[THIN] MSTerminalServices.org - September 2006 Newsletter - thin

[THIN] MSTerminalServices.org - September 2006 Newsletter

From: "MSTerminalServices.org" <info@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: "thin@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <thin@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Wed, 27 Sep 2006 05:34:21 -0500

MSTerminalServices.org Newsletter of September 2006
Sponsored by: 2X Software
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In this issue:
What's up?
KB Articles of the Month
Ask our MVPs!
Learning Zone
On the Spot
Rumours on the SBC Space

Welcome to the MSTerminalServices.org newsletter! Each month we will bring you
interesting and helpful information on MS Terminal Services and server based
computing. We want to know what all *you* are interested in hearing about.
Please send your suggestions for future newsletter content to:
SVermeulen@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

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1. What's up?
Stefan Vermeulen, Terminal Server MVP and Citrix CTP

Hi there!

What happened to Claudio?

Claudio no longer had the time to continue this newsletter due to other
engagements, so let me introduce myself before you think you got stuck with the
MSTerminalServices.org janitor writing the newsletters. My name is Stefan
Vermeulen and I am a regular author on MSTerminalServices.org. I hope you have
enjoyed my articles as I am now going to bother you with my writing style
directly in your mailbox. I have about 5 years of experience with Terminal
Services and Citrix and I have a specific interest in the one topic every
administrator hates out there in the field: printing. I can't remember the
exact details on how the interest was born, but I do remember it was out of the
same frustration with the problems that are current even today.

In the last newsletter Claudio mentioned that Citrix had started their
community program called CTP, and I am one of the lucky few who is a member of
the first initiation group. They had their first get together meeting last
July. This new program enables the members to get early access to betas or
pre-releases. That gives them the extra edge to write about technology for the
community before the products are released. Besides that, they now have direct
access to people within Citrix, which helps in getting faster answers on issues
and questions. I truly think that the whole community will benefit from this
huge step by Citrix, and not just the people who made it into the program. For
those of you who think that you might be the perfect candidate for the program,
just drop a mail to the program manager Brad Nunn
(mailto:Bradley.Nunn@xxxxxxxxxx).

There are quite a few events coming up in the next few months. In Europe it's
Briforum Europe held in Darmstadt Germany in October and pubforum in Amsterdam
in November. I plan to join both events, so feel free to pull my jacket for a
chat. In the US it's IForum in Florida that will have some kicking sessions. If
you have a support agreement with Citrix, make sure to fly off a few days early
and visit the free cseit (http://support.citrix.com/cseit/) event. You will
find most of the new Citrix CTPs hanging out there also, so make sure to catch
up with them. Unfortunately, I cannot make it myself, but I will be there in
spirit.

So much for my first What's up. Please send me an email if there's anything you
would like to have mentioned via this newsletter. Do you know a good SBC event,
found a killer new SBC website or would just like to share something, feel free
to drop me a mail at SVermeulen@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
(mailto:SVermeulen@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx) Talk to you next time with hot new
info from Briforum Europe,

That's all for now!

Catch you later!

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2. KB Articles of the Month

Here are some interesting and useful Terminal Services related articles posted
by Microsoft in the last month:

A 32-bit program may not print colors correctly when it is running on a 64-bit
version of Windows Server 2003 or on a 64-bit version of Windows XP.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/919332/en-us

You cannot perform a copy operation to a redirected serial port in Windows
Server 2003 Service Pack 1.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/912086/en-us

The logon operation fails when you use Terminal Services to log on to a DCOM
server from a Windows-based server.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/922215/en-us

You cannot print when you use Terminal Server after you apply Update Rollup 1
for Microsoft Windows 2000 Service Pack 4.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/918622/en-us

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3. Ask our MVPs a question

This is simple and straight forward: shoot us your TS/Citrix question and we
will get some of the top Terminal Services MVPs together and get you an answer,
from everyone?s point of view! The best question of the month will be published
here with all the answers from these guys. Just email us at
SVermeulen@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

QUESTION: Hello SBC wizards. I am quite new to Terminal Server and since I have
been playing with it, I think it's the best technology ever since sliced bread.
I am going to convert my whole network to Terminal Server, buy a bunch of thin
clients and never have to worry about IT related stuff ever again. What do you
think, cool plan huh?
Regards, Migration Terry.

ANSWER: Dear Terry,

The best sounding plan can end up as a worst nightmare if you are not careful.
Terminal Services has evolved a lot the last few years, but still has a few
drawbacks. Screen scraping technology is used to get the screens across from
server to client. This is mostly vector technology and it falls back to bitmap
technology if vector is not possible. As technical as this may sound, it just
means that applications programmed in VB or C will run fine, but applications
building their GUI with bitmaps may perform really bad on WAN links.
(PowerPoint is a known performance killer) Don't even get me started on running
video files over that screen scraping technology, because that is even worse.
There has been a recently released solution to accelerate 3D Open GL
dramatically, so check out this website (http://www.thinanywhere.com/) if you
use such an application.

Besides the screen updates you also need to take a serious look at the
applications you're currently running. Some may call local hardware in some way
that is functionally not possible in a TS or Citrix session, and some software
is just not TS/Citrix aware, or will kill your server with 3 running instances.
Best practice is to set up a test server (can even be an old one) and have a
good look at everything by simulating real life usage, and judge what extra
third party tools you may need or don't need to get a clear financial picture.
You have to take the time to test before migrating. It may cost some extra $$$
in the beginning, but will certainly pay off in the end.

After those tests you will be able to judge if you should stick with what
you've got, migrate ASAP or have a hybrid construction with the best of both
worlds. Most importantly, do not rush into this.

Cheers!

4. Learning Zone

Brute Force Hacking In Terminal Server Environments
http://www.msterminalservices.org/articles/Brute-Force-Hacking-Terminal-Server-Environments.html
Date - July 20, 2006; Author - Michel Roth; Section - Articles :: Security
In this article Michel discusses how hackers use tools to perform brute force
password hacking in Terminal Server environments!

Using Group Policy To Support Custom Applications In Your Environment
http://www.msterminalservices.org/articles/Group-Policy-Support-Custom-Applications-Environment.html
Date - August 3, 2006; Author - Michel Roth; Section - Articles :: General
In Terminal Server/Citrix environments there are always applications that
aren't exactly mainstream. Usually they do not come with proper management
tools. You of course want to manage them in a professional manner, preferably
using Group Policy. In this article, Michel shows you how to go about this.

Deploying your customized RDP client
http://www.msterminalservices.org/articles/Deploying-Customized-RDP-client.html
Date - August 9, 2006; Author - Cláudio Rodrigues; Section - Articles :: General
In this article Cláudio explains how you can get your own customized RDP client
and create an MSI file so you can deploy it remotely using Group Policies, SMS
or any other tool you may have in place.

Server Based Computing: Goldmine Or Snakepit? (Part 1)
http://www.msterminalservices.org/articles/Server-Based-Computing-Goldmine-Snakepit-Part1.html
Date - August 23, 2006; Author - Michel Roth; Section - Articles :: General
Server Based Computing is hot these days. Seems like Server based Computing is
the way to go. But is it? Is Server Based Computing a goldmine or a snakepit?

The Hunt for the Bad Printer Driver
http://www.msterminalservices.org/articles/hunt-bad-printer-driver.html
Date - August 29, 2006; Author - Stefan Vermeulen; Section - Articles ::
Printing
In this article I go into the extensive search you need to do to find a culprit
printer driver haunting your farm. This article should reduce the wild goose
chase back to a 10 minute job.

Server Based Computing: Goldmine Or Snakepit? (Part 2)
http://www.msterminalservices.org/articles/Server-Based-Computing-Goldmine-Snakepit-Part2.html
Date - September 6, 2006; Author - Michel Roth; Section - Articles :: General
In the second part of this series, Michel discusses some of the disadvantages
of Server Based Computing and what the limitations of Windows Server Based
Computing are. He will also talk about what you need to know about to make your
Server Based Computing initiative a success.

How To: Unattended Installation of the Citrix Web Interface
http://www.msterminalservices.org/articles/How-To-Unattended-Installation-Citrix-Web-Interface.html
Date - September 20, 2006; Author - Wilco van Bragt; Section - Articles ::
Scripting
This article demonstrates how to perform an unattended installation of the
Citrix Web Interface.

5. On The Spot

Due to the change of the newsletter author, there is no September interview. If
luck is on our side, it will be back again in the October newsletter. If you
have anybody in sight that you would like to see interviewed, let me know at
SVermeulen@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (mailto: SVermeulen@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx)

6. Rumors on the SBC Space

Rumors? Well the main one is that I will need to work hard to get you a
newsletter with the same quality as Cláudio did.

Citrix is working on project "Kent
(http://geekswithblogs.net/wallabyfan/archive/2006/09/22/92009.aspx)" according
to Wallabyfan. (Business continuity / disaster recovery (BC/DR) solution for
enterprises that utilizes Presentation Server, GoToMyPC, and the CAG?)

Into RSS to get the hottest news?
Stay in touch with the Citrix guys by hooking your RSS reader into their feeds
here (http://citrite.org/blogs/feed/).
Stay in touch with the Microsoft TS guys by hooking your RSS reader into their
feeds here (http://blogs.msdn.com/ts/rss.xml)
You can also add MSTerminalServices.org's very own feeds, get the lastest
articles here (http://rss.msterminalservices.org/allnews.xml) and check out
Jason Conger's blog here (http://blogs.msterminalservices.org/conger/feed/).

Rumor is that Brian Madden's hair which has been bright Red
(http://www.pubforum.info/welcome/Portals/0/Dublin/IMG_1199_090.jpg) and Blue
(http://www.printingsupport.com/mambo/images/stories/briforum2006/blue.jpg)
will be plain white for the upcoming Briforum, to match the colors of the US
flag. What do you think; should Brian be a blond?

So much for now, see you next month!

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[THIN] MSTerminalServices.org - September 2006 Newsletter

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