Citrix Presentation Server

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Citrix Presentation Server (formerly Citrix MetaFrame) is a remote access/application publishing product built on the Independent Computing Architecture (ICA), Citrix Systems' thin client protocol.

The Microsoft Remote Desktop Protocol, part of Microsoft's Terminal Services, is based on Citrix technology and was licensed from Citrix in 1997. Unlike traditional framebuffered protocols like VNC, ICA transmits high-level window display information, much like the X11 protocol, as opposed to purely graphical information. Clients are available for several operating systems, including Microsoft Windows (both 16-bit , 32-bit and 64-bit platforms), Mac OS, Linux, and other Unix-like systems.

Networks that use this software are reminiscent of the mainframe–terminal system, where a central powerful computer does most of the processing work and smaller, much less powerful machines provide the user interface.

Some academic institutions use Presentation Server to provide their students and faculty with remote access to applications running on campus servers.

The Presentation Server product resides on a Microsoft Windows machine, which can be either standalone or part of a larger cluster of Citrix servers. Presentation Server also supports three UNIX variants: HP-UX, Solaris, and AIX. It is important to note that in addition to per-user Citrix licensing, there must exist a Terminal Server Client Access License (CAL) and a Windows Server CAL from Microsoft for each client connection. Both products must be adequately licensed for the environment to function correctly. There is a web-based Citrix client, freely available under the name Web Interface for Presentation Server. The Web Interface may be used as a secure ICA proxy over HTTPS when combined with Citrix Secure Gateway, both of which are included in the base Presentation Server product.

Citrix MetaFrame runs over Port 1494 or since Citrix MetaFrame Presentation Server 3.0 port 2598.

The Citrix Developer Network contains a set of Software Development Kits that enable custom development for the Citrix Presentation Server product. These SDKs include the following: