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 and 32-bit platforms), Mac OS, Linux, and other Unix-like systems. Independent Computing Architecture (ICA) is a proprietary protocol for an application server system, designed by Citrix Systems. ... Citrix Systems (NASDAQ: CTXS) is a U.S. high technology software company, based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, with subsidiary operations in the UK and Australia. ... A thin client is a computer (client) in client-server architecture networks which has little or no application logic, so it has to depend primarily on the central server for processing activities. ... The word protocol derives from a Greek phrase meaning first leaf, referring to the first draft of a treaty. ... Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT) is the worlds largest software company, with over 50,000 employees in various countries as of May 2004. ... Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) is a multi-channel protocol that allows a user to connect to a computer running Microsoft Terminal Services. ... Terminal Services is a component of Microsoft Windows operating systems (both client and server versions) that allows a user to access applications or data stored on a remote computer over a network connection. ... The framebuffer is a part of RAM in a computer allocated to hold the graphics information for one frame or picture. ... Virtual Network Computing (VNC) is a desktop protocol to remotely control another computer. ... In computing, the X Window System (commonly X11 or X) is a windowing system for bitmap displays. ... In computing, an operating system (OS) is the system software responsible for the direct control and management of hardware and basic system operations. ... Microsoft Windows is a range of operating environments for personal computers and servers. ... In computer science, 16-bit is an adjective used to describe integers that are at most two bytes wide, or to describe CPU architectures based on registers, address buses, or data buses of that size. ... 32-bit is a term applied to processors, and computer architectures which manipulate the address and data in 32-bit chunks. ... Original 1984 Mac OS desktop Current 2005 Mac OS X desktop Mac OS, which stands for Macintosh Operating System, is Apple Computer’s name for the first operating systems for Macintosh computers. ... This article is about Linux-based operating systems, GNU/Linux, and related topics. ... A Unix-like operating system is one that behaves in a manner similar to a UNIX system, while not necessarily conforming to or being certified to any version of the Single UNIX Specification. ...

It allows a return to the central control of the mainframe type of system, with powerful central servers and simple thin clients or terminals which are inexpensive and often diskless. Access to applications and storage is controlled centrally, reducing the burden on the systems administrator. Mainframes (often colloquially referred to as big iron) are large and expensive computers used mainly by government institutions and large companies for legacy applications, typically bulk data processing (such as censuses, industry/consumer statistics, ERP, and bank transaction processing). ... This article is about computer servers. ... A Thin client is a computer (client) in client-server architecture networks which has little or no application logic, so it has to depend primarily on the central server for processing activities. ... The term Terminal can be used in several way and includes various topics: Usually terminal means forming or pertaining to an end. ... A system administrator is a person responsible for running, or running some aspect of, a computer system. ...

Many academic institutions use MetaFrame to provide their students and faculty with remote access to applications running on campus servers. This can meet a number of needs, such as:

• Allowing students to use specialized applications, such as statistical analysis or engineering analysis tools, which the students need for the coursework but cost far too much for most students to afford their own copies

• Providing off-campus students with VPN-like access to on-campus network resources

• Avoiding the administrative headaches of installing specialized or rarely-used software on the computers of individual users

• Allowing an academic department to make more efficient use of a limited software budget. If, say, twenty faculty in the Economics department sometimes need an expensive simulation tool, but at most five of them would be using it at any given time, instead of buying twenty licenses to install them on the computers of individual faculty members, the department could license five copies to be installed on a MetaFrame server.

Independent Computing Architecture (ICA) Independent Computing Architecture (ICA) is a proprietary protocol for an application server system, designed by Citrix Systems. ...

• Virtual Network Computing
• NX technology
• PXES Universal Linux Thin Client

The MetaFrame server product resides on a Microsoft Windows machine, which can be either standalone or part of a larger cluster of Citrix servers. It is important to note that in addition to per-user Citrix licensing, there must exist a Terminal Services license 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 available, to which an institution can purchase a site license based on the number of users, thus removing the need for centralized help with installing the client: the user goes to a specified web page and follows a few simple steps to install a pre-configured client. Virtual Network Computing (VNC) is a desktop protocol to remotely control another computer. ... The NX technology is developed by the Italian software company NoMachine. ... PXES also known as PXES Universal Linux Thin Client is the micro Linux distribution allowing you to build thin clients or diskless workstations. ... Microsoft Windows is a range of operating environments for personal computers and servers. ... How to obtain a amature radio licence differs from country to country. ...

Related Technologies

• Microsoft Terminal Services
• Independent Computing Architecture (ICA)
• Virtual Network Computing
• NX technology
• PXES Universal Linux Thin Client

Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT) is the worlds largest software company, with over 50,000 employees in various countries as of May 2004. ... Terminal Services is a component of Microsoft Windows operating systems (both client and server versions) that allows a user to access applications or data stored on a remote computer over a network connection. ... Independent Computing Architecture (ICA) is a proprietary protocol for an application server system, designed by Citrix Systems. ... Virtual Network Computing (VNC) is a desktop protocol to remotely control another computer. ... The NX technology is developed by the Italian software company NoMachine. ... PXES also known as PXES Universal Linux Thin Client is the micro Linux distribution allowing you to build thin clients or diskless workstations. ...

External links

• Microsoft RDP & Citrix ICA Feature Overview