The Ultimate Citrix Install Guide
 
1 - Preface
2 - Project Management
3 - Analysis Phase
4 - Design Phase
5 - Implementation Phase
  1. Implementation Overview

2. Prepare the Network Environment

3. Add Users to a Terminal Services Environment

4. 3rd Party IMA Data Store Installation Instructions

5. Install Operating System

6. Install MetaFrame XP

7. Tweak Windows 2000 / MetaFrame XP

8. Rapid Server Deployment

9. How to create a Zone & Move MetaFrame Servers to it

10. ICA Client Update Configuration Utility

11. How to Setup Automatic Reboot for MetaFrame Servers

12. Client Drive Mapping

13. Install Applications

14. Publishing through the Citrix Management Console

15. How to Build a Stable Printing Environment

16. NFuse Integration

17. Citrix Web Console (CWC)

18. How to Secure a Internet Information Services (IIS) Server

19. Citrix Management Console (CMC)

20. Microsoft Terminal Services License Server

21. Implement System Policies

22. Implementation - Checkpoint
6 - Readiness Phase
7 - Rollout Phase
8 - Appendix

21. Implement System Policies

When users access a session through a MetaFrame server, by default, they have access to all files, features and applications on the server. This gives a stray user the ability to detrimental effect all other users of the MetaFrame server.   In order to prevent this behavior you will want to lockdown the environment through Computer and User Policies.

A Policy is a set of registry settings that defines the computer resources available to an individual or to a group of users. Policies define the various facets of the desktop environment that a system administrator needs to control, such as which applications are available, which applications appear on the users desktop, which applications and options appear in the Start menu, who can change their desktops and who cannot, and so forth. System policies can be implemented for specific users, groups, computers, or for all users.

In the following sections I have documented how to implement Policies in both a Microsoft NT 4.0 and or Novell Netware environment and a Windows 2000 Active Directory environment.   You will also find a great Administrative Template (MIAB.ADM)  that incorporates most of the changes found throughout this document and a few more and how to add and configure it.  

 

 

 

 


21. 1.    MIAB Administrative Template Overview

Keeping with the goal of this project of making things simple, a gent named Tahir Saleem created an awesome Administrative Template (MIAB.ADM) to tweak and configure a MetaFrame server.  

 

MIAB.ADM allows you to configure the following:

 

       Source Path for windows installation

       Open In Notepad. When right clicking on a file you will have the option to open it in Notepad

       Command Prompt settings. Sets the following command prompt options:

o        ScreenBuffer is set to 300 lines.

o        WindowSize is set to 40 lines.

       QuickEdit and InsertMode is Enabled

       Set IRPStackSize

       Set SNMP Contact

o        Contact Name

o        Location

       Disables the configure server wizard

       Report Cached Credentials. When logged on with Cached Credentials report this to the user.

       Default Logon Domain. Sets the Default Logon Domain to the specified value. In a trusted environment this may be useful.

       File name completion enabled in command prompt

       Command Prompt Here. When right clicking on a drive or directory you will have the option to open a Command Prompt at that location

       Configure TCPKeepAlive

       Enable ICAKeepAlive

       Disable Paging of NTExecutive

       Disable Dr. Watson

       Disable Printer Beeps

       Disable Printer Pop-up message

       Disable System Hard Error Messages

       Increase Idle Connections to handle peak logon periods

       Set WinStation UserOverrides:

        AutoEndTasks

        CusrorBlinkRate

        DragFullWindows

        MenuShowDelay

        WaitToKillAppTimeout

        SmoothScroll

        Wallpaper

        MinAnimate

        Active Title Bar Colour for ICA Connections

        Active Title Bar Colour for RDP Connections

        Remove Outlook Express from the Quick Launch bar and Start Menu.

        Prevent last access time stamp from being updated on NTFS partitions

        SAP Settings

       Enable/Disable New Visual Design

       Disable Splash Screen

       Disable Animation

        Disable logging of Print events in Event Log

        Change IM 2.0 default install drive

        Set Default License Server

        Hide Specified drives

        Disable the Configure Server Wizard

 

; Methodology in a Box

; Terminal Server tunings.

; Version: 1.0

; By Tahir Saleem, NettSpesialisten

; saleem@nettspes.no

 

#if version <= 2

 

;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;

CLASS USER   ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;

;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;

 

CATEGORY !!GPOnly

    POLICY !!GPOnlyPolicy

        KEYNAME "Software\Policies"

 

        PART !!GPOnly_Tip1  TEXT

        END PART

 

        PART !!GPOnly_Tip2  TEXT

        END PART

 

        PART !!GPOnly_Tip3  TEXT

        END PART

 

        PART !!GPOnly_Tip4  TEXT

        END PART

 

        PART !!GPOnly_Tip5  TEXT

        END PART

    END POLICY

END CATEGORY

 

 

;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;

CLASS MACHINE   ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;

;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;

 

CATEGORY !!GPOnly

    POLICY !!GPOnlyPolicy

        KEYNAME "Software\Policies"

 

        PART !!GPOnly_Tip1  TEXT

        END PART

 

        PART !!GPOnly_Tip2  TEXT

        END PART

 

        PART !!GPOnly_Tip3  TEXT

        END PART

 

        PART !!GPOnly_Tip4  TEXT

        END PART

 

        PART !!GPOnly_Tip5  TEXT

        END PART

    END POLICY

END CATEGORY

 

#endif

 

#if version >= 3

 

;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;

 CLASS USER   ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;

;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;

 

CATEGORY !!MIAB

 

                POLICY !!HideDrives

                                EXPLAIN !!HideDrives_Help

                                KEYNAME "Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer"

                                PART !!HideDrives_txt NUMERIC

                                VALUENAME "NoDrives" MAX 1000000000

                                DEFAULT "0"

                                END PART

                END POLICY

               

                POLICY !!ConfigServerWizard

                                KEYNAME "Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Setup\Welcome"

                                EXPLAIN !!ConfigServerWizard_Help

                                ACTIONLISTON

                                                VALUENAME "srvwiz"

                                                VALUE NUMERIC "0"

                                END ACTIONLISTON

                END POLICY

               

                POLICY !!DisableICW

                                EXPLAIN !!DisableICW_Help

                                KEYNAME "Software\Microsoft\Internet Connection Wizard"

                                VALUENAME "Completed"

                END POLICY

               

                POLICY !!Console

                                KEYNAME "Console"

                                EXPLAIN !!Console_Help

                                ACTIONLISTON

                                                VALUENAME "ScreenBufferSize"

                                                VALUE NUMERIC "19660880"                                             ;300 Lines

                                                VALUENAME "WindowSize"

                                                VALUE NUMERIC "2621520"                                               ;40 Lines

                                                VALUENAME "QuickEdit"

                                                VALUE NUMERIC "1"

                                                VALUENAME "InsertMode"

                                                VALUE NUMERIC "1"

                                END ACTIONLISTON

                END POLICY

               

                                CATEGORY !!SAP

                                                POLICY !!SAPVisual

                                                                KEYNAME "Software\SAP\General\Enjoy"

                                                                EXPLAIN !!SAPVisual_Help

                                                                PART !!SAPGUIch          DROPDOWNLIST REQUIRED

                                                VALUENAME "Active"

                                                                ITEMLIST

                                                NAME Off VALUE "Off" DEFAULT

                                                                NAME On VALUE "On"

                                                END ITEMLIST

                                                                END PART

                                                END POLICY

                               

                                                POLICY !!SAPAnimation

                                                                KEYNAME "SOFTWARE\SAP\General\Appearance"

                                                                EXPLAIN !!SAPAnimation_Help

                                                                PART !!SAPAnich                  DROPDOWNLIST REQUIRED

                                                                VALUENAME "Animation"

                                                                ITEMLIST

                                                                NAME Off VALUE "Off" Default

                                                                NAME On VALUE "On"

                                                                END ITEMLIST

                                                                END PART

                                                END POLICY

                               

                                                POLICY !!SAPSplash

                                                                KEYNAME "SOFTWARE\SAP\General\Appearance"

                                                                EXPLAIN !!SAPSplash_Help

                                                                PART !!SAPSplach  DROPDOWNLIST REQUIRED

                                                                VALUENAME "SplashOff"

                                                                ITEMLIST

                                                                NAME Off VALUE NUMERIC 1

                                                                NAME On VALUE NUMERIC 0

                                                                END ITEMLIST

                                                                END PART

                                                END POLICY

                                                               

                                END CATEGORY ;SAP

END CATEGORY ;MIAB

 

;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;

 CLASS MACHINE   ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;

;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;

 

CATEGORY !!MIAB

 

                POLICY !!SourcePath

                                EXPLAIN !!SourcePath_Help

                                KEYNAME "Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\Currentversion"

                                PART !!SourcePath EDITTEXT

                                                VALUENAME "SourcePath"

                                                DEFAULT "\\Servername\I386"

                                END PART

                END POLICY

               

                POLICY !!CompletionChar

                KEYNAME "Software\Microsoft\Command Processor"

                                EXPLAIN !!CompletionChar_Help

                                ACTIONLISTON

                                                VALUENAME "CompletionChar"

                                                VALUE NUMERIC 9

                                                VALUENAME "PathCompletionChar"

                                                VALUE NUMERIC 9

                                END ACTIONLISTON

                                ACTIONLISTOFF

                                                VALUENAME "CompletionChar"

                                                VALUE NUMERIC 64

                                                VALUENAME "PathCompletionChar"

                                                VALUE NUMERIC 64

                                END ACTIONLISTOFF

                END POLICY

               

                POLICY !!InternetMIB

                                EXPLAIN !!InternetMIB_Help

                                KEYNAME "System\CurrentControlSet\Services\SNMP\Parameters\RFC1156Agent"

                                ACTIONLISTON                   

                                                VALUENAME "sysServices"

                                                VALUE NUMERIC 72

                                END ACTIONLISTON

                                PART !!ContactName             EDITTEXT REQUIRED

                                                VALUENAME sysContact

                                END PART

 

                                PART !!Location    EDITTEXT REQUIRED

                                                VALUENAME sysLocation

                                END PART

                END POLICY

               

                POLICY !!CachedCridentials

                                KEYNAME "software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon"

                                EXPLAIN !!CachedCridentials_Help

                                ACTIONLISTON

                                                VALUENAME "ReportControllerMissing"

                                                VALUE "TRUE"

                                END ACTIONLISTON

                END POLICY

               

                POLICY !!DefaultDomain

                                KEYNAME "software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon"

                                EXPLAIN !!DefaultDomain_Help

                                PART !!DefaultDomain_TXT EDITTEXT

                                                VALUENAME DefaultDomainName

                                END PART

                END POLICY

               

                                POLICY !!TCPKeepAlive

                                KEYNAME "System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip\Parameters"

                                EXPLAIN !!TCPKeepAlive_Help

                                                PART !!KeepAliveTime          NUMERIC

                                                                VALUENAME KeepAliveTime MAX 100000

                                                                DEFAULT "60000"

                                                END PART

                                               

                                                PART !!KeepAliveInterval NUMERIC

                                                                VALUENAME KeepAliveInterval

                                                                DEFAULT "1000"

                                                END PART

                END POLICY

               

                POLICY !!ICAKeepAlive

                                KEYNAME "SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Citrix"

                                EXPLAIN !!ICAKeepAlive_Help

                                                VALUENAME "IcaEnableKeepAlive"

                                                VALUEON NUMERIC 1

                                                VALUEOFF NUMERIC 0

                                                                                                               

                                                PART !!ICAKeepAliveInterval NUMERIC

                                                                VALUENAME "IcaKeepAliveInterval"

                                                                DEFAULT "60"

                                                END PART

                END POLICY

               

                POLICY !!DisablePagingExecutive

                                KEYNAME "SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management"

                                EXPLAIN !!DisablePagingExecutive_Help

                                VALUENAME "DisablePagingExecutive"

                                VALUEON    NUMERIC 1

                VALUEOFF   NUMERIC 0

               END POLICY

              

        POLICY !!DrWatson

               KEYNAME "SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\AeDebug"

               EXPLAIN !!DrWatson_Help

               PART !!drWatson_TXT EDITTEXT

                                VALUENAME "Debugger"

                                DEFAULT ""

               END PART

        END POLICY

       

        POLICY !!Printer_Beeps

                                EXPLAIN !!Printer_Beeps_Help

                                KEYNAME "SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print"

                                VALUENAME "BeepEnabled"

                                VALUEON NUMERIC 0

                                VALUEOFF NUMERIC 1

                END POLICY

               

                POLICY !!Printer_Pop-up_message

                EXPLAIN !!Printer_Pop-up_message_Help

                                KEYNAME "SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print\Providers"

                                VALUENAME "NetPopup"

                                VALUEON NUMERIC 0

                                VALUEOFF NUMERIC 1

                END POLICY

               

                POLICY !!Print_EventLog

                EXPLAIN !!Print_EventLog_Help

                                KEYNAME "SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print\Providers"       

                                VALUENAME "EventLog"

                                VALUEON NUMERIC 0

                                VALUEOFF NUMERIC 1

                END POLICY

               

                POLICY !!ErrorMode

                                EXPLAIN !!ErrorMode_Help

                                KEYNAME "SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Windows"

                                VALUENAME "ErrorMode"

                                VALUEON NUMERIC 2

                                VALUEOFF NUMERIC 0

                END POLICY

 

                POLICY !!IdleWinStation

                EXPLAIN !!IdleWinStation_Help

                                KEYNAME "SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Terminal Server"

                                PART !!IdleWinStationPoolCount NUMERIC

                                                VALUENAME "IdleWinStationPoolCount"

                                                DEFAULT "2"

                                END PART

                END POLICY

               

                CATEGORY !!UserOverride

                                                POLICY !!UserOverride_Desktop

                                                EXPLAIN !!UserOverride_Desktop_Help

                                                                KEYNAME "SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Terminal Server\WinStations\ICA-tcp\UserOverride\Control Panel\Desktop"

                                                                                ACTIONLISTON

                                                                                VALUENAME "AutoEndTasks"

                                                                                VALUE "1"

                                                                                VALUENAME "CursorBlinkRate"

                                                                                VALUE "1200"

                                                                                VALUENAME "DragFullWindows"

                                                                                VALUE "0"

                                                                                VALUENAME "MenuShowDelay"

                                                                                VALUE "10"

                                                                                VALUENAME "WaitToKillAppTimeout"

                                                                                VALUE "20000"

                                                                                VALUENAME "SmoothScroll"

                                                                                VALUE NUMERIC "0"

                                                                                VALUENAME "Wallpaper"

                                                                                VALUE "(None)"

                                                                                END ACTIONLISTON

                                                END POLICY

               

                                                POLICY !!UserOverride_WindowMetric

                                                EXPLAIN !!UserOverride_WindowMetric_Help                                    

                                                                KEYNAME "SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Terminal Server\WinStations\ICA-tcp\UserOverride\Control Panel\Desktop\WindowMetrics"               

                                                                VALUENAME "MinAnimate"

                                                                VALUEON "1"       

                                                END POLICY

                                               

                                                POLICY !!ActiveTitleICA

                                                EXPLAIN !!ActiveTitleICA_Help

                                                                KEYNAME "SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Terminal Server\WinStations\ICA-tcp\UserOverride\Control Panel\Colors"

                                                                PART !!ActiveTitleICA EDITTEXT

                                                                                VALUENAME "ActiveTitle"

                                                                END PART

                                                END POLICY

                                               

                                                POLICY !!ActiveTitleRDP

                                                EXPLAIN !!ActiveTitleRDP_Help

                                                                KEYNAME "SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Terminal Server\WinStations\RDP-tcp\UserOverride\Control Panel\Colors"

                                                                PART !!ActiveTitleRDP EDITTEXT

                                                                                VALUENAME "ActiveTitle"

                                                                END PART

                                                END POLICY

               

                                END CATEGORY ;UserOverride

               

                POLICY !!RemoveOutlookExpress

                EXPLAIN !!RemoveOutlookExpress_Help

                                KEYNAME "SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Active Setup\Installed Components\{44BBA840-CC51-11CF-AAFA-00AA00B6015C}"

                                ACTIONLISTON

                                VALUENAME "StubPath"

                                VALUE ""

                                END ACTIONLISTON

                END POLICY         

               

                POLICY !!LastAccess

                EXPLAIN !!LastAccess_Help

                                KEYNAME "System\CurrentControlSet\Control\FileSystem"

                                VALUENAME "NtfsDisableLastAccessUpdate"

                                VALUEON NUMERIC 1

                                VALUEOFF NUMERIC 0

                END POLICY

               

                POLICY !!IRPStackSize

                EXPLAIN !!IRPStackSize_Help

                                KEYNAME "SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\LanmanServer\Parameters"

                                PART !!IRPStackSizeText NUMERIC

                                                VALUENAME "IRPStackSize"

                                                DEFAULT "15"

                                END PART

                END POLICY

               

                POLICY !!CommandPromptHere

                KEYNAME "Software\Classes\Directory\shell"

                EXPLAIN !!CommandPromptHere_Help

                                ACTIONLISTON

                                                KEYNAME "Software\Classes\Directory\shell\CommandPrompt"

                                                VALUENAME ""

                                                VALUE "Command Prompt Here..."

                                                KEYNAME "Software\Classes\Directory\shell\CommandPrompt\Command"

                                                VALUENAME ""

                                                VALUE !!CommandPromptHere_Value

                                                KEYNAME "Software\Classes\Drive\Shell\CommandPrompt"

                                                VALUENAME ""

                                                VALUE "Command Prompt Here..."

                                                KEYNAME "Software\Classes\Drive\Shell\CommandPrompt\Command"

                                                VALUENAME ""

                                                VALUE !!CommandPromptHere_Value

                                END ACTIONLISTON

                END POLICY

               

                POLICY !!Notepad

                KEYNAME "Software\Classes\*\Shell\Notepad"

                EXPLAIN !!Notepad_Help

                                ACTIONLISTON

                                                VALUENAME ""

                                                VALUE "Open in Notepad..."

                                                KEYNAME "Software\Classes\*\Shell\Notepad\Command"

                                                VALUENAME ""

                                                VALUE !!Notepad_Value

                                END ACTIONLISTON

                END POLICY

               

                POLICY !!SetIMInstallDisk

                EXPLAIN !!SetIMInstallDisk_Help

                                KEYNAME "SOFTWARE\Citrix\AppCloning\Agent\Symbols"

                                ACTIONLISTON

                                                VALUENAME "APPINSTALLDISK"

                                                VALUE "D:"

                                                KEYNAME "SOFTWARE\Citrix\AppCloning\Agent\Installer\Symbols"

                                                VALUENAME "APPINSTALLDISK"

                                                VALUE "D:"

                                END ACTIONLISTON

                                ACTIONLISTOFF

                                                VALUENAME "APPINSTALLDISK"

                                                VALUE "C:"

                                                KEYNAME "SOFTWARE\Citrix\AppCloning\Agent\Installer\Symbols"

                                                VALUENAME "APPINSTALLDISK"

                                                VALUE "C:"

                                END ACTIONLISTOFF

                END POLICY

               

                POLICY !!SetDefaultLicenseServer

                                EXPLAIN !!SetDefaultLicenseServer_Help

                                KEYNAME SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\TermService\Parameters

                                PART !!SetDefaultLicenseServer_txt EDITTEXT

                                                VALUENAME "DefaultLicenseServer"

                                END PART

                END POLICY

               

                POLICY !!TcpMaxDataRetransmissions

                                EXPLAIN !!TcpMaxDataRetransmissions_Help

                                KEYNAME "SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip\Parameters"

                                PART !!TcpMaxDataRetransmissions NUMERIC

                                                VALUENAME "TcpMaxDataRetransmissions"

                                                DEFAULT 10

                                END PART

                END POLICY

               

END CATEGORY ;MIAB

 

[strings]

GPOnly_Tip1="The MIAB.adm file you have loaded requires Group Policy"

GPOnly_Tip2="in Windows 2000.  You cannot use the System Policy Editor"

GPOnly_Tip3="to display Windows 2000 Group Policy settings."

GPOnly_Tip4="  "

GPOnly_Tip5="Enabling or disabling this policy has no effect."

GPOnly="Unsupported Administrative Templates"

GPOnlyPolicy="The MIAB.adm"

 

MIAB="Methodology in a Box v.1.0"

 

UserOverride="User Override on Win Station"

 

HideDrives="Hide Specified drives"

HideDrives_Help="Use hide calc to specify the value.\nDefault 0 show all drives.\nValue 15 hides dirve A, B, C, and D."

HideDrives_txt="Enter the result from the hidecal.xls"

 

DisableICW="Disable Internet Connection Wizard"

DisableICW_Help="Disable the Internet Connection Wizard. This policy prevents users from getting error message when they try to start Internet Explorer for the first time.\nRecommend to enable this policy"

 

CompletionChar="File Name Completion"

CompletionChar_Help="File name completion enabled in command prompt"

 

SourcePath="Source Path"

SourcePath_Help="Source Path for windows installation"

 

InternetMIB="SNMP Contact"

InternetMIB_Help="Set Contact Name and Location"

ContactName="Contact Name:"

Location="Location:"

 

CachedCridentials="Report Cached Cridentials"

CachedCridentials_help="When logged on with Cached Cridentials report this to the user"

 

DefaultDomain="Default Logon Domain"

DefaultDomain_Help="Sets the Default Logon Domain to the specified value. In a trusted enviroment this may be useful."

DefaultDomain_TXT="Set default domain to:"

 

Notepad="Open In Notepad"

Notepad_Help="When right clicking on a file you will have the option to open it in Notepad"

Notepad_Value="notepad.exe "%1""

 

TCPKeepAlive="Configure TCP Keep Alives"

TCPKeepAlive_Help="In inconsistent networks that are subject to periodic intervals of high network latency, ICA Clients may time out when connected to a session. When users attempt to reconnect to a dropped session, they receive a new session instead of being reconnected to their previous session. This is due to the server not being aware that the previous session was dropped.\nYou can remedy this problem by enabling TCPKeepAlive for ICA sessions that are connected through TCP. Modification of the TCPKeepAlive parameter helps to make the host server aware of any sessions dropped due to network problems. For more information about TCP parameters, see the Microsoft Knowledge Base article Q120642."

KeepAliveTime="TCP Keep Alive Time in milliseconds (Recommended 60000): "

KeepAliveInterval="TCP Keep Alive Interval in milliseconds (Recommended 1000): "

 

ICAKeepAlive="Enable ICA Keep Alives"

ICAKeepAlive_Help="Enable ICA Keep Alives. Because of the default parameters of the TCP/IP protocol stack in NT, sessions may have problems reliably going into a disconnected state when a connection is unexpectedly disrupted..\By This behavior ca be tuned to bring relibility back by enabling this policy"

ICAKeepAliveInterval="ICA Keep Alive Interval in milliseconds (Recommended 60): "

 

DisablePagingExecutive="Disable Paging of NTExecutive"

DisablePagingExecutive_Help="User-mode and kernel-mode drivers and kernel-mode system code is usually written to be either pageable or non-pageable. In cases where drivers or system code is pageable, you can use the following registry entry to keep this pageable code in RAM, but this is only advisable on systems with extremely large amounts of RAM."

 

DrWatson="Disable Dr. Watson"

DrWatson_Help="Citrix recommendation. Enable this policy and remove to the value to disable DrWatson.\nTo enable Dr.Watson type following into to the value filed:\ndrwtsn32 -p %ld -e %ld -g"

DrWatson_TXT="Value:"

 

Printer_Beeps="Disable Printer Beeps"

Printer_Beeps_Help="The Beep can decrease printing performance while deing transmitted to the client."

 

Printer_Pop-up_message="Disable Printer Pop-up message"

Printer_Pop-up_message_Help="Printer Dialogue can hang server while awaiting user input.\nBy default, each print job logs two informational messages to the System log. On MetaFrame servers with many users, this feature generates numerous events and fills up the log faster.\nBy enabling this policy following registry values are changeg:\nNetPopup = 0 \nEventLog = 0"

 

Print_EventLog="Disable logging of Print events in Event Log"

Print_EventLog_Help=""

 

ErrorMode="Disable System Hard Error Messages"

ErrorMode_Help="System Hard Error Messages\nMessages generated by system hard errors appear on the server console. If left unanswered on an unattended console, messages can cause ICA sessions to hang. You can configure System hard errors to create an entry in the System log instead of displaying a message on the console. Disabling the display of messages to the console decreases the likelihood of hung ICA sessions, but increases the need to monitor the event log for these types of errors. For more information, see Microsoft Knowledge Base articles Q124873 and Q229012.\nEnable this Policy to disable System Hard Error Messages."

 

IdleWinStation="Increase Idle Connections to handle peak logon periods"

IdleWinStation_Help="The default of 2 idle connections minimize memory used, but may not be suffcient to handle peak logon traffic. Increasing the counts helps ensure availability during peak logon periods."

IdleWinStationPoolCount=" Number of IdleWinStation (Default 2): "

 

UserOverride_Desktop="Set Win Station User Overrides on Desktop"

UserOverride_Desktop_Help="A feature that enables you to set some overides on some of the entries in HKEY_Current_User.\nThis Policy sets following setting:\nAutoEndTasks to 1\nCursorBlinkRate to 1200\nDragFullWindows to 0\nMenuShowDelay to 10\nWaitToKillAppTimeout to 2000\nSmoothScroll to 0\nWallpaper to none"

UserOverride_WindowMetric="Minimize graphics use"

UserOverride_WindowMetric_Help="To control users' desktops to minimize graphics use. Also see Q226931 - How to minimize Graphics Use with Terminal Server."

 

ActiveTitleICA="Active Title Bar color for ICA connection:"

ActiveTitleICA_Help="Color example:\n10 36 106 - Blue (Orignal)\n0 128 128 - NT 4.0 Green\n0 128 0 - Dark Green\n128 0 0 - Dark Red\n255 0 0 - Strong Red"

ActiveTitleRDP="Active Title Bar color for RDP connection:"

ActiveTitleRDP_Help="Color example:\n10 36 106 - Blue (Orignal)\n0 128 128 - NT 4.0 Green\n0 128 0 - Dark Green\n128 0 0 - Dark Red\n255 0 0 - Strong Red"

 

RemoveOutlookExpress="Remove Outlook Express from the Quick Launch bar and Start Menu."

RemoveOutlookExpress_Help="This is a little UI clean-up tip."

 

LastAccess="Prevent last access time stamp from being updated on NTFS partitions"

LastAccess_Help="For an increase performance boost in the drive subsystem, you can turn of this default behavior by enabling this policy."

 

IRPStackSize="Set IRPStackSize"

IRPStackSize_Help="In Windows 2000, the valid range has changed. The valid values range from 0xB to 0x14 (11 to 20). The default value is 15"

IRPStackSizeText="Set IRPStacksize (Default 15): "

 

CommandPromptHere="Command Prompt Here"

CommandPromptHere_Help="When right clicking on a drive or directory you will have the option to open a Command Promt at that location"

CommandPromptHere_Value="cmd.exe /k cd "%1""

 

SetIMInstallDisk="Change IM 2.0 default install drive"

SetIMInstallDisk_Help="To control the drive that Installation Manager 2.0 would install all applications to.\This policy set this to D:"

SetIMInstallDiskText="Set the installation drive"

 

Console="Command Prompt settings"

Console_Help="Sets the following command prompt options: \nScreenBuffer is set to 300 lines.\nWindowSize is set to 40 lines.\nQuickEdit and InsertMode is Enabled."

 

SetDefaultLicenseServer="Set Default License Server"

SetDefaultLicenseServer_Help="Configuring Terminal Services Servers to Request License Key Packs from a Specific License Server. Enter NetBIOS name of the designated License Server. If it is located on a remote subnet, confirm that the Terminal Services-based computer can resolve the NetBIOS name of the specified server using Windows Internet Naming Services (WINS) or Lmhosts name resolution."

SetDefaultLicenseServer_txt="Enter Default License server name:"

 

TcpMaxDataRetransmissions="Set TcpMaxDataRetransmissions"

TcpMaxDataRetransmissions_Help="On highly variable performing network links, it is possible to modify the behavior of the TCP Protocol stack to make the server more accepting of link inconsistency.\nFor More information see Citrix article CTX757449, Q120642 and Q170359.\n Value 10 is recommended by Citrix"

 

SAP="SAP"

SAPVisual="Enable/Disable New Visual Design "

SAPVisual_Help="With this policy you can enable/disable the New Visual Design.\n To disable the New Visual Design, change the value to Off"

SAPGUIch="New Visual Design"

SAPAnimation="Disable Animation"

SAPAnimation_Help="With this policy you enable/disable the New Visual Design.\n To disable the New Visual Design, change the value to off"

SAPAnich="Animation"

SAPSplash="Disable Splash Screen"

SAPSplash_Help="With this policy you enable/disable SAP Splash screen.\n To disable the spalsh screen, change the value to off"

SAPSplach="Splash Screen"

 

ConfigServerWizard="Disable the Configure Server Wizard"

ConfigServerWizard_Help="Disables the configure server wizard"

 

 

In the following examples I will document how to import this Administrative Template in to a Windows 2000 Group Policy Object.

 

 

 


21. 2.    Implementing Windows 2000 Active Directory Group Policies

Group Policies give you the means of controlling what users and computers can do when logged on.  You can do this by controlling their desktop, network connections and user interface.  You do this to ensure that users have what they need to perform their jobs, but do not have the ability to corrupt or incorrectly configure their environment. 

Group Policy applies to the user or computer in a manner that depends on where both the user and the computer objects are located in Active Directory. However, in a MetaFrame environment you need policies applied to just the MetaFrame servers and the users who log in to them based on the location of the computer object alone. You can use the Group Policy loopback feature to apply Group Policy Objects (GPOs) that depend only on which computer the user logs on to.

This policy directs the system to apply the set of GPOs for the computer to any user who logs on to a computer affected by this policy.

With the Group Policy loopback policy, you can specify two other ways to retrieve the list of GPOs for any user of the computers in this specific OU.

        Merge Mode - In this mode, when the user logs on, the user's list of GPOs is gathered normally by using the GetGPOList function. The GetGPOList function is then called again, using the computer's location in Active Directory. The list of GPOs for the computer is then added to the end of the GPOs for the user. This causes the computer's GPOs to have higher precedence than the user's GPOs. In this example, the list of GPOs for the computer is added to the user's list.

        Replace Mode - In this mode, the user's list of GPOs is not gathered. Only the list of GPOs based on the computer object is used.  

NOTE : Loopback is supported only in a purely Windows 2000based environment. Both the computer account and the user account must be in Active Directory. If either account is managed by a Microsoft Windows NT 4.0based domain controller, loopback does not function. The client computer must be a Windows 2000based computer.

 

For more information please refer to the following Web Casts and white papers:

WEBCAST: Best Practices For System Policies In Windows 2000 Networks

http://www.microsoft.com/Seminar/Includes/Seminar.asp?url=/Seminar/1033/20000622TNQ101-07BL1/portal.xml

 

WEBCAST: Troubleshooting Group Policy Objects in Windows 2000

http://www.microsoft.com/Seminar/Includes/Seminar.asp?url=/Seminar/1033/20010109tnt1-08/portal.xml

 

Group Policy Overview http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/techinfo/reskit/samplechapters/dsec/dsec_pol.exe

 

Step-by-Step Guide to Understanding the Group Policy Feature Set

http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/techinfo/planning/management/groupsteps.asp

 

 

The following sections will describe how to prepare the Active Directory and create Group policies. 

 

 

 

21. 2. 1 Prepare the Active Directory Environment

When MetaFrame servers are in a Windows 2000 Active Directory domain, the domain administrator needs to implement Group Policy Objects (GPOs) that affect only the MetaFrame servers to control the user environment.  The following describes the recommended process of applying GPOs to MetaFrame servers without adversely affecting other Windows 2000 servers and workstations on the network.

The first option is to create an organizational unit (OU) specifically for the MetaFrame servers in Application Server mode. This OU allows specific GPOs to be applied to only those MetaFrame servers and computers, creating a tightly controlled MetaFrame experience for the users without affecting the other servers and workstations in the Active Directory domain.  This OU should not contain users or other computers; therefore domain administrators can fine-tune the MetaFrame experience. The OU can also be delegated for control to subordinate groups such as server operators or individual users.


To create a new OU for the MetaFrame servers, follow these steps:

 

1.       Click Start click Programs click Administrative Tools Click Active Directory Users and Computer and click Action New   Organizational Unit.

 


2.       Enter the name for the OU that will house you Citrix MetaFrame servers.  Click OK

 

3.       You are now ready to move the desired MetaFrame servers to the newly created OU.   Locate the MetaFrame server in question (located in the Servers or Computers OU).   Right click on the desired server and click Move.


4.       Click the newly created OU dedicated for MetaFrame servers and click OK.

5.       Repeat steps 3 and 4 for every MetaFrame server running in Application  mode.

 

 

You are now ready to create group policies to customize and lockdown the user environment and experience.

 

 


21. 2. 2 How to Add / Edit Group Policies

For the purpose of example, the following illustrates how to create a Group Policy made up of miscellaneous changes along with the MIAB.ADM file. 

 

1.       Right click on the OU created above and click Properties

2.        Click New


3.       Give a name to the newly created Group Policy Object.

4.       Click Properties   assign users / groups to be assigned to the GPO.  As you see in this example I have given deny access to to the CTX Admins group to verfiy the the policy will not be implemented and have applied the GPO to the CTX Users group. 

 

5.       Click OK with finished.


6.       Double click on the newly created Group Policy Object to open and edit the group policies.

NOTE: Most of the relevant settings are under Computer Configuration , Security Settings , or Local Policies . For example, under User Rights Assignment in the list on the right, you find Log on Locally , which is required for logging on to a session on Terminal Services; and you also find Access this computer from the network , which is required to connect to the server outside of a MetaFrame session. This is also where you can prevent users from being able to shut down the system and misc other functions.

7.       If you will be adding or removing an Administrative Template you will need to right click on Administrative Templates and click Add/Remove Templates.


8.       The Add/Remove Templates windows opens and you are able to add or remove the desired template.   For this example we will be adding the MIAB.ADM file.   Click Add to add a customer Administrative Template.

9.       Browse to the location of the MIAB.ADM file found in the Methodology in a Box download and click Open.

10.    Click Close.


11.    Reopen the Group Policy and click the Administrative Templates folder in User Configuration section of the policy.   Click View from the action menu bar and uncheck Show Polices Only.

 

12.    Due to a bug in Users and Computer you will need to close down the policy and reopen it. 

13.    You will now find a Methodology in a Box v.1.0 section in both the Computer Configuration and User Configuration sections of the Group Policy tool.  The following are the four different pages of configuration settings found in MIAB.ADM.

+ Computer Configuration Methodology in a Box v.1.0

+ Computer Configuration Methodology in a Box v.1.0 User Override on Win Station

 

+ User Configuration Methodology in a Box v.1.0

 

 

 

+ User Configuration Methodology in a Box v.1.0 SAP

14.    Make the appropriate changes to the Group Policy Object and close the policy. 

 

You have now successuly added MIAB.ADM and configured the settings.   I highly recommend doing the same for a HideCalc ADM file as documented below.   This will give you a wider selection of drives to hide.  (including not only the server drive letters but also any Citrix related file shares)

 


21. 3.    Implementing Windows NT, Terminal Server 4.0 System Policies

MetaFrame servers that are members of Microsoft NT 4.0 domains and or Novell Netware environments, implement System Policies through the use of policies files configured through the System Policy Editor.

The System Policy Editor is a graphical tool provided with Windows that allows you to easily update the registry settings to customize and lockdown a particular user or group of users. The System Policy Editor creates a file that contains registry settings that are then written to the user or local machine portion of the registry database. User Profile settings that are specific to a user who logs on to a given workstation or server are written to the registry under HKEY_CURRENT_USER. Likewise, machine-specific settings are written under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE.


21. 3. 1 How to Set the System Policy File Share Location

By default, servers reference the Ntconfig.pol located in the Netlogon share. This reference can be found in the registry, located at:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\ Control\Update

In order to create specific policies for MetaFrame servers you will need to create modify the above registry key value to point to a dedicated MetaFrame policy file located on a network share.  The value for this registry key is modified on a computer-by-computer basis. To modify this value, I recommend you use the System Policy Editor and modify the update section found in the network section of the default machine properties. The Common.adm administrative template defines this registry key as shown below.  

Note: This change will need to be made on every MetaFrame server that you want to take advantage of System Policies.

1.       Click Start click Run type: poledit and click OK.   Click File Open Registry

2.       Double click on the Local Computer icon.

3.       The Local Computer Properties box opens.  Browse to the Remote update.  (expand Network System polcies update and then check the Remote update.    Choose Manual (use specific path) from the Update mode drop down box and then enter the UNC location that the system policy will be stored in the Path for manual update text box.   Click OK with finished.

4.       Follow steps 1 through 4 on every MetaFrame server running in Application mode. 

 

You are now ready to create user and computer system polcies.

 


21. 3. 2  How to Create an Administrative Template to Hide Drives

In order to prevent your users from browsing the MetaFrame drives you will want to hide them from the users view through system policies.  This is accomplished in multiple ways but the easiest and most versatile way I have found is to utilize HideCalc to create Administrative Templates (Policy Templates). HideCalc is an awesome tool created by Sean Hegarty that does all the work for you. 

The following details how to create an Administrative Template (Policy Template) to hide server drives with HideCalc. 

 

1.       Extract the contests of hidecalc.zip found in the \Utilities\ folder in MIAB1.0.ZIP file.   Once extracted double click on hidecalc.exe

 

2.       Enter the location you would like to save the resulting Administrative Template (Policy Template) and click Doit


3.       Click to check the server drive letters you want to hide from the users view and click the Create ADM file button.

 

4.       Click OK.

 

 

You are now ready to import the newly created Administrative Tempaly (Policy Template).

 

 


21. 3. 3 How to add Administrative Templates to the System Policy Editor

1.       Click Start click Run type: poledit and click OK.

2.       Click Options click Policy Template

3.       Click Add

4.       Browse to a Policy Template and click Open.


5.       If you would like to add more Policy Templates then repeat steps 3 and 4 when finished click OK.

 

You are now ready to create or edit System Policies.


21. 3. 4 How to create a System Policy with the System Policy Editor

The following procedures document how to create a system policy with the System Policy Editor utility. 

1.       Click Start Click Run type: poledit

2.       Click Edit click Add Group

3.       The Add Group dialog box will open and prompt you to enter the groups name.  Click Browse  to select the group

4.       Select the groups you would like to add and click OK.  

Note:  I highly recommend you add the Domain Admins group and for every change you make to a group you make the adverse change to the Domain Admins group.  This will guarantee you dont lock yourself out.

 

5.       You are now presented with the System Policy that, in this example, consists of the Default Computer, Default User, CTX Users and Domain Admins groups.   Double Click on the CTX Users account to open the policy

Note:  The CTX Users account is a group made up of every user that has log on access to the MetaFrame server.  I recommend crating such a group instread of using the Domain Users group.


6.       You are now presented with the CTX Users Properties and are free to configure the policy by selecting polices.

 

7.       Now that you have imported the HideCalc Policy Template you will want to enable the policy by checking the Hide Drives as defined by Hidcalc.  You will also want to make other changes as well but remember to make the adverse changes to the Domain Admins group.   Click OK with finished.


8.       Now you will want to make the adverse policy change to the Domain Admins group to ensure that you do not lock yourself out of any features or functions.

9.       Click to uncheck any policy that was enabled in step 7.

Note:  An unchecked checkbox mean the policy is not enabled.  A grayed out check box means it will inherit the current applied policy and a checked box means the policy is enabled.

10.    Click OK.

 


11.    Click File click Save

 

12.    Save the policy to the policy share that was created earlier in the document. 

 

You are now ready to test your policy and tweak them as needed.  

 

 

 

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