2009R2 Classic client deployment

Business Central/NAV Technical Forum
1

Hi,

A colleague of mine is suggesting that we should run the classic client executable finsql.exe from a shared folder on a server instead of installing the classic client on each machine ( simply copy the classic client directory from installation DVD onto this shared folder). We then simply created a shortcut on user machines pointing to the path of finsql.exe on the network share.

The proposal is we should only use this for local users on the same location we have the SQL database. Remote users will be accessing the database via a client installed on Citrix.

Has anyone tried this on a production environment ? Any implications or disadvantaging of accessing the database in this way.

I have tried this and its working fine without any errors etc.

I have always installed classic clients on user machines using group policy and never tried this method.

I have a feeling that this my hamper network performance but apart from that can’t see any real issue.

2

Hi,

That’s not a problem at all - this is how it’s normally done when using Citrix or Terminal Services.

Just make sure to specify the an individual path per user to the location of the users FIN.ZUP file and temp-files.

3

Hi Erik

I take it that the classic client doesn’t necessary have to be installed on end user machines as per the installation manual and the fact that there is no recommended best practice for this.

Finsql.exe can be run from anywhere as long as a ZUP is created for individual user and a path is sent for temp files etc.

Good to know this and system admins will only have to maintain a single folder for nearly 30 users. This will make managing and applying platform hot fixes very easy as well.

4

This is the recommended practice for installation on Citrix environment! Working with Citrix you would never install it locally, then the whole purpose of investing in a Citrix platform would be for nothing… [:)]

Have a great day!

5

I agree that on a Citrix environment this is the way to deploy the client. [:)]

My question is what about if we don’t want the users to go through Citrix. Instead of uninstalling the classic client on users machines, we put all files on a network share

  1. Can the finsql.exe be run from a network share ? Users will not have any installation files on their machines. They will have an icon pointing to the finsql.exe

eg. Q:\xxxxx\xxxxxxx\xxxxx\Classic\finsql.exe id=Q:\xxxxx\xxxxxxx\xxxxx\Classic\ZupLocation%username%.zup

I actually know the answer to this as this is working for me. I don’t have any classic installation files on my PC.

  1. Is this a recommended method a non-Ciitrix/TS deployment?