What is ICA?
ICA, short for "Independent Computing Architecture," is a protocol used for screen sharing in remote desktop environments. It was developed by Citrix Systems and is utilized in the company's VDI (Virtual Desktop Infrastructure) product, XenDesktop, as well as its application virtualization product, XenApp. To connect to these virtual desktops and applications via ICA, Citrix provides a client application called Citrix Receiver. By leveraging ICA, server-side execution of client operating systems and applications is centralized, with the client device receiving only screen data—an architecture known as server-based computing.
One of ICA's key features is its minimal network bandwidth usage, enabling smooth screen rendering even over WAN connections. Furthermore, Citrix Receiver supports a wide range of devices, including PCs, tablets, and smartphones, allowing access to virtual desktops, such as Windows environments, from not just traditional computers but also mobile devices.
F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) includes an ICA proxy feature, enabling the secure use of XenDesktop and XenApp in remote access scenarios.