
Citrix MetaFrame XP is a popular tool for people running "lights-off" data centers that must be administered remotely.
Configuring Citrix Metaframe XP for Windows explains how the software works and why it remains important even with the improved Terminal Services native to Windows XP and the upcoming Microsoft .NET Server. More importantly, the authors go into great detail on how you should go about designing and setting up a system based on the latest remote session software from Citrix. This is the book you want to use as you plan your implementation on paper, and then begin to set it up on the equipment rack.
More than anything else, this book is about documentation of nearly every little interface detail that appears on your screen as you set up and run MetaFrame XP. Want to know the meaning of every column header in the Licenses menu panel of the Citrix Management Console? It's in here. Similarly, you'll find a procedure for allocating licenses to specific servers, and another procedure for pooling licenses for use across a collection of servers. Conceptual information--what talks to what, when, and for what reason--gets less coverage, but there's enough of that to help you design smooth-running and reliable systems. Think of this as a best practices design guide combined with an administrator's manual. --David Wall
Topics covered: The features of all three versions of Citrix MetaFrame: XPs, XPa, and XPe, as well as of the NFuse utility for allowing access to applications via Web browsers, as they are implemented in the Windows version of the Citrix products. There's information on design strategies that have worked for others, as well as on installing the software, publishing applications on it, and configuring it for maximum ease-of-use and scalability. Special sections address NFuse portals, remote accessibility, and printing problems.