After MetaFrame Presentation Server 3.0 uploads the output files to the Web site, CAS processes them and sends them back to you in another XML file. At this point, you need to use Mlicense's activate parameter to activate the licenses. For example, if CAS sends you the file fileoutputfromcas.xml, you run the command
mlicense activate
/I fileoutputfromcas.xml
You use the backup parameter to back up all the serial numbers in the IMA data store for backup and disaster-recovery purposes. For example, the command
mlicense backup
/O C:\temp\backup.txt
writes the serial numbers to the backup.txt file in the C:\temp directory. (If you create a backup file in a temporary directory, make sure you later remove the file from that directory.)
You use the extract_unactivated parameter to run Mlicense against the data store and extract the serial numbers from the unactivated licenses (i.e., the licenses not yet sent to the CAS Web site). For example, the command
Mlicense extract_unactivated
/O C:\temp\unactivated.xml
extracts the serial numbers for the unactivated licenses and writes those numbers to the unactivated.xml file. When you're ready to activate those licenses, you can upload the unactivated.xml file to the CAS Web site, then activate the XML file CAS sends you.
PNAgent as a Pass-Through Client
Non-Win32 (e.g., DOS, Win16, UNIX, Macintosh) users don't automatically have access to Program Neighborhood, which is the Win32 interface of the ICA client. Program Neighborhood offers many dynamic features that other ICA client versions lack. For example, when Win32 users authenticate to Program Neighborhood, they receive a list of their applications; to launch one of these applications, all the Win32 users have to do is double-click it. Non-Win32 users have to customize a connection to every application they want to access.
With the early MetaFrame versions, the only way non-Win32 users can take advantage of Program Neighborhood is if you install an ICA pass-through client on the MetaFrame server, then publish Program Neighborhood as an application. These users can then connect to the Program Neighborhood client and, based on their user credentials, access the published applications that you've configured for them. However, when these users launch an application, they're launching it through another launched application-in other words, they're using an application within an application-which can cause the desired application to run slowly.
MetaFrame Presentation Server 3.0 offers another option: using PNAgent as a pass-through client. Instead of publishing Program Neighborhood as an application, you can publish the desktop of a server on which you've installed PNAgent. The users then connect to the published desktop, where they have access to all their published applications.
Haven't Upgraded Yet?
MetaFrame Presentation Server 3.0 offers many new enhancements that can make your job easier. If you're running MetaFrame XP FR2 or earlier, I highly recommend that you upgrade to MetaFrame Presentation Server 3.0 because you're missing out on numerous new features and performance enhancements. If you're running MetaFrame XP Presentation Server FR3, I recommend that you seriously consider upgrading. MetaFrame Presentation Server 3.0 is a featured-filled release that's worth the time and effort to upgrade to.