This article describes how to configure Enterprise File Shares on Access Gateway Enterprise Edition appliance to use Microsoft hidden shares and the %username% environment variable on Microsoft Windows Server 2008.

Requirements

• Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) or console access to the Windows Active Directory Server

• Active Directory (AD) Users and Computers snap-in

• A pre-configured group configured on Active Directory for your end users of this feature

• Command Line Interface or Graphical User Interface (GUI) access to the NetScaler or Access Gateway Enterprise Edition appliance

• DNS resolution configured on the NetScaler appliance if using fully-qualified domain names for the UNC (Uniform Naming Convention) path of the file share

Background

Microsoft Windows servers have the feature of creating hidden shares for directories. When combined with user home folders and the %username% environment variable, you have a powerful method to redirect users to their home folder over Clientless Virtual Private Networking (VPN) using the File Transfer feature of Access Gateway Enterprise Edition.

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Instructions

Windows

1. Create a home folder for each user, such as: C:\Home\username.
2. Share the home folder with $ appended to make it a hidden folder.
3. Apply permission in line with the security requirements.

   

4. Update the Home Folder path in Active Directory Users and Computers, as shown in the following screen shot:

   

5. To give access to a user, add the user to the Active Directory user group. In this example we are using the Citrix_Clientless_Access group.

NetScaler Appliance

To configure user group on the appliance by using the command line interface, complete the following procedure:

1. Open the shell prompt on the NetScaler appliance.

2. Run the following command to add the AAA group:
   > add aaa group Citrix_Clientless_Access

3. Run the following command to add the new share:
   >add vpn url Home Home q/\\dc1.example.lab\%username%$/

4. Run the following command to bind the share to the AAA group Citrix_Clientless_Access:    
   >bind aaa group Citrix_Clientless_Access -urlName Home

To configure the user group on the appliance by using the Configuration utility of the appliance, complete the following procedure:

1. Open the Configuration utility of the appliance.

2. Select Access Gateway > Resources > Bookmarks.

3. Click Add.

4. Add the name of the Bookmark, the name that will appear in the Access Gateway portal and the Bookmark, which is the UNC path to the file share including the dollar:

   

5. Click Create.

6. Select Access Gateway > Groups.

7. Click Add.

8. In the Create AAA Group dialog box enter a name for the Group name, in this example Citrix_Clientless_Access.

   

9. Click Bookmarks.

10. Select the bookmark Home.

11. Click Add to move this across to Configured Bookmarks.

12. Click Create.

How to configure Enterprise File Shares on Access Gateway Enterprise Edition to use Microsoft hidden shares and %username% environment variable on Microsoft Windows Server 2008

The %username% environment variable works with Access Gateway Enterprise Edition software release 9.2 build 47.11 and later.