Using a Remote Desktop Connection with FileMaker Pro

When you are running Remote Desktop Services in application server mode, all applications are run on the server. The Remote Desktop Services server sends only screen information to the client and receives input only from the mouse and keyboard.

The server hardware requirements for Remote Desktop Services depend on how many clients will be connecting at a time and the usage requirements of the clients. See the Microsoft website.

Remote Desktop Services shares executable resources among users, so memory requirements for additional users running the same application are less than the requirements for the first user to load the application.

The Remote Desktop Services client, called Remote Desktop Connection (RDC), uses thin-client technology to provide the Windows Desktop to users. The client only needs to make a connection with the server and display the visual information that the server sends.

Remote Desktop Services client software should be installed on every machine that needs to use Remote Desktop Services.

• Windows: The Remote Desktop Connection software may be installed by default. If it is not installed, download it from the Microsoft website, or use Remote Desktop Web Connection.
• macOS: Download the Remote Desktop Connection software from the Microsoft website.

The Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) is automatically installed when you install Remote Desktop Services. RDP is the only connection you need to configure in order for clients to connect to the Remote Desktop Services server. You can configure only one RDP connection per network adapter.

• Organizations can deploy Windows-based applications on older systems that may have inadequate resources.
• Users can continue to use their current operating system and applications.
• Organizations can deliver Windows-based applications to a variety of desktop environments and over LANs and WANs.
• Administrators only need to install and update one copy of an application on a server machine instead of on all the computers in their network.
• Networked applications will perform better over slow network connections.

When you are running Citrix XenApp, all applications are run on the server. The server sends only screen information to the client and receives input only from the client mouse and keyboard.

The server hardware requirements for Citrix XenApp depend on how many clients will be connecting at a time and the usage requirements of the clients. See the Citrix website.

Citrix XenApp shares executable resources among users, so memory requirements for additional users running the same application are less than the requirements for the first user to load the application.

The Citrix ICA client uses thin-client technology to provide a Windows desktop or an application to users. Unlike with Remote Desktop Services clients, when a seamless application is published for Citrix ICA clients, the application appears as if it is running locally on the client desktop. For Windows desktops and applications, the client only needs to make a connection to the server; the server displays needed visual information to the client, while the client sends back keyboard and mouse information to the server. The application processing is done on the server; the application is not loaded onto the client.

Clients are available from the Citrix website.

The Citrix ICA protocol is installed when you install Citrix XenApp. The ICA protocol transmits data between the Citrix ICA client and Citrix XenApp and is designed for transparent support of Windows applications, low-bandwidth requirements, data compression, and encryption.

ICA connections have been tested and are supported with the TCP/IP protocol when FileMaker Pro runs on Citrix XenApp.

If you have any Remote Desktop Services clients accessing Citrix XenApp via Remote Desktop Connection, you must enable the TCP/IP protocol on Citrix XenApp.

• Organizations can deploy Windows applications in heterogeneous computing environments regardless of client hardware, operating system, or network connections.
• Users can continue to use their current operating system and applications.
• IT professionals can support specific Windows applications from a single location and manage application deployment, access, performance, security, and reliability.
• Administrators need to install and update only one copy of an application on a server machine and can create a variety of application environments, from complete Windows desktops to application windows.
• Citrix Web Interface working with Citrix XenApp is supported in the FileMaker Pro configuration model and allows organizations to integrate applications into any standard web browser.

• Set Remote Desktop Services to run in application server mode; see the Microsoft website.
• Consider carefully the number of users or clients that will be connecting, the types of applications you will be serving to clients, and how your users will be connecting to Citrix XenApp.

Citrix ICA client software should be installed on every machine that needs to use Citrix XenApp. Remote Desktop Services clients will be able to access the server but will not have the full feature set that Citrix ICA clients have. See your Citrix documentation for information on installing Citrix ICA clients.

You can use FileMaker Server to host files to the Remote Desktop Services server or the Citrix XenApp server.

• Remote Desktop Services: The Remote Desktop Services server that is deploying FileMaker Pro will access FileMaker Server, which hosts FileMaker Pro files to Remote Desktop Services clients as well as local FileMaker Pro clients.
• Citrix XenApp: FileMaker Server will host FileMaker Pro files to ICA clients via Citrix XenApp deploying FileMaker Pro, and will continue to host files to standalone FileMaker Pro clients.

When users open FileMaker Pro running on Remote Desktop Services or Citrix XenApp, they access FileMaker Pro files hosted by FileMaker Server in the same way they access FileMaker Server under normal networking conditions.

Note:FileMaker, Inc., does not support FileMaker Server running on the same machine with Remote Desktop Services and Citrix XenApp.

For information about opening shared files as a client, see FileMaker Pro Help in the Product Document Center.

When a macOS ICA client accesses FileMaker Pro through Citrix XenApp, remember that the client will be accessing a Windows application. The shortcut keys used on the macOS client will be Windows shortcut keys, and the application will look and feel like a Windows application.

Remote Desktop Services clients and Citrix XenApp clients can access FileMaker Pro files that are not shared over a network. Non-shared files can be developed and deployed by Remote Desktop Services clients and Citrix XenApp just like any non-shared FileMaker Pro file. Shared files and peer-to-peer hosting (FileMaker Network sharing) are not supported on Remote Desktop Services clients or Citrix XenApp clients.

Note:To turn off sharing for a file, choose File menu > Sharing > Share with FileMaker Clients, select the file, then select No users.