To start with, here is a short demo video of how to install AutoCAD Map3D 2009 on XenApp I created.
Discover more Citrix related videos at the Citrix utipu video site
Note that AutoCAD Map3D 2009 requires you to use network based license which is not default option. If you don't read the installation guide carefully, you can mistakenly take the default option. If the wrong model (standalone license) is chosen, at most two users can connect concurrently. And there is no easy way to change the license model after installation is completed. Initially I made the mistake of choosing the default option and had to re-install
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Please see my blogs for the complete series.
Ray Yang
I've been working with AutoDesk for a while to ensure AutoDesk products can work well with Citrix products and create new solutions.
I'd like to share what I learned with the community. Thus I am creating this tips and tricks series to cover all things that are related to AutoDesk and Citrix. I will try to cover mainly technical information, tips and tricks. But I may include other useful information as well.
Many thanks to everyone who helped with this on-going effort!
If you would like to hear more about certain aspects of AutoDesk and Citrix related solutions, please leave comments on my blog. I'd love to hear from you.
Ray Yang
Several people applying to join the Tech Preview program for Apollo Accelerated Bitmap Remoting (ABR) for 3D professional graphics have asked about AutoCAD. While Apollo ABR can certainly be used to deliver AutoCAD, this sort of 2D graphics application can actually be delivered very effectively with XenApp since it generally does not require GPU hardware acceleration. The challenge is that AutoCAD itself is not supported on Terminal Services, but the answer to that issue is found in Chris Richner's blog post. The solution is to upgrade to Autodesk Map 3D, which includes all of the features and functionality of AutoCAD but is fully supported on Terminal Services. Be sure to check out www.autodeskandcitrix.com.
Learn how to run AutoCAD Map 3D on Citrix XenApp in this webinar on Wednesday, June 25, 2008 featuring Arnold Schwabe, Autodesk Technical Consultant.
A number of guides for running AutoCAD on Citrix environments have been floating around on the Web. There is the unofficial guide to running AutoCAD 2006 via Terminal Services or XenApp (it was called Presentation Server at that time) as highlighted by Michel Roth. More recently, Gus Pinto from Citrix highlighted the just-released guide Installing AutoCAD Map 3D on Citrix XenApp. In short, I've observed a lot of energy around the Citrix/Autodesk relationship in the past few quarters.
Now learn more about running AutoCAD Map 3D on XenApp by attending the Citrix and Autodesk TechTalk webinar (registration required) . Topics to be covered are:
- Simplify application management by delivering AutoCAD Map3D with Citrix XenApp
- Improve efficiency and flexibility of Autodesk's geospatial applications
- Enhance application performance - scalability and performance test results
- Technical overview of installation and server configuration
- Reduce costs - a detailed look at ROI results
Featured Speaker
Arnold Schwabe, Autodesk Technical Consultant
Arnold has been using Autodesk products since 1990 in a variety of fields including agriculture, dredging, forestry, land development, property management, and geospatial consulting for government agencies and private companies. He has also spent time in IT/IS administrator roles in similar organizations. While working for an Autodesk reseller, he taught and authored several standard and custom training classes on AutoCAD, Land Desktop, Civil 3D, and Autodesk Map. As a consultant, he has provided services related to geospatial and civil products and worked as a contractor to Autodesk for Civil 3D QA work and testing of new functionality of Map 3D.
You can find more information on how Citrix and Autodesk are working together here.
Leave a comment on anything that you would like to cover during the webinar. I will pass it along to the presenters.
Deployment and installation of AutoCAD Map 3D 2009 on Citrix XenApp 4.5 requires careful planning and execution.
This step-by-step document will guide you through AutoCAD Map 3D installation, setup and tweaks in order to successfully run Autodesk's product on a Citrix XenApp environment.
You can download the document here:
AutoCAD Map 3D, first introduced in the mid 1990s, has become the leading engineering platform for creating and managing geospatial information, bringing together the CAD and GIS worlds so that spatial data can easily be integrated with design drawings. The software is widely used by utilities, government agencies and industries dealing with natural resources.

Citrix and Autodesk have just completed extensive verification and field testing using XenApp Presentation Server 4.5 to provide on-demand access to AutoCAD Map 3D 2009, which has now been validated as Citrix Ready. This is a great example of how Citrix multimedia virtualization technologies such as SpeedScreen Progressive Display and SpeedScreen Image Acceleration optimize the ICA protocol to provide an excellent user experience with graphical applications while increasing security and dramatically reducing management and workstation costs.
To learn more about the Citrix and Autodesk partnership and this solution, check out today's press release and this new web site: http://www.citrixandautodesk.com/.
Derek Thorslund
Product Strategist, Multimedia Virtualization