using it.

One question, My server is behind a firewall. Does DFS require me to open a particular port so remote clients can see the data?

Thanks again,

Jerry

 

[jerryk]

hmmm....not so sure about the DFS option... looks like it's relying on AD, which would imply a client domain login.

My clients are pc's from potentially anywhere with merely a broadband internet connection.

Alas, rerhaps vpn is the only way to deploy file shares remotely.

 

[jerryk]

Mission Accomplished.

I've deployed an .ica file that launches iexplore.exe on the shared folder.

Amazingly, clicking on a word doc inside the folder pops up the server's msword in a new window. very cool.

iexplore.exe -e launches in "windows explorer mode" and shows my folder. The only other tweak I'll do is find a commandline switch that opens iexplore without the "my computer" pane on the left. (just the folders on the right).

Thanks again to everyone for all your help!!!

Jerry

 

[mitchero]

Imagine if Citrix incorporated Xythos file access as a CDA within MSAM...would go together like peanut butter and chocolate.

http://www.xythos.com/home/xythos/index.html

 

[patrickrouse]

Is sounds to me like you're still not clear on how data is transmitted between the remote client and the citrix farm. There is NO client/server traffic outside of the ICA protocol, that is everything the user sees is happening on the Citrix Server, and it only appears to the end user to be executing on their local machine.

The explorer window or other published application the user sees is actually a visual representation of what would normally display on a screen connected to the Citrix Server. If a user copies a file from that window to their home computer, it is done via the ICA Protocol and not via Windows file sharing. The same goes for remote printing.

No other ports are needed regardless of which published applications a user has access to.

Good Terminal Server & Citrix Books here:

http://www.workthin.com/tsbooks

Free Citrix documentation here:

http://www.workthin.com/citrix.htm

Patrick Rouse
Microsoft MVP - Terminal Server

http://www.workthin.com

 

[jerryk]

Thanks, I am new to Citrix but I did understand that completely when I decided to publish explorer.

Being remote, the IE option does have drag/drop caveats, but since the contents are all word/excel and because the remote office apps run just fine when the files are selected, I have a workable solution.


Thanks again,

Jerry