We've got this great technology in Terminal Services to provide the power of complete remote desktops to our users. Everything is in place to provide a completely up to date, secure and satisfying windows experience without any real local machine management. Yet, many administrators shy away of providing all the power and flexibility of the Terminal Server. In some cases, it's because the mantra of "published applications" has been beat on for so long that few people really question what they are doing and why. So, they use the server for maybe a remote access app or two and those run only as shell replacements at login. In many other cases, it's this truly justified fear – getting all those Group Policy settings and Software Restriction Policies to work is complicated and then daunting to document and maintain. This means that often only the administrators get the maximum benefits possible from a server–based environment.
For this brief article, a published application is defined as being presented by the Terminal Server as the shell, i.e. no windows desktop or start menu is presented and when the application is quit, the session terminates. No other functionality is provided. A published desktop means the user is presented from the server a complete windows desktop, start menu, quick launch, and application icons.
To your end users, it's all about their applications and resources being available and properly performing at all times. For the most part, these folks aren't really concerned about your challenges. So, it's up to you to always be challenging the status quo, looking for new methods and tools to bring power, performance and availability to your end users. With that in mind, at triCerat, we believe that there are unlimited reasons to consider publishing desktops from Terminal Servers to users.
Here is but a sample of what our customers tell us:
You've made a strategic decision to deploy existing and new applications to users by Terminal Server. The number and type of applications is constantly changing and you are continually adding new server-based computing users as a result.
You've decided you need to deploy server based applications but do not want to spend a fortune on what is basically a published application platform. You also like the fact that RDP is already installed on your personal computers.
You've decided it's too expensive to maintain personal computers in some or all of your operations and you want to deploy terminals. You need an easy way to eliminate personal computers while continuing to provide users with the complete windows experience they demand.
You've got a group of non-windows workstations, i.e. Macintosh or Linux users. These folks need all the functionality of a windows desktop, applications and resources hosted within the native operating system of their computing choice. (This exactly describes me. My "host OS" is invariably a Macintosh running OSX.)
You've decided that you have no need for the complexity and overhead of any of the so called "access portal" solutions. You just want your users to be able to login and get an ever changing set of server–based applications delivered in a manner that looks and operates just like their current windows computer, complete with start menu and task bar.
Whatever the reasons you now have, or may in the future, triCerat has made the process of published terminal server desktops simple to establish and maintain. In fact, once you install the Simplify Suite, much of the work is already done for you. Simplify Suite includes several important components to eliminate complexity and simplify your job. Among these are:
triShell™, triCerat's secure user environment manager that acts and behaves exactly like the native windows desktop, start menu, task bar and quick launch. Using documented Microsoft application programming techniques, triCerat has delivered this functionality while eliminating the requirement to use GPO's and Software Restriction Policies for configuration. In doing so, several key benefits resulted. First, our design allows configuration via the incredibly easy to use Simplify Console. Second, triShell is secure by design. Without touching a single GPO or SRP, your users have access to absolutely nothing until you configure the system to allow it.
Simplify Console, triCerat's integrated application that allows easy drag and drop configuration of applications, printers, registry settings, profile settings, shell settings, drive mappings, application controls and more. Simplify Console allows you to tailor published desktops by any level in your directory and even allows you to assign and control these items by objects you create that are not present in the directory itself, like IP address ranges or machine names.
Simplify Reporting®, triCerat's integrated reporting module, does all the documentation as you work. All you need to do is select the reports you want to print or display.
Remember: Policies only watch over the windows shell itself. triShell, as configured with our Lockdown technology, also prevents applications from launching via email links, command prompts, etc. And relying on NTFS permissions does nothing to protect you from users running applications from non–local locations. Simplify Suite does this automatically. For more information on the limitations of GPO's and SRP's, see last month's enews article
triCerat Simplify Suite is a management tool designed to extend and enhance Windows Terminal Server (with or without Citrix). The power of Simplify Suite lies in it's ability to use a relational database with which to prepare the windows interface seen by your groups of users when they login. Basically, you assign applications (and printers, etc) to groups of users, or servers, or ip address ranges, or individual users. Simplify Suite then uses application logic to parse through all of these settings to present the exact set of applications for that user and that session. You have total control over the priority levels of these assignments.
Let's say for a simple example that you are responsible for applications in a hospital setting. You have five primary user groups and their basic requirements are as follows:
– Hospital CFO: triShell, assigned 10 applications, including an application that can only run from his actual workstation as added security. – Doctors: triShell, assigned 5 applications – Nurses: triShell, assigned 4 applications, (2 of which are same as Doctors) – Nurses Aide: triShell, assigned 1 application (which the Nurses and Doctors also have) – Technical Staff: Gets full explorer shell, no restrictions (naturally you want this, right?)
This is quick and easy to do using the triCerat Simplify Suite Console. The steps in the software are basically as follows, all of which are accomplished with only a few clicks and drag/drops. It's truly even easier to do than this description, so I really encourage you to simply try it out on a test server.
– Turn on Lockdown to only allow assigned applications to run. – Assign explorer shell to administrator's group with a single click. Everybody else is getting triShell. – Create and assign a base triShell application set for the Nurses Aide group. – Add the apps needed by the Nurses, and assign that
config to the Nurses group. – Add the apps needed only by the doctors and assign that base+2 config to the Doctors group. – Create CFO triShell application set. Specify that the CFO only app runs for a session started at his actual workstation name only.
You are finished in only a few minutes! Your users have exactly what they need to work in a safe and secure environment. And, the documentation you and your boss needs is already complete. Seriously, triCerat really has put a lot of effort into Simplification. Why? Because as we said at iForum 2005, Complexity Sucks!
There's certainly much more you can do, (how about changing the way the triShell behaves based on the IP address of the originating session!!!) but to be brief, I really suggest that you try this out yourself and see what I mean. You can download the latest version of triCerat's Simplify Suite which includes a 30 day free trial and free tech support at http://www.tricerat.com. If you are unable to be at a server, but want to see this powerful technology in action, visit our AutoDemos page.
triCerat Continues Expansion, Andy Irving Leads New Office Serving EMEA Market
Friday, January 6th – Columbia, Maryland – triCerat, a leader in enterprise software purpose–built to simplify and enhance the operation of Microsoft® Terminal Server, today announced the opening of it's EMEA Office in the United Kingdom. The new office was established to provide sales and technical support to customers and prospects in Europe, Middle East and Africa. The expansion follows the recent enlargement of its corporate headquarters.
triCerat is enjoying tremendous growth, with European business accounting for an increasing portion of sales. "The opening of this office reflects our continued success and is consistent with our plans for growth," said John Byrne, President and CEO, triCerat, Inc.
The company also announced that Andy Irving has joined the company as EMEA Territory Manager. "Mr. Irving, who has over 5 years of experience in the server based computing arena, is the perfect addition to our team. His proven dedication and commitment to helping customers meet their objectives mirrors triCerat's culture," said Steve Walman, COO, triCerat, Inc.
"I am very proud to represent a company known for its passion for quality products and professionalism," said, Mr. Irving. "I am extremely excited about the year ahead and are very confident that this office will fuel growth even further, especially in the European marketplace," said Mr. Irving.
"We are very pleased to see triCerat establishing an EMEA presence here in the UK", said Brian Emmerson of Transam Microsystems Ltd, a triCerat Premier Partner. "It will help us to consolidate our previous commitment to triCerat's excellent technologies in the Microsoft Terminal Server arena, benefiting both existing and new customers alike. We look forward to working even more closely with triCerat in the future to build on our many successes to date."
The triCerat UK office is located at Aston Court, Kingsmead Business Park, Frederick Place, High Wycombe, Bucks, HP11 1LA with Tel. No. +44 (0)1494 616102, and emails sales.emea@tricerat.com and support.emea@tricerat.com. The office is open Monday to Friday, 8:00AM to 5:00PM.
triCerat will host an exclusive party for triCerat Partners and potential Partners in Orlando, Florida, January 30th, 8:00PM – 10:00PM! This event will be held at the Big River Brewing Company on Disney's BoardWalk, walking distance from the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin. The Party will be hosted by Toby Carson, triCerat Channel Director and it is assured to be a great time. Space is limited for this free event so let us know in advance if you would like to come so we can save you a few beers!
triCerat will also have a Demo Suite at the Walt Disney World Dolphin during Citrix Summit 2006. We will showcase Simplify Suite – the most powerful package of integrated server management tools available for reducing the cost and complexity of administering and supporting your Terminal Server–based infrastructure. The triCerat Demo Suite will be open Monday and Tuesday, January 30th and 31st from 9:00AM – 5:00PM. One–on–one appointments are also available
To those new to triCerat: Do you have customers that are currently or planning on using Citrix Presentation Server? Are you interested in shortening the sales cycle on new accounts? Are you looking for high margin products that your existing customers need? Would your engineering team like assistance in standardizing your deployments?
You might want to meet with our consultants to show you how you can get started.
"Since we added the triCerat Simplify Suite V4 to our product offering, not only have we increased the profit margin on all our Citrix deals, we are also realizing an all–time high customer retention rate and repeat business. We were able to bring this product on with little training and triCerat's team is very easy to work with." – B. Fleming, CEO, Citrix Gold Partner.
By Andrew Parlette, Senior Software Developer, triCerat, Inc.
Simplify Reporting is a feature of the Simplify Suite that allows reporting and exporting of the configurations defined in the Suite. The functionality of the Suite is extended by giving the administrator additional information about the configurations, including displays that are not available in the Simplify Console, and by allowing for reports of the configuration outside of the Simplify Console, such as a printed format. The reporting module is useful for basic auditing purposes as well, since the assignments of objects and owners can be analyzed from a larger view than that which the Simplify Console provides.
Simplify Reporting requires Crystal Reports runtime files. If these are not already installed, they can be downloaded and installed from triCerat's website at: http://www.tricerat.com/products/installs/SR_runtime.msi.Once the Crystal Reports runtimes are available, Simplify Reporting can be launched from the Tools menu in the Simplify Console. The report window is initially blank, as reports are launched from the toolbar or the Reports menu.
The Predefined Reports menu contains reports generated through three different categories. The first report is the "Assignments, by Owner", which will create a report of each owner in the directory and the Simplify objects that have been assigned to that owner. The breakdown choices include directory objects or administrator–defined network objects that have been created in the Simplify Console. Furthermore, the report can list only explicit items – items that are assigned directly to the owner – or all assignments which will include explicit and inherited assignments. Second is the "Assignments, by Object" report, which will list each Simplify object and the owners to which the object is assigned. The report can be filtered to include a specific type of object. Finally, the "Object Configuration Report" can report on defined objects of any given type, and the configuration for those objects. For an application object, the executable, icon, and other properties of the application will be displayed.
The Advanced Reports menu contains the same type of reports as the Predefined Reports menu, but allows for further customization of the report contents. When the advanced reports are run, a dialog is presented to select the type of owner, type of object, search filters, how deep to traverse the directory, explicit assignments, all assignments, or the object properties. After defining properties for a report, the report can be exported to a file so the same report can be re–run in the future.
Simplify Reporting enhances Simplify Suite by allowing further control of the configuration. Administrators can use Simplify Reporting in a real–time reporting fashion to see aspects of the configuration that aren't displayed in the Simplify Console. For instance, the Simplify Console cannot show all users that have access to a particular application. However, a report can be run that gives the administrator the needed information. Reports can be generated that show how each user of the system is configured and their access to terminal server resources. Simplify Reporting also provides a mechanism for getting data out of the Simplify Suite into an achievable format, or a format for distribution, by allowing exporting to PDF, Microsoft Excel, or a printer.
For additional help with Simplify Reporting, a help file is included with the Simplify Reporting application.
Customizable User Messages with Simplify Suite Console New for version 4.0.15 of Simplify Suite's Management Console
By Brian Rinebarger, Software Developer, triCerat, Inc.
Have you ever wished you could modify the error messages displayed to a User by Simplify Resources? Starting with version V4.0.15 of Simplify Suite's Management Console, you can. Check out Tools->Customize->User Messages and you'll see the dialog as shown in Figure 1
Just double–click a message or highlight it, right–click and choose Modify from the popup menu to display the dialog as shown in Figure 2
The current message contents are displayed in an edit box that can be modified to display whatever text you type. In addition, you will notice several variables that can be inserted into the message text. These variables are replaced or filled–in when Simplify Resources displays the message to the User. Just double–click a variable name or highlight the variable and click the Insert button to insert the variable name into the message at the current cursor position. Insert as many variables as desired.
Other buttons of interest on this dialog include:
Reset – Reset the message to default contents Display – Display the message with example variables filled–in (Figure 3) Help – Start Simplify Console help Cancel – Cancel editing of this message and discard changes OK – Accept the current message edits
After modifying your message, just click the OK button to accept your changes. Once you are back to the Customize User Messages dialog (Figure 1), you must click the OK button to save your changes back to the current Simplify database. If you click the Cancel button or hit the Escape key, all message modifications are discarded.
We hope you find this new feature helpful. Remember that any or all message content can easily be reset to default values, so customize to your hearts content!
------------------------------------------------------------ Simplify Suite v4.0.15.48 Change History ------------------------------------------------------------ Fixed– Scrolling of triShell Start Menu Fixed– triShell refresh causes taskbar icons to shrink Added– F1 help key to triShell Added– Application Lockdown message is now configurable Fixed– Profiles object bug if key didn't already exist Added– Delete registry setting from DB when deleted from Registry Fixed– winlogon error Added– Transparent background for text in triShell icons Fixed– More optimization of calls into the Active Directory Added– Simplify Resources service is set to auto–restart in case of failure
Attention triCerat Channel Partners! New resources have been added to the eTools page. These materials aim to help you sell and deliver triCerat products more effectively.
White Papers: – Server Consolidation: Perceived Performance and Virtual Operating Systems – In-Depth Look at Printing in TS Environments – Simplify Printing v3 – Foolproof User Configuration Management with Simplify Profiles – Streamlining the User interface with Simplify Lockdown – Perceived Performance: Tuning a System for What Really Matters
Case Studies: – Brainerd Public School District – Blue Plate (Catering Service) – Grange Insurance – Hennepin County Medical Center – San Francisco Unified School District
Login regularly to see newly posted resources. Email reseller@tricerat.com if you have any suggestions on how we can serve you better.
Citrix Summit 06 January 29 - February 1, 2006 Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Orlando, Florida
Learn. Connect. Expand. Focus on Access and Grow Your Profitability Citrix Summit is an exclusive, invitation-only global NDA event for Citrix business partners worldwide. This event brings together executives and members of the Access Partner Network to learn how the on-demand access opportunity is bigger and broader but requires working together more closely, more effectively and more efficiently to realize its full potential.
* One-on-One meetings with the triCerat Team * triCerat representatives will be available during the event to meet with you and discuss how we can help grow your business. To make an appointment, please call (800)582.5167 or +1(410)715.4226 or email reseller@tricerat.com
Geek Day February 7, 2006 Missouri Athletic Downtown St. Louis, Missouri triCerat is a Mondo Geek Sponsor!
Geek Day is an All–Day Technology Showcase Event created, hosted, and managed by Server Centric Consulting. The event features a hands–on technology lab, speakers with tech–heavy content, fun activities, and is targeted at the enterprise technology professional with interest in enterprise level Access, Virtualization, and Optimization solutions & strategies.
BriForum April 10 – 12, 2006 National Press Club Washington DC triCerat is a Sponsor!
BriForum 2006 is a three–day independent Citrix, Terminal Server, and Server–Based Computing technical conference. This is "the event" to learn, talk, discuss, spar, and interact with independent Citrix and Terminal Server experts from around the world!
