Optimizing Application Delivery

Optimizing Application Delivery

This topic describes how to optimize the user experience so that, for the user, this is as familiar as running applications locally.

For the most seamless user experience, Citrix recommends that you:

• Install the XenApp Plugin for Hosted Apps and configure applications to appear in the Start menu

• Install the XenApp Plugin for Streamed Apps

• Set up pass-through authentication

• Configure a policy to map network drives

• Pre-cache streamed applications at logon

Installing the XenApp Plugins

Install the Citrix XenApp Plugin for Hosted Apps (the new name for the Citrix Presentation Server client) on the virtual desktop image, so that when users connect to their desktop, they automatically get the XenApp Plugin.

Set up Citrix XenApp (the new name for Program Neighborhood Agent) so that applications appear in the user’s Start menu. To the user, these applications appear to behave as if they are installed locally, although the applications are running on the XenApp server. This avoids users having to visit a Web site to start their applications. For more information, see the XenApp Plugin for Hosted Apps for Windows Administrator’s Guide.

For optimal flexibility, also install the XenApp Plugin for Streamed Apps (the plugin needed for client-side application virtualization, formerly known as the Streaming Client) on the virtual desktop image. This allows you to stream applications from XenApp as well as host them. For information about installing and configuring this plugin, see the Citrix Application Streaming Guide.

Setting up Pass-through Authentication

Pass-through authentication allows the XenApp Plugin to access a user’s local Windows user name, password, and domain information and pass it to the XenApp server. This means that users are not prompted to log on to XenApp separately. To enable pass-through authentication, you must configure both the XenApp server and the XenApp Plugin.

To enable pass-through authentication in the XenApp Plugin, during installation, choose Enable Pass-Through Authentication. For more information, see the XenApp Plugin for Hosted Apps for Windows Administrator’s Guide. To enable pass-through authentication on the XenApp server, see “Configuring Pass-through Client Authentication” in the Citrix XenApp Installation Guide.

Mapping Network Drives Using a Policy

To ensure users can see their local drives when running applications hosted on XenApp, you must configure a policy on XenApp to map network drives. When a user connects to a virtual desktop, their local drives are mapped; for example, C:(\\Client) (U:). However, when the user then connects to an application hosted on XenApp, these local drives are not re-mapped, so the user does not see them. This is because XenApp does not map network drives by default.

To ensure your users’ local drives are mapped, configure a policy on the XenApp server.

To map network drives in XenApp

1. On the XenApp server, launch Advanced Configuration (the new name for the Presentation Server Console), then from Policies either create a new policy or amend an existing policy.

2. Select the policy and choose Properties > Client Devices > Resources > Drives > Mappings.

3. Set Mappings to Enabled.

4. Ensure Turn off Remote drives is cleared.

5. Click OK.

To apply the policy, you must create a filter for it so the server can apply it to matching connections. For more information about how to create and apply policies, see the Citrix XenApp Administrator's Guide.

USB Drive Mapping Limitations

Some USB devices may not be accessible to users when running applications hosted on XenApp. Although users can see and access USB devices within their virtual desktops, some devices may not be mapped on the XenApp server.

• Some USB devices will be mapped into applications hosted on XenApp, including printers, PDAs, and scanners. USB drives inserted before the connection to the virtual desktop is established are also mapped into applications hosted on XenApp.

• Other USB devices, as well as devices inserted after the hosted application has been launched from within the virtual desktop, will not be visible to hosted applications.

To address this limitation, stream the application from XenApp, rather than host it, so that users can access any USB drives plugged into their endpoint devices.

Pre-caching Streamed Applications

In XenDesktop environments that use a Provisioning Server private virtual disk (vDisk), consider pre-caching streamed applications at logon. Pre-caching applications at logon means that the application is streamed from the XenApp server to the endpoint device when the user logs on. This provides better performance because the application is streamed across the network before the user launches it. Pre-caching applications at logon is the default streaming behavior.

Smart Card Support

If you require smart card support for data encryption and digital signing within applications delivered by XenApp in your XenDesktop environment, stream applications from the XenApp server.

Once a user has authenticated to their XenDesktop session, the smart card on the endpoint device allows digital signing within streamed applications, such as Microsoft Outlook, and also data encryption.

For more information about using smart cards within your XenDesktop environment, see “Using Smart Cards with XenDesktop” on page 37. For information about configuring application streaming, see the Citrix Application Streaming Guide.

User Profile Manager Considerations

User Profile Manager is the ideal profile solution to manage user personalization settings when using XenApp in a XenDesktop environment. If you are administering XenApp in a XenDesktop environment and you are using Citrix User Profile Manager, you may need to use separate Organizational Units for each published application that creates Citrix user profile data. For more information, see Using Citrix User Profile Manager with XenDesktop.