Where Do You Install Applications?

[maxod]

Is there a rule that says that an application CANNOT be installed on the Citrix server and that the app MUST run on another server?

This is what we were told by our accounting package reseller. I think this is nonsense.

I am not a Citrix expert but I do know that you can and are supposed to run apps from the citrix server. Am I not correct or am I missing the whole point? Is there anywhere that says that we have to install an app on a seperate server and then have the Citrix server load the app from that server in order for the software to work? This is just a simple accounting software.

 

[CitrixEngineer]

You are correct. The point of MetaFrame/Terminal Server is that it delivers applications that are run on the server rather than on clients.

Some apps, especially databases, will benefit from using the Citrix server to run the front end and having the database itself run on a separate server - and some apps can only run on (eg) UNIX servers using a similar setup (ie a client on the Citrix server).

To summarise: If the software is just a straightforward package which creates user files, it is best to install it on the Terminal server. If the software uses shared files which are updated by many users, and has a client oriented front-end, then the front-end should run on the T/S and the software on a separate shared server.

I hope this clarifies the situation.

 

[tgoodman]

You are right! I run Office 2k (have to make some changes with the office 2k resource kit though)etc... on the server as well as some remote admin stuff. Terminal server does not like saome apps though so test them first. We also have a custom written pgm we use that we have problems with but I don't think that is a metaframe issue.

Good Luck!

 

[CitrixEngineer]

One thing I forgot to mention, which is of paramount importance - if you don't KNOW it works with Terminal Server/Metaframe, assume it probably won't, and TEST it thoroughly (as tgoodman says). See my FAQ on testing.

As an aside, maybe that's what your reseller meant - that it doesn't work in a Terminal Server environment - or that they don't support this?

I hope this helps

 

[maxod]

The accounting software is actually running on the Citrix server along with the database. So far it looks fine and have not run into any problems. The vendor is saying IF our company grows then there may be problems (I guess number of users accessing the Accting database) they guess. They don't really know they are say they are only guessing.

 

[jdica]

Think of your Citrix box as a tool to offer remote users a desktop experience as if they were sitting within your LAN. That is if a workstation were to have a shortcut to an app that resides on a server, your Citrix box should be configured the same way. From a performance perspective you should consider having the accounting app reside on an applicaton server and load only those apps/components that are necessary for a "desktop experience" on the Citrix box. Hope this helps.