Re: Automate Install/Connection - VPN/TS Sessions

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From: Patrick Rouse [MVP] (PatrickRouseMVP_at_discussions.microsoft.com)
Date: 09/29/04 

Date: Wed, 29 Sep 2004 08:37:04 -0700

I would look at a 3rd party program like Citrix MetaFrame to automate things
with this many users at different locations. Citrix has a better Web
Interface that can be used with virtually any browser, shows different
published applications, based on logged on user, has better printing support
and supports advanced load balancing features.

If you use Terminal Server (and optional Citrix MetaFrame), have you thought
of how many servers you'll need to support 50+ concurrent users of your
database?

P.S. Yes, it does, it just doesn't have pictures. The RDWC setup on a 2003
server takes about 2 minutes, via add/remove programs, just like stated in
this link:

http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/WindowsServ/2003/standard/proddocs/en-us/Default.asp?url=/resources/documentation/WindowsServ/2003/standard/proddocs/en-us/rdesktop_install_webcli.asp

"The link that you provided (unless I am missing something) is a list of
links to MS site that explains what can be done but not how to....but again
I might be missing something."

For an install of this size you should start in a lab environment to
simulate your deployment, so there are no surprises.

A shortcut to the exe can be launched in a terminal server session, of
Citrix Published Application just as easily as from your own desktop. What I
fear is that 50 concurrent fat client sessions to your DB + name resolution &
printing traffic will saturate your fractional T3 (how many channels?), which
is why you need to test in a lab to determine your actual bandwidth
requirements with VPN & Fat Client vs. Terminal Server/Citrix connection.

I'm not trying to push you to do one thing or another, but just to get to to
determine which meets all of your requirements.

Patrick Rouse
Microsoft MVP - Terminal Server
http://www.workthin.com

"Jamie" wrote:

> Patrick,
>
> We will be having 100 or so connection at various times possibly 50 max at
> the same time. We have a frac T-3 on site that will handle the sessions I am
> sure. Our users will be connecting from home at various times over DU/DSL or
> Cable.
>
> > If you configure the user's account to launch this application, which is
> > installed on the Terminal Server, then when they launch the Remote Desktop
> > Web Connection they'll see a button that say's "connect", which will take
> > them to the logon, and launch your application
>
> The application will not be "installed" on the terminal server nor do I
> have the option of installing the front end on the client computer it has to
> run via the exe that is located in the network share in the same location as
> the DB...so on the desktop on the internal network each user desktop has a
> shortcut to \\server\dir1\subdir\application.exe which then interfaces with
> a DB on the same server. I hope I am explaining this well enough and thanks
> again for the help.
>
> The link that you provided (unless I am missing something) is a list of
> links to MS site that explains what can be done but not how to....but again
> I might be missing something.
>
> Thanks again..
>
> Jamie
>
>
> "Patrick Rouse [MVP]" <PatrickRouseMVP@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in
> message news:6FF1BF97-CE69-4E68-A3F5-7FE759A2BF33@microsoft.com...
> > If you configure the user's account to launch this application, which is
> > installed on the Terminal Server, then when they launch the Remote Desktop
> > Web Connection they'll see a button that say's "connect", which will take
> > them to the logon, and launch your application.
> >
> > I posted this link in my last reply, which as info on how-to setup the
> RDWC:
> > http://www.workthin.com/tshta.htm#RemoteDesktopWebConnection
> >
> > The other option is to install the Remote Desktop Connection locally on
> each
> > remote computer, then give each user a RDP Connection to connect to launch
> > the application (which can even store their logon credentials).
> >
> > How to configure the Remote Desktop Client
> > http://www.workthin.com/tshta.htm#RemoteDesktopClientConfiguration
> >
> > Download the Remote Desktop Client or RDWC:
> > http://www.workthin.com/tsdown.htm
> >
> > The problem with running the application front-end on each computer, and
> > connecting to the back-end over VPN, is that this usually requires a lot
> of
> > bandwidth, and I'm not rteferring to a T1, Cable or xDSL Connection. If
> you
> > run the app on a Terminal Server you can get by with as little as 26.4Kbps
> > per connection, and never have to go to the remote site to update the
> > database front-end, because it's running on your terminal server.
> >
> > If you require the low bandwidth of a terminal server connection, but also
> > require the application to run as if it were installed on the local
> computer
> > (in a seamless window), you can look at applications like WTSPortal,
> > Tarantella Canaveral iQ, DAT Panther Server, or Citrix MetaFrame,...
> which
> > all do this, but each has more features in the order that I listed them.
> >
> > How many users will be connecting over the Internet Connection?
> >
> > Links to all of these here:
> > http://www.workthin.com/tsao.htm
> >
> > A 384Kbps SDSL Connection can handle about 7-15 concurrent RDP Sessions,
> > depending on how graphical in nature the application is, and how much
> > printing and file transfer users do the their remote location.
> >
> > Patrick Rouse
> > Microsoft MVp - Terminal Server
> > http://www.workthin.com
> >
> > "Jamie" wrote:
> >
> > > Patrick,
> > >
> > > Where do I find info on how to implement can you point me to a good how
> to
> > > reference web or other? If there is a good book out I will buy it I have
> to
> > > have this done soon.
> > >
> > > Also the client is opened internally with a shortcut to an exe on a
> network
> > > share....software developer restriction not mine. So I would need to be
> able
> > > to start the app the same way from the web connection.
> > >
> > > What I want to happen when they connect is the app is automatically run
> > > which brings them to their login screen for the database. This has to be
> > > easy and deployable over DU as well as broadband also.
> > >
> > > Thanks much for the help,
> > > Jamie
> > >
> > > "Patrick Rouse [MVP]" <PatrickRouseMVP@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote
> in
> > > message news:AA4886EB-554E-49D5-9857-3E27DBCB40ED@microsoft.com...
> > > > Have you considered using the Remote Desktop Web Connection which
> would
> > > allow
> > > > you do deliver the client & configuration settings via Internet
> Explorer?
> > > > You can restrict users to one application via their user account, but
> > > should
> > > > go further to restrict access to the servers resources, as it's not
> hard
> > > for
> > > > users to spawn an Explorer.exe, cmd.exe or Iexplore.exe via many
> > > applications.
> > > >
> > > > http://www.workthin.com/tshta.htm#RemoteDesktopWebConnection
> > > >
> > > > Customized RDWC with no server selection box, which is set in the
> > > default.htm:
> > > > http://www.workthin.com/ZIP/TSWeb.zip
> > > >
> > > > VPN connection is NOT needed to connect to a Terminal Server, as RDP
> > > > Sessions are natively encrypted. I actually discourage the deployment
> of
> > > > VPNs unless they're site-to-site (router to router) VPNs.
> > > >
> > > > Patrick Rouse
> > > > Microsoft MVP - Terminal Server
> > > > http://www.workthin.com
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > Patrick Rouse
> > > > Microsoft MVP - Terminal Server
> > > > http://www.workthin.com
> > > >
> > > > "Jamie" wrote:
> > > >
> > > > > Can someone get me pointed in the right direction on how to do this?
> > > > >
> > > > > http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/demos/mod09.htm
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > I have to give remote access to some of our teleworkers and at
> present
> > > only
> > > > > want to give them access to ONE application which is the front-end
> to an
> > > > > internal database. I have a WIN2003 server on the way that I believe
> can
> > > > > handle VPN and TS sessions for all the users that will connect. What
> I
> > > need
> > > > > to do is to automate the installation of the connection as well as
> > > severely
> > > > > restrict the access. They will login and the app will launch as soon
> as
> > > the
> > > > > close the app they will be logged off.
> > > > >
> > > > > Actually I have two sets of users one group will get one app and
> another
> > > > > group gets another different app.
> > > > >
> > > > > I know that this is "doable" but can not figure out where to get the
> > > info on
> > > > > getting it started. The client side can be 98/ME/2000/XP and
> possibly a
> > > > > MAC...although the MAC is not a show stopper. Variety of connection
> > > > > DSL/Cable/DU. I wanted to do PPTP VPN since my current firewall will
> not
> > > > > pass the IPSEC "stuff" with its current load.
> > > > >
> > > > > Thanks for any help.
> > > > >
> > > > > Jamie
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
>
>
>

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