Apps.SMU

Sign In

Please Note:
 To help enhance application and data security, Duo Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) is required to access this service.
Name

Apps.SMU provides access to a variety of applications within a virtualized environment. Authorized individuals can login via a web browser, or into Citrix Workspace app and then launch approved applications. When launched, an application runs in the SMU private cloud, but looks and feels as though it is running locally on your device.

Currently, it is recommended that authorized individuals use either a Windows, Linux, or macOS computer running Citrix Workspace app to launch apps. Apps are also available on Android and Apple devices by downloading the Citrix Workspace app from the Google Play or the Apple App Store.


Getting Started

For best results, download Citrix Workspace app to launch apps from your Windows or macOS computer. For mobile devices, the Citrix Workspace app is also available for Android and iOS devices.

Citrix Workspace App Downloads

Scope

Apps.SMU is designed for use by faculty and staff to meet the following business needs:

  • Provide third tier security boundary for traditional 2-tier applications to insulate the data from the general purpose desktop environment.  This also frees the desktop from any legacy application support limitations and version / patch management requirements.
  • Provide back level desktop application versions to free desktop upgrades from legacy application requirements
  • Provide managed access entry point to the Data Center for Systems Administrators or other special Application Support Requirements
  • Support BCM (Business Continuity Management) initiatives where appropriate.
  • Please Note:
     Students are also able to use Apps.SMU to access certain applications (such as SAS, SPSS, etc) for labs and course assignments.

    Available Applications

    Most Windows applications can be made available via Apps.SMU. Client applications are currently provided for a variety of user groups. Using Apps.SMU to deliver your client application from the Data Center allows for more control of the application’s configuration, eliminates the hassle of maintaining clients on individual workstations, and allows secure access to your application from almost any network connected device.

    Requesting Access

    Applications supported are linked to a special business requirement, as noted in the Scope section above. Although you may be able to login to Apps.SMU, you will only see applications if you have been granted permission to those apps.  

    If you have a potential new application to add, or see a need for changes to your permissions, please send a free formed email request to the IT Help Desk (help@smu.edu). If you have a potential new application to add, please contact the IT Help Desk.


    Documentation and Training


    FAQs

    The Client File Security popup is Citrix’s way of granting you with remote application access to your local system drives. When prompted with the Client File Security popup, you should choose the level of access the remote application will have with your local drives and then choose if you would like to be asked this question again. Your responses should be based on your level of trust with the Citrix environment.

    This setting can be changed by right clicking the Citrix Receiver icon in the system tray and selecting Online Sessions Connection Center. From there you can change the security settings you had previously selected.

    Your session will be disconnected after 6 hours of idle time (no activity) and terminated after 2 hour of disconnected time.

    After downloading and installing the ICA client, be sure to close the IE browser session from which you initiated your Citrix access and open a new, fresh IE browser session. Make sure your Internet Explorer application allows saving of encrypted files (IE menu Tools -> Internet Options -> Advanced tab -> uncheck security option near bottom "Do not save encrypted pages to disk").

    Within a Citrix environment, the first loading of an application is similar to your PC. It is loaded into the Citrix server and then emulated for your screen. After this initial load, the application should perform as normal.

    To save a file from a Citrix application to your local workstation you will need to first grant “Full Access” (See FAQ "I am presented with a Client File Security popup when I launch an application via Citrix. What choices should I make?") to your local hard drive. Once the application is open you will need to follow the normal method for saving the file. When selecting a destination to save the file, you will notice a drive mapping labeled C on Client, where Client is your workstations name. This is your local C:\ drive. From here you can navigate to the location you wish to save the file. The same will apply for any other physical and network drives on your local workstation.

    In the Citrix environment, your My Documents folder (along with a few others) are redirected to your U drive. When you launch an application from apps.smu.edu, a folder called apps.smu.edu is created in your U drive. Any documents saved to your My Documents folder while working in Citrix, will be saved here and available to you outside of Citrix.

    Citrix is designed to map as your local workstation’s Default Printer. Citrix will set this printer as your Default Printer for the application that you are currently using. Follow the normal method for printing in the application and select the Default Printer for your session (most applications denote the Default Printer with a checkmark). You should recognize the name of the printer; it should be similar to the name as it appears on your local workstation.

    To print to a different printer from within Citrix, close the application; change your workstation’s Default Printer to the printer you wish to print from, and then re-launch the application. Now that printer will be mapped for use via Citrix.

    You will see other printer mappings because other users are also using the Citrix environment. Their printers are also being mapped as described in FAQ "How do I print from my Citrix application?"

    As the Citrix environment experiences multiple logon and log offs by multiple users it is necessary to reboot the servers in order to clean up any rouge processes. Citrix has a built-in feature that allows the administrators to schedule a reboot for the servers.