In a Desktop Session

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In addition to publishing your Collections with the locally installed NetMan Client or the Web Interface, NetMan Desktop Manager offers another method. This entails using the NetMan Client, which is also installed on the Remote Desktop Session Host, in combination with the Windows Explorer as a shell in desktop sessions. Workstations or thin clients open desktop sessions on Remote Desktop Session Host or XenApp Server using a Desktop Session Script. The NetMan Client is thus the user interface, and presents a customized Start menu and Windows desktop. For details on creating desktop session scripts, see "Create Desktop Session Scripts“. The Windows interface on the Session Hosts should be secured through the configuration of group policies and (binding) profiles so that users have only the privileges they require at the Windows Explorer end.

 

tip This method is ideal for use with thin clients. The thin client connects to the Session Host automatically on startup, and those applications you have configured are available to the user. A desktop session script can also open a session on the Session Host over the Web Interface.

 

For all users who explicitly log in on a Session Host, the startup of the NetMan Client is invisible. In other words, they do not see any indication that applications are published by NetMan. Generally, the NetMan start program icon is shown in the notification area of the user's Windows taskbar. The user can activate it to update the Collection or read about NetMan Desktop Manager:

 

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If you do not want the NetMan start program icon to be shown, deactivate the setting in the NetMan System Settings: You can change this setting in the NetMan system settings, on the page NetMan Client. Enable or disable the NetMan start program icon in the taskbar with the option Show NetMan Client icon in task bar. On the NetMan Client Service page, you can also activate and deactivate automatic startup of the NetMan Client.

 

warning For the operation of NetMan Desktop Manager we recommend having the NetMan Client start automatically for all users.

 

warning If you want to use NetMan Desktop Manager on a Session Host only for particular users, you can deactivate the automatic startup of the NetMan Client and have it started using the client's Windows login script (%Windir%/NetMan/bin/nmcclnt.exe) for the desired users. If you want the startup icon displayed in the Windows taskbar, you need to run %Windir%/NetMan/bin/nmctray.exe as well.

 

Calling an application session on a Session Host is analogous to calling an application on a workstation. In a desktop session, on the other hand, the Session Host takes on the function of the workstation:

1.In a desktop session, the NetMan Client sends a request to the NetMan Web Service to launch the application on a Session Host. The NetMan Web Service checks whether the application is installed on the Session Host. If the application is found, the application executes on that Session Host. If not, the process continues with the following steps.

2.The web service sends a configuration to call a session over RDP or the ICA protocol. (An ICA client is required on the workstation for an ICA session.)

3.The NetMan Client initiates a session on the Remote Desktop Session Host/XenApp Server.

4.In that session, the ticketing mechanism is used to determine which application is started.

5.The application starts in the user's session.