Client drive-mapping
Client drive-mapping supports the transfer of data between the host and the client as a stream. The file transfer adapts to the changing network throughput conditions. It also uses any available extra bandwidth to scale up the data transfer rate.
By default, this feature is enabled.
To disable this feature, set the following registry key and then restart the server:
Path: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\Currentcontrolset\services\picadm\Parameters
Name: DisableFullStreamWrite
Type: REG_DWORD
Value:
0x01 - disables
0 or delete - enables
Citrix Workspace app for Windows supports device mapping on user devices so they’re available from within a session. Users can:
- Transparently access local drives, printers, and COM ports
- Cut and paste between the session and the local Windows clipboard
- Hear audio (system sounds and .wav files) played from the session
Citrix Workspace app informs the server of the available client drives, COM ports, and LPT ports during sign-in. By default, client drives are mapped to server drive letters and server print queues are created for client printers, which make them appear to be directly connected to the session. These mappings are available only for the current user during the current session. They’re deleted when the user logs off and recreated the next time the user logs on.
You can use the redirection policy settings to map user devices not automatically mapped at logon. For more information, see the Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops documentation.
Disable user device mappings
You can configure user device-mapping including options for drives, printers, and ports, using the Windows Server Manager tool. For more information about the available options, see your Remote Desktop Services documentation.
Redirect client folders
Client folder redirection changes the way client-side files are accessible on the host-side session. Enabling only Client drive-mapping on the server, client-side full volumes automatically maps to the sessions as Universal Naming Convention (UNC) links. When you enable client folder redirection on the server and the user configures it on the user device, part of the user specified local volume gets redirected.
Only the user-specified folders appear as UNC links inside the sessions, instead of the complete file system on the user device. If you disable UNC links through the registry, client folders appear as mapped drives inside the session. For more information, including how to configure client folder redirection for user devices, see the Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops documentation.
Map client drives to host-side drive letters
Client drive-mapping redirects drive letters on the host-side to drives that exist on the user device. For example, drive H in a Citrix user session can be mapped to drive C of the user device running Citrix Workspace app for Windows.
Client drive-mapping is built into the standard Citrix device redirection facilities transparently. To File Manager, Windows Explorer, and your applications, these mappings appear like any other network mappings.
The server hosting virtual desktops and applications can be configured during installation to map client drives automatically to a given set of drive letters. The default installation maps drive letters assigned to client drives starting with V and works backward, assigning a drive letter to each fixed drive and CD-ROM drive. (Floppy drives are assigned their existing drive letters.) This method yields the following drive mappings in a session:
| Client drive letter | Accessible by the server as |
|---|---|
| A | A |
| B | B |
| C | V |
| D | U |
The server can be configured so that the server drive letters don’t conflict with the client drive letters. So, the server drive letters are changed to higher drive letters. In the following example, changing server drives C to M and D to N allows client devices to access their C and D drives directly. This method yields the following drive mappings in a session:
| Client drive letter | Accessible by the server as |
|---|---|
| A | A |
| B | B |
| C | C |
| D | D |
The drive letter used to replace the server drive C is defined during Setup. All other fixed drive and CD-ROM drive letters are replaced with sequential drive letters (for example; C > M, D > N, E > O). These drive letters must not conflict with any existing network drive mappings. If you map the network drive to the same drive letter as a server drive letter, the network drive mapping isn’t valid.
Connecting a user device to a server, reestablishes client mappings unless automatic client device mapping is disabled. Client drive-mapping is enabled by default. To change the settings, use the Remote Desktop Services (Terminal Services) Configuration tool. You can also use policies to give you more control over how client device mapping is applied. For more information about policies, see the Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops documentation.