VPN & Citrix Metaframe (aka The Project from Hell)

[SpenBabe]

Out customer wants use to supply a solution that allows a PC in branch office to use 56K modem to ISP (BT Internet in the UK) to a Cisco Pix Firewall/VPN Terminator at head office (also in the UK). The branch PC's (around 70 branches) will be running Citrix ICA Client to a published application on a Windows 2000/Metaframe farm at head office.
Does anyone think this is possible & if so, would running the system using stone tablets & chisels be faster !!

 

[sKeeZ]

SpenBabe,

Yes this is very possible. The thin-client connection can be very useable with connection speeds above 26.4k. The real issue is your ISP and the connection across the Internet. I would look at a full T-1 at the home office site for the inbound connections. A strong server with LOTS or memory (1gb+) and good processing power. Dont worry with the Citrix client encryption since you are using the Cisco VPN product. I would suggest WinTerminals for the remote users, unless they need a full fledged PC. This could save some money for the server. My company is doing this successfully for approximately 50 remote users. Most of them on DSL or cable connections to tne Internet, but several on dial-up.

sKeeZ : )

 

[Phantas]

Technically it will work (we used this setup to test VPN in combination with Metaframe), but 56k is not much ....
Upgrade to (Dual)ISDN , DSL or cable will be neccessary I think.

 

[Boyds]

It does work. We have remote users in the UK, Germany, France, and the US all connecting to our Citrix server through a Raptor. Some use 56K dialup while others have cable modems or 56k frame relay. The home office has a T1. It's not the quickest thing in the world but it works.