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WHAT IS CITRIX ACCESS ESSENTIALS?
Citrix Access Essentials 2.0 is the easiest, most cost-effective, off-the-shelf software enabling 5 to 75 persons to remotely use corporate Windows programs conveniently and securely over the Web. Unlike inferior alternatives, it performs well across slow connections, strict network firewalls and non-Windows computers without needing to rewrite applications upgrade PCs or increase bandwidth. Its simple role-based rules control which central resources individuals see and where they store and print sensitive information. Newly arriving Internet and internal LAN users are automatically load-balanced among available application servers, bypassing any failed or offline machines. The product comes integrated with Microsoft Terminal Server CALs.
WHY IS THIS NEW RELEASE EXCITING?
The short answer is that Access Essentials 2.0 is "twice as good" as the 1.5 version and the price did not go up.
New in this release:
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The product is no longer restricted to a single server. It now supports automatic load balancing across multiple redundant servers. Nevertheless, single server simplicity has been retained for smaller environments and growing from a basic single server configuration to an advanced multi-server group is incredibly easy.
Note: As with previous versions, Access Essentials supports a maximum of 75 named users, whether concentrated on a single server or spread across a group of servers.
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Internet security may be strengthened by deploying the built-in SSL/VPN module (Secure Gateway) and the external web portal (Web Interface) on a dedicated "DMZ" server between a pair of network firewalls. The DMZ server is a front-end to the application publishing server(s) on the internal LAN. Alternatively, a Citrix Access Gateway may be placed in that role.
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The software is also available without Terminal Sever CALs at a lower price for those customers that already own the necessary Windows Server 2003 Terminal Server licenses but wish to add Access Essentials must-have features.
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A growth path to Citrix Presentation Server is now available for Access Essentials customers who outgrow the 75 user limit. through a favorably priced upgrade to Citrix Presentation Server Enterprise Edition. Technically, it entails migrating users to a new installation of Presentation Sserver and decommissioning the existing Access Essentials environment. Customers have 90 days to complete the transition before their Access Essentials licenses are rescinded. Upgrades to Presentation Server may only be sold by Presentation Server authorised Citrix Solution Advisors.
Please refer to the document entitled, Citrix Access Essentials 2.0 New Features, for a complete list of enhancements and benefits.
It takes our organization a long time to get everyone moved to a new version of our software? How will Citrix Access Essentials help us keep current?
Instead of having every user update their version of the applications on their personal computers, Access Essentials makes it possible for everyone to access a common program maintained centrally on the main server. When the central program gets updated, everyone gets the latest and greatest version without extra work on their end.
Do our users need special equipment just to get to our client/server applications?
No. All they need is a computer or workstation that can run a standard Web browser. Even a PDA with a Web browser will be sufficient, if you can work around the small screen.
Do we have to open special ports on the firewall to get to our organization�s central server over the Internet?
No. Citrix Access Essentials provides secure remote access through the standard port 443 used for secure http (https).
Do we still have to buy Windows Terminal Server Client Access Licenses from Microsoft before we can use Citrix Access Essentials?
No. Each license of Access Essentials includes the Windows Terminal Server CALs required for that user.
How does Citrix Access Essentials keep our users from being confused by all of the programs that will be running on the main server's desktop?
Access Essentials shows each user only the programs, folders, and internal Web sites that you want that user to see. For example, the system administrator can set up those users whose job requires only a pair of applications, to see just those two applications and nothing more.
My home computer doesn't have very much memory for running big applications. Will that be a show stopper when I try to run corporate applications from home?
You won't need a lot of memory at home because only your Web browser and a small program run there. As long as the main server is equipped to handle the workload, you should be in good shape to access it from home.
If I'm traveling, will I still run into problems getting to my corporate applications from an Internet café?
Not any more. Citrix Access Essentials makes it possible for you to access the line-of-business applications running on your central Windows server from an Internet kiosk, just as if you were on the local network. And you may have less reason to carry the laptop with you on the plane.
Will slow lines keep me from running remotely?
A Not at all. Citrix Access Essentials keeps the traffic between the remote computer and the main site to a minimum. You should have a rich user experience even with lines as slow as 20Kbps.
How can I use Citrix Access Essentials software with my Microsoft Small Business Server?
Access Essentials provides an excellent companion to the Microsoft Small Business Server (SBS). Access Essentials can be configured on a separate Windows Server 2003 system to host the client portion of the applications running on the SBS system. For example, instead of each user installing the Outlook client on their workstations, you could have the Access Essentials server run a central copy of the Outlook client on behalf of remote and local users while SBS hosts the Exchange Server. Access Essentials can also run the SQL Server client for SQL Server databases running on SBS. Consequently, when these clients need to be updated in the future, you would only have to make the change once on the central Access Essential server ™ and all of the users would benefit from the update the next time they launch the application. |
