Citrix

  • Thread starter Thread starter Art
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A

Art

Hi,

I'm putting together an application in vb.net. I will ultimately need
people to be able to run it from home (Normally we're in one office). I can
store it on a file server, but this raises the problem of a home user needing
the .net framework.

I seem to have 2 choices, and have no experience in either.

First, since we use Citrix here, I could publish it as a Citrix application.
However I have no clue how to do that.

Second, I could make this a web application. However, as with my other
choice, I've never written a web application and could use some help getting
started. I've written some HTML and Java Script a few years ago. I've never
written ASP.Net and am not really sure how to start, or what I'll need.

Does anyone have any suggestions? Sorry if it sounds like I'm lost, but I am.

Thanks.
 
Art,

Why would home users needing the .Net framework be a problem? Or do some
users use non-Windows machines at home?

Kerry Moorman
 
Kerry,

A good, but unfortunate question. Since the framework is not necessarily
already on their machines, they would have to download it. Most of these
people are not very adventurous users. Also, this is part of a Disaster
Recovery scenario, so people are likely not to be in the best of moods should
they need it.

I'd like to make this as painless (not for me of course) as possible.
 
Art said:
Hi,

I'm putting together an application in vb.net. I will ultimately need
people to be able to run it from home (Normally we're in one office). I
can
store it on a file server, but this raises the problem of a home user
needing
the .net framework.
Click to expand...
I seem to have 2 choices, and have no experience in either.

First, since we use Citrix here, I could publish it as a Citrix
application.
However I have no clue how to do that.
Click to expand...
That raises the question of support as the user's client machine must have
Citrix terminal client software installed on their machine and given
user-id(s) and psw(s) to even login to a server to be in a session with a
server that's running Citrix terminal server terminal. Citrix is a VPN
terminal server solution which is not meant for the home user sector in
regards to the consumer or corporate home user sector. That's a bad choice
period.
Second, I could make this a web application. However, as with my other
choice, I've never written a web application and could use some help
getting
started. I've written some HTML and Java Script a few years ago. I've
never
written ASP.Net and am not really sure how to start, or what I'll need.

Does anyone have any suggestions? Sorry if it sounds like I'm lost, but I
am.
Click to expand...

You need to be using an ASP.Net solution running on a Web server, a possible
Web portal solution, which is a Web solution that allows user outside the
corporate LAN and outside the corporate firewall to login to the ASP.NET
solution using a browser, while on the other hand, when they are on the
corporate LAN behind the firewall with a machine and using a browser to
access the solution and allowing the user to login that way.

1) You need to be using ASP.Net and understand how to use it securely for an
ASP.Net solution that's facing the public Internet.

2) You need to understand VB.Net

3) You need to understand how to write an ASP.Net solution that's an
Internet/Intranet Web portal facing solution.

4) You need to find some books, and all that information is out there on
Google or Dogpile.com, because it makes no sense to toss out a hackable
solution that's facing the Internet.
 
Thanks for your thoughts.

Our company has a web server. We also have a web page with a button that
directs the users to a logon screen. Once they logon on they will have a
menu of choices, one of which currently sends them to a secure Citrix screen.
There, they have the option of selecting whatever application they want, and
running it through Citrix.

In this particular case, we'd likely add an additional initial choice that
would get them to a Citrix screen, with only one application... the one I'm
working on.

As you point out, since I'm not familiar with ASP.Net, I'm quite hesitant to
go in that direction.

Thanks again.
 
Art said:
Thanks for your thoughts.

Our company has a web server. We also have a web page with a button that
directs the users to a logon screen. Once they logon on they will have a
menu of choices, one of which currently sends them to a secure Citrix
screen.
There, they have the option of selecting whatever application they want,
and
running it through Citrix.

In this particular case, we'd likely add an additional initial choice that
would get them to a Citrix screen, with only one application... the one
I'm
working on.

As you point out, since I'm not familiar with ASP.Net, I'm quite hesitant
to
go in that direction.
Click to expand...

Well, the solution wouldn't be a Web/ASP.Net solution. It would be a Windows
Desktop solution that's running out there on the Citrix Terminal server
desktop.

The components of the solution such as the .Net Framework, exe, and DLL(s)
would be deployed to the Citrix server.

The client's machine wouldn't be running the solution at their client
machine, so no need for the .Net Framework being installed on a user's
machine, since the solution is not running at the client's machine, with the
client's machine in a Citrix VPN Web server desktop session with a browser
on the client side.

I have seen Citrix being used across multiple separate LAN(s) owned by a
corporation connecting to the main corporate LAN where the Citrix Terminal
Server Farm was located using a T1 connection, reasonable speed in paint the
screen being duplicated at the client's end. A lot and I mean a lot of
screen painting data is being transmitted that is binary and is not HTML.

I have also seen dial-up connections being used with a Citrix Terminal
server session with a client machine and screen painting being done with
data sent over the wire, a very slow process. BB and DSL clients in session
with a Citrix terminal server and screen painting speed, I can't tell you.

As opposed to using ASP.Net with HTML and Javascript and transmission speed
over the wire.
 
We never assume internet connectivity in disaster recovery, so that comment
has me curious to the scenario you are considering...

With laptop computers less than $600, you might look at the cost of
preconfigured, company supplied computers versus the development cost. For
small companies, I think you will find the hardware is cheaper.
 
FTM,

The scenario involves reaching data stored on a network, so with no
connectivity there's really no need for the computers -- in our situation.
We have redundancy (multiple locations) for our data. Our web server is not
yet redundant -- this is an ongoing process. However our web server is in a
data center with redundant everything (not ours, we lease a couple of racks).

The application that I'm talking about is just a way to help organize the
information that people may need to handle various tasks. It's pretty basic.

However, I gather that you're suggesting that we supply laptops, pre-loaded
with the base information people will need to get started. I hadn't really
thought of that -- it's an interesting idea. As you suggest, while it's not
cheap, in the scheme of things it could make sense.

Along those lines, what would you think of a U3 Flash drive?
 
Mr. Arnold,

That's kind of what I was thinking. It's just that I've never deployed
anything to a Citrix server before and was trolling for hints.

We've seen pretty good speed from home, for those few users that currently
do log in remotely. All of them have broadband of some flavor.

Citrix seems to be a good solution for lots of things. Unfortunately it
reminds me of the old mainframe days.
 
The flash drive would seem fine for people to use. This would again have to
depend on the people having at home a PC, not a Linux box, for example.
 
Art said:
Mr. Arnold,

That's kind of what I was thinking. It's just that I've never deployed
anything to a Citrix server before and was trolling for hints.

We've seen pretty good speed from home, for those few users that currently
do log in remotely. All of them have broadband of some flavor.

Citrix seems to be a good solution for lots of things. Unfortunately it
reminds me of the old mainframe days.
Click to expand...

I have seen Citrix Terminal Server used where VS 2005 was deployed to it,
and .Net developers used the one on Citrix instead of having it installed on
each developers workstation, a cheap company.
 
Hello!

I work for healthcare provider that is in need of IT Professionals
that possess Citrix knowledge. I am having a hard time finding a
resource online to locate people who might be able to fill these
contract positions. I know this is not a job site but after weeks of
searching I seem to be getting no where! As an indidivudal with Citrix
knowledge where would you go to post your resume or seek out talent?
Any help you can provide would be greatly appreciated!

Thank You!

Erica
 
message
Hello!

I work for healthcare provider that is in need of IT Professionals
that possess Citrix knowledge. I am having a hard time finding a
resource online to locate people who might be able to fill these
contract positions. I know this is not a job site but after weeks of
searching I seem to be getting no where! As an indidivudal with Citrix
knowledge where would you go to post your resume or seek out talent?
Any help you can provide would be greatly appreciated!
Click to expand...

Monster or Dice
 
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