help!want all pc's to use apps on one

[smokewarlock]

i am setting up a network that is peer to peer..but i want to put applications and programs on one and all the other systems to use those applications. how do i go about setting this up..they all will be running xp. but if have to will revert them to 98se...just need to know what to do...really appreciate the help

 

[mboy]

Basically, you will not be able to unless you run a terminal server as that is what it is for. For most apps (if not all), you wont be able to do what u want with a simple peer to peer.

 

[JackMDS]

In other words you have to invest in Real Server and Server enabled applications.

 

[smokewarlock]

so i would have to buy a server and applications that are specifically for a server..such as office for server?....and if i do this how would i set it up so that they all run the apps for the one server...once again thanks for the help..just getting back into systems.

 

[mboy]

What is this for? I doubt you are going to have the budget to do this successfully. You are theoretically talking $10k at a bare mini to start implementing this betwween hardware and server licensing.

 

[smokewarlock]

is there a way for all the systems to access information ..say in a database on one..and make changes to it..and that they all can access this information simutaneously? your right 10k is way over budget..is there some kind of work around to letting all access the database? thanks again

 

[mboy]

What kind of database? No matter what database u use, you are going to need some type of client or app to access it in some way. Whether it be access (on each client) or Oracle client to connect to Oracle DB

 

[titanmiller]

I belive all you have to do is install the programs into a shared folder and place a shortcut to the program on the other computers.
Windows XP will not let you share the "Program Files" folder so I created a folder named "Shared Program Files" and share it with full permissions, seems to work. If you want to there is a regestry edit so that the shared folder becomes your default location to install new programs into.

 

[tooltime]

terminal sever is in windows server 2000, advanced and 2003. what else is needed to have an app run from a box running one of the above server os's?

 

[Matthias99]

The problem isn't running the programs from the server -- what titanmiller suggested (or some variant thereof) will work fine. Windows doesn't care if the program is loaded on the local disk, a mounted network drive, or a shared folder. The problem is that most *programs* aren't built to be run by multiple users simultaneously. If you have four different people trying to run one copy of, say, vanilla Microsoft Excel, it might not work right -- and it definitely won't work right if they want to read/write the same files simultaneously.

Programs which are built for multi-user access (like Oracle DB, or the server-based versions of Office) have built-in locking and protection mechanisms to manage access from multiple users. But "regular" applications usually don't.

 

[smokewarlock]

thank you for your input ..the information that has been furnished...has given me the basics of how to approach the matter ..thanks all

 

[Nothinman]

what else is needed to have an app run from a box running one of the above server os's?

Properly written applications, which doesn't seem to include most Windows applications. Even applications for Microsoft make stupid assumptions about the computer being single user only and need work-arounds to work properly in a TS/Citrix environment.

Programs which are built for multi-user access (like Oracle DB, or the server-based versions of Office) have built-in locking and protection mechanisms to manage access from multiple users.

There's no "server-based version of Office", you install Office on TS from the same CD as you would on any other box. The only special parts are the polices and workarounds available/required for TS/Citrix.

The main problem is most Windows apps write to the apps installed directory (usually somewhere in Program Files) or the box's Windows directory and on a properly setup box those directories are read-only to the user causing the program to not function properly. Some of them have work arounds that you can do to have it instead write to the user's profile but it's a PITA and for some apps a decent amount of extra work.

 

[exx1976]

I currently run ~900 users from 12 TS servers, and let me tell ya.. Office is BY FAR the worst application for this type of setup. What Nothinman said is half correct.. You DO use the standard CD, but you can't just launch the install.. You have to create .MST files (MicroSoft Transform files) in order to get the app to install correctly, you need to be in install mode, you need to run each app once as the admin before the users can access it, and setting up the Outlook profiles is a PITA! Unless you've got the knowledge to do what you are suggesting, I highly recommend you save your cash and brain cells and hair folicles and just go out and buy more copies of whatever software it is you're looking to do this with. It's cheaper and MUCH easier (in the short term).

 

[Nothinman]

Oh yea, forgot about the transform files. I'm not the Citrix admin here, I just hear him b!tch =)

 

[xyyz]

hmmm it all depends on the application. that's what people are forgetting. you don't need to invest in a TS just yet.

for example, CRM software like act and goldmine... run off of one system and you put a link on each machine that needs to access that application. in past, i've set goldmine on a win98se machine and had 10+ users run the application from there.

 

[easternerd]

I might argue its not nessacary to go for any real commercial applications..
there are so many VNC applications.. you can use..
lots of them are also open source..
just try a search in sourceforge...
My favourite is TightVnc

 

[Nothinman]

How many of those VNC applications allow multiple users to connect to them and all get seperate desktops?

 

[SaigonK]

Originally posted by: exx1976
I currently run ~900 users from 12 TS servers, and let me tell ya.. Office is BY FAR the worst application for this type of setup. What Nothinman said is half correct.. You DO use the standard CD, but you can't just launch the install.. You have to create .MST files (MicroSoft Transform files) in order to get the app to install correctly, you need to be in install mode, you need to run each app once as the admin before the users can access it, and setting up the Outlook profiles is a PITA! Unless you've got the knowledge to do what you are suggesting, I highly recommend you save your cash and brain cells and hair folicles and just go out and buy more copies of whatever software it is you're looking to do this with. It's cheaper and MUCH easier (in the short term).

900 users from 12 servers? Sheesh! Talk about not utilizing your farm!
I run 25 servers and service 10,000 users, usualy concurrent connections is about 50-70 users per box, beef up those servers and go for broke!

And there are allot worse apps to install on a Citrix box than Office, office was easy...try PeopleSoft or Business Objects..now theres a fun time...

 

[xyyz]

the problem with this is that i dunno of any vnc apps that allow for TS like services. they simply behave like PC anywhere. it's one person who has access to the machine. there isn't a separate desktop for each person.

 

[Nothinman]

the problem with this is that i dunno of any vnc apps that allow for TS like services

Actually the ones for unix do, each vncserver get a different display, but AFAIK noone of the Windows versions do that.