Citrix or Windows TSP to run applications over the internet

[mcveigh]

I amtrying to decide how to best let some remotely login over the net to a server running Quickbooks. I don't want to install any software if possible on the client machine.
I have used a third party's citrix based service to do this and it worked pretty well, the citrix ICA would download and install with few problems.

It would be cheaper to do this with Windows terminal services however.

what are the advantages/disadvanges of citrix?

could TSP support say 25 concurrent users logged in and runnig quickbooks w/ different data files open?
thanks!

edit: for spelling

 

[Tallgeese]

I'd first check with Intuit and make darn sure Quickbooks even supports Terminal Services.

In a related story, Fast User Switching in Windows XP Home isn't a good idea when using Quickbooks.

 

[mcveigh]

Originally posted by: TallGeese
I'd first check with Intuit and make darn sure Quickbooks even supports Terminal Services.

In a related story, Fast User Switching in Windows XP Home isn't a good idea when using Quickbooks.

Well I know that it can be done in citrix because we are doing that know.
Today I was plannign on installing QB on a win2k server to see how it handles terminal sessions.

 

[HankD]

>>Today I was plannign on installing QB on a win2k server to see how it handles terminal sessions.

I'm planning on it this weekend. I need to set up a 30 Thin Client network after Xmas for a Jan. 2nd office opening. Just got some of the parts together to try a trial setup (1 Win2K server 5 Thin Clients). The final setup will have 25-30 thin clients and 10-15 clients VPNing in from various locations with various hardware mixes. Only 5-8 need Quickbooks access and we own a 5 user license, I don't believe more than 3-4 need access at any one time. Our accountant helps administer the licensing (he got us a discount, he's some kind of rep.... he'll keep us legal), he doesn't believe I'll get it to run. So of course I have to prove him WRONG!!! Any help from the learned minds on AnandTech will be appreciated!!

Hank

 

[mcveigh]

Originally posted by: HankD
>>Today I was plannign on installing QB on a win2k server to see how it handles terminal sessions.

I'm planning on it this weekend. I need to set up a 30 Thin Client network after Xmas for a Jan. 2nd office opening. Just got some of the parts together to try a trial setup (1 Win2K server 5 Thin Clients). The final setup will have 25-30 thin clients and 10-15 clients VPNing in from various locations with various hardware mixes. Only 5-8 need Quickbooks access and we own a 5 user license, I don't believe more than 3-4 need access at any one time. Our accountant helps administer the licensing (he got us a discount, he's some kind of rep.... he'll keep us legal), he doesn't believe I'll get it to run. So of course I have to prove him WRONG!!! Any help from the learned minds on AnandTech will be appreciated!!

Hank

I got it to run fine over a local lan today, but I need to find a pc without QB to really try it.

 

[HankD]

We currently we have it running on a small peer to peer network and I have set it up on a Win NT server - Win 98 Client network before... but on a Thin Client setup all the applications reside and run on the server, no software is locally loaded or run. It is like the old Mainframe - terminal architecture and uses Windows terminal services. The clients only need to run Office (Word, Excel, Outlook) and some of the users need Quickbooks. Office is terminal services compliant and this weekend I'll find out if I can set it to run Quickbooks 2002. Any hints appreciated... except the ones to go to Linux

Hank

 

[SaigonK]

YOu should be able to run Quickbooks in Citrix.
We have similar apps and they all run fine.

 

[mcveigh]

it will work, I actually found a company that offers managed hosting at excellent prices Thanks!!

 

[ScottMac]

"Access over the Internet" is going to be through a VPN or some flavor of encrypted tunnel, right?

Hanging your financials on the Internet through an unsecured port is likely to be a "bad thing."

You may even want to look into a secondary authentication / firewall.

JM.02

Scott

 

[mcveigh]

Originally posted by: ScottMac
"Access over the Internet" is going to be through a VPN or some flavor of encrypted tunnel, right?

Hanging your financials on the Internet through an unsecured port is likely to be a "bad thing."

You may even want to look into a secondary authentication / firewall.

JM.02

Scott

I won't let them do it unencrypted no way. my reputation is worth more than their convience

 

[ScottMac]

I figured (honest, I did), but sometimes it's best to NOT leave some things unsaid, just in case someone else is reading the thread that might not know any better.

Happy Holidays

Scott