Considerations
Many users want to run FME Form in a Citrix environment to support virtualized or centralized deployment. While this setup is common, there are key considerations around licensing, performance, and usability that should be reviewed to ensure a smooth experience.
Why This Happens
FME Form is compatible with Citrix environments and behaves similarly to a standalone installation. However, a few factors influence performance and configuration:
Licensing Requirements: Floating licenses are recommended for Citrix deployments. Each fixed license is tied to a specific user, which may not be ideal in multi-user setups. Technical support is not provided for fixed licensing in Citrix.
Performance Constraints: Performance issues are typically tied to network speed rather than Citrix itself. Large datasets read/written over the network can slow processing.
Drive Mapping Limitations: Citrix may not recognize mapped drives. This affects how datasets are accessed within FME Form.
How to Resolve It
To ensure the successful use of FME Form in a Citrix environment:
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Use Floating Licensing
Install FlexNet on a machine accessible via your LAN or other network. Avoid fixed licenses unless absolutely necessary.
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Optimize Network Performance
If handling many large files, consider compressing them into ZIP archives. FME Form can read from and write to ZIP files efficiently, reducing network overhead.
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Configure UNC Paths for Network Drives
Do not rely on mapped drive letters (e.g.,
Z:\FMEData) which may not be recognized. Instead, use the full UNC path format:\\ServerName\FMEData. -
Understand Geodatabase Requirements
For Esri File Geodatabase formats:
The machine must have ArcGIS installed if using the standard Geodatabase format.
Alternatively, use the API format, which does not require ArcGIS.
Additional Notes
Citrix deployments are regularly tested internally using a XenApp Fundamentals server.
If FME Workbench crashes or displays errors, ensure that Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributables are correctly installed on the Citrix server.