Opening Ports for Citrix Access

[AnnDroyd]

I've never used Citrix Server, so could do with some expert opinions on this one...

We have advisors that come into the school on a regular basis, and want to have access to databases stored at their office on Citrix sytems.

Their IT people have requested that I open additional ports on our firewall in order to allow this to work.

Am I correct in thinking that rather than using client software, they could configure their servers to allow web access? This would allow their advisors to access their systems remotely via a web browser and would eliminate the need to submit additional change requests.

[Geoff]

See this Citrix KB article.

http://support.citrix.com/kb/entry!default.jspa?categoryID=118&entryID=2075

[AnnDroyd]

So can you use a web browser instead, and avoid opening extra ports?

[Ric_]

@jwood: It depends upon how it is set up... isaserver.org also has some useful info.

[Geoff]

Yeah, it basically depends if they have configured it for SSL or not.

[Ric_]

@Geoff: I think that there is also a load-blancing issue but I suspect that Connexions use Secure Gateway so the web access method will work.

[Geoff]

Yes, I assumed either that or the Access Gateway. In any case it's trivial to loadbalance IIS for citrix.

[Ric_]

@Geoff: It is the load-balancing of Citrix as opposed to IIS that is the problem... the machine you log on to is not necessarily the one you initially connect to.

[Geoff]

Indeed, I'm aware of that.