26 MetaFrame Presentation Server Reviewer’s Guide
Other Key Features of MetaFrame Presentation Server
The following is a list of features that can only be found within MetaFrame
Presentation Server:
Active Directory support. MetaFrame Presentation Server supports Microsoft
Active Directory, allowing administrators to publish applications to Active
Directory users and groups. Users can log onto MetaFrame Presentation Server
using their full Active Directory-based username and password.
Printer management. Even in diverse printing environments, administrators can
efficiently manage resources and ensure end-user satisfaction, thanks to tools
enabling printer driver replication and client printer compatibility. Additionally, to
maximize their personal productivity, end users can specify the amount of
bandwidth that printing consumes—even over low-bandwidth connections.
Shadowing enhancements. Responding to stricter policies on observing
employees, Citrix enables shadowing instances to be logged, and provides an on-
screen indicator when an administrator is shadowing a user. Shadowing is offered
as an installation option to accommodate organizations whose policies prohibit user
monitoring.
Client time zone support. In today’s distributed enterprises, users may be
accessing MetaFrame Presentation Server from around the world. These
applications run in the context of the user’s local time zone, ensuring accuracy of
records and appointments.
Expanded capacity. Citrix application serving environments can encompass
hundreds of servers supporting tens of thousands of users—all within a single
server farm.
Reduced IT administration. A central data store for all configuration settings lets
administrators make changes more easily and efficiently. Managing hundreds of
servers is accomplished smoothly, even with a limited IT staff.
Reduced network traffic. Citrix Independent Management Architecture (IMA),
the foundation for MetaFrame Presentation Servers, reduces server-to-server
communications. Configuration settings reside in the data store and are no longer
broadcast to other servers, reducing bandwidth consumption on the corporate
backbone.
Citrix administrator accounts. Previously, all Windows 2000 administrators had,
by default, complete administration authority over MetaFrame 1.8 configurable
settings. However, many organizations want to assign Citrix administration
privileges to only certain designated Windows 2000 administrators. With
MetaFrame Presentation Server, this is now a reality.