Running Linux, 5th Edition - Matthias Kalle Dalheimer [497]
Figure 28-5. Microsoft Outlook displayed by TSClient on a Linux desktop
Making Windows applications multiuser aware
The most common applications used on terminal servers are those in the Microsoft Office suite. Other applications, including custom-written ones, require modifications to run in multiuser mode. The examples here give you an idea of how you might install Microsoft Office.
When installing Office 2000 on a terminal server, you need to install the Office 2000 Resource Kit and specify a transform file, which ends with a .mst extension. Some people think of such a file as a mini-specification file. The file tells Terminal Services that the installation of the Office 2000 component is for multiuser mode.
At the beginning of the Office installation procedure, you need to specify the path to the transform file in the Office 2000 Resource Kit. For example, the setup command might look like this:
E:/Set.exe G:\Program Files\ORKTools\ToolBox\Tools\Terminal Server Tools\TERMSRVR.MST
The default Microsoft SDK transform file comes with the Resource Kit. You can also make your own transform file. Some applications, such as Internet Explorer, run from the Windows menu and do not require modifications, unless you wish to change the security settings. But if you use Microsoft Office products including Microsoft Project, Visio, or media tools, most administrators will want to restrict access to those features depending on the needs of the users. Some users don't need templates for doing drafting, so loading the drafting templates is a waste of memory, disk space, and bandwidth. Eliminating features can improve performance.
Office XP on a Terminal Services server gives you the option of using the Office XP Custom Installation Wizard to create a transform file to hold customized settings. You then install Office on the Terminal Services server by using that transform. All Office XP users who log on to the Terminal Services server receive the customized settings you defined in the transform.
On Windows Server 2003, the only version of Office 2003 that supports Terminal Services is Office 2003 Enterprise Edition. It makes installation easier than Office 2000. Setup detects the use of Terminal Services automatically. By default, Microsoft makes some features unavailable. Office 2003 users who log on to the Terminal Services server receive the settings defined by Microsoft and the administrator who installs the Office suite.
Using Windows applications from the Linux desktop
To launch TSClient from Fedora Core 3, simply select Launch → Internet → Terminal Server → Client. Once you have launched TSClient, you need to configure it for use with Windows Terminal Server in order to run applications. Figure 28-6 shows the first set of parameters required to start your client session.
Notice we use the Windows NetBIOS or host alias name of the server in the first line. Other parameters specify the RDP protocol and the Windows domain the system is in, which is known by the system administrator who set up the Windows server. Include your login name and your password on the Windows domain.
If you want to save configuration options for a session so you don't have to retype them next time, you can create a protocol file from the fields you've typed in. Use the Save As button to preserve the information for later use. In this example, we saved a file called gateway.tsc. By clicking Open, a user can load that file and it will populate the Terminal Server client with the saved settings.
Figure 28-6. Terminal Server client on a Linux desktop
Notice in Figure 28-6 that five tabs exist toward the top of the screen. Each of these tabs has parameters you can use to configure the look and feel of your session as well as the application that opens when you connect to the server. In Figure 28-7, you can see the options available in the Display tab; among its useful options are altering the