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Citrix DynamicUSB and RES PowerFuse
Often we receive questions from customers how to configure RES PowerFuse in such a way that a USB drive attached to a local client is available in a Citrix Session.
“Despite the fact i’ve configured the RES PowerFuse hide drive policy correctly, the USB Drive is not available in the Citrix session”.
“Removable disk security in RES PowerFuse does not seem to have effect”
“The USB drive is available in the Windows explorer of the Citrix session, but marked as ‘disconnected network drive’.
Before RES PowerFuse comes in to play, first the mechanism to access a locally attached USB drive in a Citrix session need to be configured. This is something which is handled through an ICA channel. Therefore Citrix Client drives (policy) needs to be enabled. Without enabling this channel, it will not work.
On top of the Citrix Client drive, Citrix developed a utility called ‘DynamicUSB’, which allows you to access a USB drive in a Citrix session, where the device is connected to a local client after the session is established.
The utility creates a directory under C:\CitrixUSBStore in the client file system for each USB drive that is inserted into the client device. This linked directory reflects the contents of the USB drive.
If the USB key is removed, the utility deletes the corresponding link directory.
The user can access the linked directory from a session using client drive mapping functionality.
More information regarding Dynamic USB can be found in the Citrix Knowledgebase: http://support.citrix.com/article/CTX112588
So, the mechanism works. Use RES PowerFuse to give (a group of) users access to the locally attached USB drive.
Create a (hidden) substitute to the local C:\CitrixUSBStore folder with the following properties:
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Description (optional)
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Virtual drive letter (U:\ in this example)
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Hide drive policy: Always hide, but allow access
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Physical drive and path: \\client\c$\CitrixUSBStore
- Title: USB Drive (in this example)
- Description: USB Drive (in this example)
- Command line: C:\windows\explorer.exe or pexplorer.exe
- Parameters: the letter used for the hidden substitution (U:\ in this example)
There’s one simple reason. The entry in the explorer is displayed as a ‘disconnected network drive’. This is default Windows behaviour and could be very confusing. With the hidden substitute the drive letter is not visible in the Explorer. Together with the created application, the USB drive icon can be placed anywhere on the StartMenu, Desktop and/or QuickLaunch (mandatory or voluntary).
You're right Egmond. One 8 dissapeared. Thanks!
http://support.citrix.com/article/CTX112588 should be the url i think.
Yeah upgrading to FP2 is an option but it's still using the client drive mapping mechanism, but its hot pluggable now, right? So you still not now which drive letter it is going to be on your client or in your session. With this or other tools you can predict what drive letter to show of to map for your users, that's why I think this, or something close to it should be the preferred configuration.
You could still use the utility 'DynamicUSB'. Or ... install XenApp 5.0 feature release 2 with HDX Plug and Play support for USB storage devices.