Presentation Server help for someone clueless 2

[tmckeown]

I'm hoping someone can enlighten me here.
Our company recently decided to change database software. The decision was not mine to make, just mine to implement. The new software requires a database server, an applications server, Terminal Server, and Citrix Metaframe Presentation server. So, I got the two servers. the database server had to have Oracle running on it. The company who sold us the new database software installed that portion. I bought Citrix Metaframe presentation server as recommended by the software company. All I got from Citrix was a link to a download three files totalling ~800MB. No instuctions came with it. The software company that told us we needed it can not give any installation instructions or usage instuctions. I've don't know where to turn next. I'm feeling like we spent a lot of money on something I may not be able to figure out. Citrix was recommended due to the fact that our company is 50% PC and 50% Mac. We need all clients to access the database through the application server. So here are some questions:

Does Citrix MFPS get installed on the application server before or after the Oracle client?

How do our end users access the database via the application server through Citrix?

These must sound like stupid questions, and they are. I'm in over my head. Can anyone fill in the blanks for me?

Thanks,
Tom

 

[tmckeown]

So, for Citrix, the license server should be installed first, and the same goes for TS license server? I'm just a bit confused by your reply, beacuse I spoke about bothe Citrix and TS.

My plan is to install TS license server on one of our file servers. (it's already installed) Then I will install TS on the new box. Next, I would install Citrix license server on that same box, and finally, I would install presentation server. does that sound right?

Thank you for the help.

 

[ascotta]

Spot on. That is the supported way.

[blue]Arguably the best cat skinner around ! [/blue]

Cheers
Scott

 

[tmckeown]

Thanks so much. It's great to get help from these forums!

 

[ascotta]

of course you can then blame us when it all goess horribly wrong

[blue]Arguably the best cat skinner around ! [/blue]

Cheers
Scott

 

[tmckeown]

Nah, I won't be doing any blaming here. I'm just grateful for any infomation that gets me closer to the goal.

I'll post back later today once I follow all the steps. Maybe someone else might be spared a rebuild by reading this thread in the future.

Tom

 

[tmckeown]

OK, Reinstall the OS. Installed IIS, ASP.net. Installed TS. Got all updates. Installed Citrix License server. No go. When I run Citrix License management Console, I get "Service Unavailable". I started the default application pool and made sure the default web site was started as well. I checked the default web site and changed the path. Citrix changed the drive letters while installing. Still, I get the same error.

I rebooted. The default application pool does not automatically start in IIS. Even after starting it, I get "Service Unavailable.

Anyone see this?

 

[tmckeown]

OK,
I think the problem stemmed from changing the drive letters after IIS was installed. Citrix recommended changing them. I ghosted the server before installing IIS. I'll go back to that point and try again.

 

[tmckeown]

Got it! It was the drive remapping that messed up the license server. So, I got license server running and the license is downloaded. now onto presentation server. Should be loads of fun. I'm sure I'll be back.

Tom

 

[tmckeown]

I'm back,
From what I understand, Citrix should not be on a domain controller, yet they mention Active Directory often in the installation notes. Do I need to install active directory on the Citrix server?

I got to the part where I setup a new farm. It list the domain as the name of the server that is running Citrix. Shouldn't the domain be our domain name?

As usual, more questions than answers. At least i have ghosted the server in case something goes wrong.

 

[kgoods]

Tom,

I do not have active directory intalled because my domain controllers are still NT 4.0. I can't say whether you should use AD or not that's up to you. It obviously isn't necessary since my setup is working fine although it may be benefitial, I don't know.

I ran into the same problem with the domain name thing. As far as I know, you have a choice. If you want to let users log into just that machine (all applications will run from there and do not need internal network access) you can let the machine name be the domain and create local users on that machine for logon purposes. We had better luck adding our "real" domain and creating domain user accounts for our external Citrix users. Had a few permission problems just creating local accounts. We let our users access Outlook through Citrix and of course this is on another machienin our domain. They had to have domain accounts in order to have Exchange accounts.

I'll take a look for the spot where you can add domains as it's slipped my mind momentarily.

Au usual, hopefully my answers haven't left you with even more questions....

Kind regards,
Ken

 

[tmckeown]

Hey Ken,
For the domain name, it came up with the name of our server which is R2-Application. Should I then change that to R2-Application.upstaging.com? What did you use? i would like to setup users via active directory.

 

[tmckeown]

It didn't accept the full server name including the domain, so i let it run with the server name.

One thing I may have messed up on, to keep the OS and applications seperate, I installed Citrix in D:\program files. Do you think that will be a problem? I usually only install the OS on C and evrything else on D.

 

[kgoods]

Our domain name is AIALEWISTON so that is what I use. If your AD domain name (not your web domain) is upstaging.com then use that without the machine name. In other words, we have a web presence and our domain name there is aiainsurance.com, our internal domain however is AIALEWISTON (the domain I log into on my workstation). We could have just as easily called our internal domain kens_domain but our web domain would still be aiainsurance.com. OK? Just wanted to make sure we're talking about the same doamin. I guess anymore all lot of admins are naming there internal domain after their web domain. I think I'd get a little confused.... course I'm easily confused.

Good luck!
k

 

[tmckeown]

I think that was a change from NT to 2000 active directory. As soon as you enable active directory, you are forced to use a .com domain name. It can be confusing.

Citrix is fully (I hope) installed. What a quick test to make sure it's functioning correctly. I'm kind of clueless on publishing an application. Do i need to run an installer on each client computer? How do you then connect? I know, I ll have to start paying someone around here soon. I just wish their instructions were a bit clearer.

 

[kgoods]

No need to pay anyone.... you're almost there!

Can you get to the logon screen? Try "

http://your_servername/Citrix/Metaframe"

If you get a logon screen then try your administrator's credentials. If you get logged in all you need to do is publish an application, add the administrator to it then test.

Publish any application (notepad.exe comes to mind) from the Presentaion Server Console. Right click on applications and then Publish Application. It's pretty straight forward from there. After you add the application right click on the application and go to properties to add users and set any additional properties you wish. To test, just add the user for now. Once you get that far you'll be well on your way.

Let us know if it works.

Kind regards,
Ken

 

[kgoods]

Forgot to mention.... you will probably need to download the Citrix Client the first time you connect to the web interface. It will tell you if you do.

Good luck,
Ken

 

[ascotta]

Sounding good Tom. I would not be installing AD on your citrix server, it should just be a domain member.

I used to do the drive remapping, but no longer do it. Its just a pain.

Web Interface should tell you that you need a client bit on your computer, but it should allow you to install it.

Alternatively it will be on your CD's or

http://www.citrix.com

downloads.

[blue]Arguably the best cat skinner around ! [/blue]

Cheers
Scott

 

[tmckeown]

You guys are the greatest! It actually worked. Maybe today won't totally suck.

I logged in as administrator and I was able to download the client. I just need to figure out how to add users and I should be ready to install the application.

Tom

 

[ascotta]

DO you currently have AD in the building ? If so then it should be a piece of the proverbial.

Installing apps, use Add/Remove programs ALWAYS if you can.
Install the apps and the use the change user /install command and then as admin run the apps and set the settings you want in the app, then use change user /execute and test as a user.

[blue]Arguably the best cat skinner around ! [/blue]

Cheers
Scott

 

[tmckeown]

Hey Scott,
We have AD for all our other servers. i did not install active directory on this server that runs citrix. So far, I am not able to add a list of users. It keeps telling me the name is invalid. Should this Citrix server be pulling names from AD? how does it connect to AD without AD installed on this machine. I would assume it uses LDAP, but I'm not sure how to check that. All of our servers in the past have been domain controllers, so I never had to deal with non-DC servers talking to AD.

When I type in my user name in the list of users for Notepad.exe (test application), I get an invalid account name error. "presentation server console can not resolve the account name.

Could this be due to our domain setup? We are setup as a workgroup. This new server is part of the workgroup. Do I need to set this server up as part of the domain instead?

Thank you for the help. I really appreciate it.
Tom