Complete book which drives you end to end installation of xenapp

A XenApp deployment consists of three deployment groups: user device (represented in this diagram by Citrix Receiver and Citrix Dazzle), Access Infrastructure, and Virtualization Infrastructure.

· On the left of this diagram are Citrix Dazzle and Citrix Receiver, which represent the set of devices on which you can install client software. Citrix Dazzle provides your users with a selection of applications you have made available to them. Citrix Receiver manages the client software plug-ins that enable your users to interact with virtualized applications. When designing a XenApp deployment, you consider how your users work, their devices, and their locations.

· Access Infrastructure represents secure entry points deployed within your DMZ and provide access to resources published on XenApp servers. When designing a XenApp deployment, you provide secure access points for the different types of users in your organization.

· Virtualization Infrastructure represents a series of servers that control and monitor application environments. When designing a XenApp deployment, you consider how applications are deployed based on your user types and their devices, the number of servers you need, and which features you want to enable in order to provide the support, monitoring, and management your organization requires.

A XenApp deployment consists of three deployment groups: user device (represented in this diagram by Citrix Receiver and Citrix Dazzle), Access Infrastructure, and Virtualization Infrastructure.

· On the left of this diagram are Citrix Dazzle and Citrix Receiver, which represent the set of devices on which you can install client software. Citrix Dazzle provides your users with a selection of applications you have made available to them. Citrix Receiver manages the client software plug-ins that enable your users to interact with virtualized applications. When designing a XenApp deployment, you consider how your users work, their devices, and their locations.

· Access Infrastructure represents secure entry points deployed within your DMZ and provide access to resources published on XenApp servers. When designing a XenApp deployment, you provide secure access points for the different types of users in your organization.

· Virtualization Infrastructure represents a series of servers that control and monitor application environments. When designing a XenApp deployment, you consider how applications are deployed based on your user types and their devices, the number of servers you need, and which features you want to enable in order to provide the support, monitoring, and management your organization requires.

The following diagram shows the access infrastructure in greater detail.

In this access infrastructure diagram:

· All of your users use Citrix Dazzle to choose applications they want to run. Citrix Receiver plug-ins run them.

· Onsite users within your corporate firewall interact directly with the XenApp Web and Services Site.

· Remote-site users access applications through sites replicated by Citrix Branch Repeater.

· Off-site users access applications though secure access, such as Access Gateway.

· The Merchandising Server makes available self-service applications to your users through Citrix Dazzle.

· EasyCall Voice Services enables your users to initiate telephone calls by clicking on telephone numbers displayed in their applications.

· The XML Service relays requests and information between the Access Infrastructure and the Virtualization Infrastructure.

The following diagram shows the virtualization infrastructure in greater detail.

In this virtualization infrastructure diagram:

· The XML service relays information and requests.

· Based on Active Directory profiles and policies, the XenApp servers invoke the correct application delivery type for the user. The XenApp servers provide server-side application virtualization and session management. Session and deployment configuration information are stored in data collectors and a central data store represented by the deployment data store.

· The App Hub provides Streamed Application Profiles, which are client-side virtualization applications housed in your enterprise storage.

· The VM Hosted Apps server isolates problematic applications inside a seamless desktop, which, depending on the user profile, can be virtualized on the user device or on the server. The desktop images are provisioned through Provisioning Server. Session and server configuration information are stored in the enterprise database.

· Provisioning Services delivers desktops to servers, which are stored as desktop images in your enterprise database.

· SmartAuditor provides session monitoring. Recorded sessions are stored in your enterprise storage and configuration information is stored in the deployment data store.

· Service Monitoring enables you to test server loads so you can estimate how many servers you need for your deployment and to monitor those servers once they are deployed.

· Power and Capacity Management enables you to reduce power consumption and manage server capacity by dynamically scaling the number of online servers.

· Single Sign-on provides password management for virtualized applications. Passwords are stored in the account authority.

About Virtualization Infrastructure

The virtualization infrastructure, which is the center of a XenApp deployment, concerns the following concepts:

Application enumeration

Application enumeration is when Citrix client software lists virtualized applications available on the XenApp servers. The client software transmits data to locate servers on the network and retrieves information about the published applications. For example, during enumeration, the XenApp online plug-in communicates through Citrix XML Service with the XenApp server to determine applications available for that user.

Application publishing

To deliver an application to your users through Citrix Dazzle and the XenApp online or offline plug-ins, whether virtualized on the desktop or the server, you use the Delivery Services Console to publish the application.

Citrix Licensing

A Citrix License Server is required for all XenApp deployments. Install the license server on either a shared or stand-alone server, depending on your farm’s size. After you install the license server, download the appropriate license files and add these to the license server.

Data Store

The data store is the database where servers store farm static information, such as configuration information about published applications, users, printers, and servers. Each server farm has a single data store.

Data Collector

A data collector is a server that hosts an in-memory database that maintains dynamic information about the servers in the zone, such as server loads, session status, published applications; users connected, and license usage. Data collectors receive incremental data updates and queries from servers within the zone. Data collectors relay information to all other data collectors in the farm. By default, the data collector is configured on the first farm server when you create the farm and all other servers are configured with equal rights to become the data collector if the data collector fails. When the zone’s data collector fails, a data collector election occurs and another server takes over the data collector functionality. Farms determine the data collector based on the election preferences set for a server.

The data collector is a controller and applications are typically not published on it.

Zones

A zone is a grouping of XenApp servers that communicate with a common data collector. In large farms with multiple zones, each zone has a server designated as its data collector. Data collectors in farms with more than one zone, function as communication gateways with the other zone data collectors.

The data collector maintains all load and session information for the servers in its zone. All farms have at least one zone, even small ones. The fewest number of zones should be implemented, with one being optimal. Multiple zones are necessary only in large farms that span WANs.

Streaming Profiles

You can deliver applications to users by either virtualizing them on the desktop (streaming) or by virtualizing them on the server (hosting). If you are virtualizing applications on the desktop, either streaming to the client or server, create a streaming profile server in your environment. To virtualize applications on the desktop, you create profiles of the application and then store the profile on a file or Web server. The profile consists of the manifest file (.profile), which is an XML file that defines the profile, as well as the target files, a hash key file, the icons repository (Icondata.bin), and a scripts folder for pre-launch and post-exit scripts.

Web Interface

The Web Interface is a required component in any environment where users access their applications using either the online plug-in or a Web browser. Install the Web Interface on a stand-alone computer; however, where resources are limited, the Web Interface is sometimes collocated with other functions..

XenApp Web and XenApp Services Sites

XenApp Web and XenApp Services sites (formerly known as Access Platform and Program Neighborhood Agent Services sites, respectively) provide an interface to the server farm from the client device. When a user authenticates to a XenApp Web or XenApp Services site, either directly or through the XenApp plug-in or the Access Gateway, the site:

· Forwards the user’s credentials to the Citrix XML Service

· Receives the set of applications available to that user by means of the XML Service

· Displays the available applications to the user either through a Web page or by placing shortcuts directly on the user’s computer

Citrix XML Service and the Citrix XML Broker

The Citrix XML Broker functions as an intermediary between the other servers in the farm and the Web Interface. When a user authenticates to the Web Interface, the XML Broker:

· Receives the user’s credentials from the Web Interface and queries the server farm for a list of published applications that the user has permission to access. The XML Broker retrieves this application set from the Independent Management Architecture (IMA) system and returns it to the Web Interface.

· Upon receiving the user’s request to launch an application, the broker locates the servers in the farm that host this application and identifies which of these is the optimal server to service this connection based on several factors. The XML Broker returns the address of this server to the Web Interface.

The XML Broker is a function of the Citrix XML Service. By default, the XML Service is installed on every server during XenApp installation. However, only the XML Service on the server specified in the Web Interface functions as the broker. (The XML Service on other farm servers is still running but is not used for servicing end-user connections.) In a small farm, the XML Broker is typically designated on a server dedicated to several infrastructure functions. In a large farm, the XML Broker might be configured on one or more dedicated servers.

The XML Broker is sometimes referred to as a Citrix XML Server or the Citrix XML Service. For clarity, the term XML Broker is used to refer to when the XML Service functions as the intermediary between the Web Interface and the IMA service, regardless of whether it is hosted on a dedicated server or collocated with other controller functions.

System Requirements for XenApp 6 for Windows Server 2008 R2

During wizard-based installation, the XenApp Server Role Manager (using the Server Role Installer) automatically installs prerequisites for the selected roles.

· .NET Framework 3.5 SP1 (this is a prerequisite for the XenApp Server Role Manager; it is deployed automatically when you choose to add the XenApp server role from the Autorun menu)

· Windows Server Remote Desktop Services role (if you do not have this prerequisite installed, the Server Role Manager installs it and enables the RDP client connection option; you will be asked to restart the server and resume the installation when you log on again)

· Windows Application Server role

· Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 SP1 Redistributable (x64)

· Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 SP1 Redistributable (x64)

· Database Configuration for Citrix Datastore

· Licensing server (TS Licensing / Citrix Licensing)

If the server already has the following IIS role services installed, the Citrix XML Service IIS Integration component is selected by default in the wizard-based XenApp installation, and the Citrix XML Service and IIS share a port (default = 80). If the IIS role services are not installed, the Citrix XML Service IIS Integration component is not selected by default in the wizard-based installation. In this case, if you select the checkbox, the Server Role Manager installs the following IIS role services. (If you do not install these services, the Citrix XML Service defaults to standalone mode with its own port settings, which you can configure using the XenApp Server Configuration Tool.)

· Web Server (IIS) > Common HTTP Features > Default Document (selecting this role service automatically selects Web Server (IIS) > Management Tools > Management Console, which is not required or checked for XenApp installation)

· Web Server (IIS) > Application Development > ASP.NET (selecting this role service automatically selects Web Server (IIS) > Application Development > .NET Extensibility; although not checked for XenApp installation, .NET Extensibility is required by ASP.NET)

· Web Server (IIS) > Application Development > ISAPI Extensions

· Web Server (IIS) > Application Development > ISAPI Filters

· Web Server (IIS) > Security > Windows Authentication

· Web Server (IIS) > Security > Request Filtering

· Web Server (IIS) > Management Tools > IIS 6 Management Compatibility (which includes IIS 6 Metabase Compatibility, IIS 6 WMI Compatibility, IIS 6 Scripting Tools, and IIS 6 Management Console)

Data Store Databases

The following databases are supported for the data store:

• Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Express (can be deployed for you by the XenApp Server Configuration Tool when creating a new XenApp farm)
• Microsoft SQL Server 2005
• Microsoft SQL Server 2008
• Oracle 11g R2

By default, XenApp Setup creates local accounts to run the following XenApp services:

Note:

To prepare XenApp for server imaging and provisioning, you can use the XenApp Server Configuration Tool included on the XenApp 6 for Windows Server 2008 R2 installation media. However, the preparation process is streamlined and more effective if you use the updated XenApp Server Configuration Tool, which you can install on the server with CTX124981. If you install the updated XenApp Server Configuration Tool after you install XenApp, you must use the same user account that was used to install XenApp.

If you use a Microsoft SQL Server or Oracle database for the farm data store, and use command-line XenApp configuration, create a Data Source Name (DSN) file before configuring XenApp. (A wizard-based configuration creates the DSN file for you.) Each server in the farm must have the DSN file. You can create the file and copy it to other servers, or put it on a network share, provided you remove the value for any workstation-specific information (such as the Oracle WSID). Use the /DsnFile:dsn_file option to specify the file location on the XenApp configuration command line.

If you plan to use the Configuration Logging feature and encrypt the data being logged, you must load the encryption key on servers that join the farm after configuring XenApp but before restarting the server.

Installation

Database creation for Citrix Datastore:

· Each Citrix farm must have one Datastore. To create the database login to the Database server. Open “SQL Server Management Studio”

· Supply required credentials to connect to Database server:

· To create a database for storing Citrix Datastore go to:

Database à New Database

· Specify the Database name planned for Citrix farm

· Change the location of Database where you want to store the Datastore.

· Database is created now.

· To Create a SQL user ID/Password for database authentication go to: Security à Logins à New Login

· Type the User name and select “SQL server authentication”. Select the default database as the one you just created. In this case its “LOSDCTOOLS” with English language

· Under User Mapping, the role will be assigned to the user account to the database. Select the roles for the new database as shown below.

Then click OK to finish the SQL account creation and close the SQL Server Manager.

Citrix Installation:

Note: It is always recommended to login to the server with local administrator account before installing Citrix Application.

1. On the installation media, double-click autorun.exe. The Autorun menu launches. Select Install XenApp Server.

2. The Server Role Manager launches and checks if any roles are already installed. Select Add server roles.

3. Select your XenApp edition. In this case we are installing Platinum Edition

4. Accept the End User License Agreement.

5. Select the roles you want to add. (The Server Role Manager displays only the roles supported in the XenApp edition you selected. Some roles may require current Subscription Advantage membership.)

6. Select role subcomponents.

Roles may have default and optional components such as management tools, plug-ins, or agents. Certain subcomponents may be selected by default when you select a role to add.

For example, when you select the XenApp role, the XenApp Management subcomponent is selected by default; this subcomponent includes the Delivery Services Console. If you prefer not to install the console on this server, you can deselect it. You can also select other available role subcomponents.

If you are installing the XenApp role, the Optional Components list includes XML Service IIS Integration. When selected, the Citrix XML Service and IIS share a port (default = 80).

· If the server on which you are installing XenApp has IIS installed, the XML Service IIS Integration component is selected by default.

· If IIS is not installed, the component checkbox is not selected. In this case, if you select the checkbox, the Server Role Installer installs IIS. (If you do not install the XML Service IIS Integration component, the Citrix XML Service defaults to standalone mode with its own port settings, which you can configure using the XenApp Server Configuration Tool.)

The Citrix online plug-in and Citrix offline plug-in are installed automatically when you install the XenApp role. These plug-ins do not appear in the components lists, and you cannot disable these installations during a wizard-based installation.

7. Review the prerequisites summary, which indicates which role or subcomponent needs the prerequisite, and whether the Server Role Installer installs it or you must install it. For software you must install, the display indicates whether the XenApp installation media contains the software or you must obtain it elsewhere.

8. Review the summary, which lists the selected roles and subcomponents to be installed or prepared. It also lists prerequisites which will be automatically deployed for all selected roles.

9. Click Finish to complete the installation wizard and reboot the server

10. Access the XenApp Server Role Manager.

The XenApp Server Role Manager runs every time you log on to the XenApp server, unless you disable that feature. You can run the XenApp Server Role Manager from Program Files (x86)\Citrix\XenApp\XenAppServerRoleManager\XenAppServerRoleManager.

In the XenApp Server Role Manager task list, click Configure under XenApp. The Server Configuration Tool launches.

11. Indicate the task you want to perform. If you have not yet configured the XenApp server role, you can create a farm or add the server to (join) an existing farm.

· When you install XenApp for Windows Server 2008 R2 on the first server, that server is where you create a new farm.

· After you install XenApp on other servers, you add each server to (join) an existing farm.

Note:

· If you previously configured the XenApp server role, and you are using the XenApp Server Configuration Tool from the XenApp 6 for Windows Server 2008 R2 installation media, you can create a farm, add the server to (join) an existing farm, or leave (remove the server from) the farm. If you choose to create a farm or add the server to an existing farm, the server will be removed from its current farm before creating or joining another farm.

· If you previously configured the XenApp server role, and you installed the updated XenApp Server Configuration Tool, you can prepare the server for imaging and provisioning, or leave (remove the server from) the farm.

12. When creating a farm:

· Enter a farm name; up to 32 characters (can include spaces). If you are using Oracle as your Configuration Logging database, do not use hyphens in the farm name.

· Specify the domain and username for a user who will be the first Citrix administrator. The administrator has full permissions to the farm and can create additional administrator accounts.

13. When creating a farm, specify Citrix License Server information. Choose one of the options:

· To use an existing license server, enter the license server name. By default, the license server uses port 27000 unless you deselect that option and specify a different port number.

14. Select the data store database type and connection information

15. The default session shadowing settings (which allow shadowing) are recommended for most farms. Shadowing settings supplied during XenApp configuration override system or domain policy for user-to-user shadowing.

Important: Shadowing features are permanent and should be changed only if you wish to permanently prevent system or domain policy from affecting that setting. If you disable shadowing or change shadowing features during configuration, you cannot reconfigure them later.

16. The default zone name is ‘Default Zone.’ To create a custom zone name, select the checkbox and enter the name.

17. If you installed the plug-in (or agent) for Single sign-on, SmartAuditor, EdgeSight, or Power and Capacity Management on this server, specify the requested information to enable communications with them. (The plug-in (or agent) roles use separate tools for their configuration.)

Review the summary page and click Apply

18. Click on Finish button to complete the wizard.

19. After configuration completes, you are returned to the XenApp Server Role Manager Task list, which indicates if any requirements remain, such as a server restart. The XenApp Server Role Manager updates the task list after any task completes.

· To initiate a server restart, click Reboot.

· To change a role configuration, click Edit Configuration

20. Open XenApp Server Role Manager and click on Configure under Web Interface section

· Click on Create Site

21. Specify the IIS location in which the site is hosted. This determines the URL for users to access the Site.

22. Specify where user authentication place. You can select from a range of built-in authentication methods including explicit, pass-through and smart card.

Select At Web Interface and Click Next

23. Confirm the settings and click Next

24. You can now configure the site now or continue with default configuration. Click Next to proceed.

25. Specify the Citrix Farm name and Add the Citrix servers that will provide the applications. Select a different XML Service port if you already have default site on the server using port 80.

26. Configure the authentication methods for logging into the web interface. Click Next.

27. Click on “Restrict Domain” and add the Domain names if you want to restrict to specific Domains

28. Select the type of login screen appearance you want. The minimal option displays only login fields. The full option displays header area/ Navigation bar, messages and preferences.

29. Select the type of resources that will be available to users. Settings can be updated after initial configuration using the Published Resource Types task.

30. Confirm the settings and click on Finish

31. Now the site is created and ready to use.

32. Enable Change password on expiry option from Authentication method.

33. Install Telnet client on the server:

Web Interface Post Configuration:

· Web Interface server should be configured with proper page file settings as per recommendation.

· Enable change password option in Web interface to allow users to change their password when it expires(Under Authentication tab)

· Ideal timeout settings for users should be configured for 2 hours.

· Standard Citrix logo should be created and configured for Citrix web page:

(SAM – Standard Access Method – 14pts

DALLAS -16pts Bold

Tier 1 – 12 pts)

Citrix server Post Configuration:

· Configure the Citrix licensing and TS Licensing details on server.

· Configure Load Evaluator for Custom and Disabled server (for diagnosing purpose)

· Configure Citrix policy to enable Client drive mapping but disable USD and other types of Medias on citrix servers.

· Make sure the Appropriate GPO has been applied for IE settings and Roaming profiles of users

· Shared folder should have been create with appropriate shared and NTFS Permissions.

· Disable any unwanted services which are consuming processes.

· Disable any Desktop features like themes to improve server performance.

· Install FTP on File server

· Check the server is in appropriate time zone.

Internet Explorer Title Policy:

This tweak customizes the Title of the Internet Explorer.
Click Start > Run > Type gpedit.msc
Click User Configuration > Windows Setting > Internet Explorer Maintenance > Browser User Interface
Double click on Browser Title
Click on Customize Title Bars
Type in the message you want

Disable popup - Profile storage Space while launching citrix applications

1. Open windows explorer

2. Find file c:\windows\system32\proquota.exe

3. Right click on the file and go to Security->Advanced

4. Uncheck "Inherit from parent the permission entries ...", make sure you've removed all permissions from this file

Configuration Logging:

Before configuring configuration logging, deselect “enable access check for this application” as below:

While configuring Configuration Logging set encryption to No

· Verify if the server is online and accessible

· Check if the service (specified in the ticket) is started or in stop state.

· If found in Started status:

o Verify if the server was rebooted.

o If the service was crashed need to go through the Event logs to find out the cause of crash

o Check if the service was restarted due to any dependency on any other service.

If found in Stop status:

o Start the service

o Verify the event log to find the cause why service stopped

o If not able to start the service go through the event log for further troubleshooting to start the service.

· Ping the server to verify if the server is reachable via IP address

o If found server reachable check the event viewer/ VC log to find out if there was a planned reboot or got rebooted unexpectedly (if unexpectedly need the root cause of it to avoid such issues in future).

o Check the uptime of NIC status to find out if there was a network fluctuation or NIC issue.

o Run the command “Net statistics Server” to know more info since server is up.

· Open the console of the server via VC or ILO to check if any error message on the console or verify event viewer

· If server found in hung state the server is eligible for reboot.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929852

To disable certain IPv6 components yourself, follow these steps:

1. Click Start à Run à type regedit in the Start Search box, and then click regedit.exe in the Programs list.

2. In the User Account Control dialog box, click Continue.

3. In Registry Editor, locate and then click the following registry subkey:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip6\Parameters\

4. Double-click Disabled Components to modify the Disabled Components entry.
Note If the Disabled Components entry is unavailable, you must create it. To do this, follow these steps:

a. In the Edit menu, point to New, and then click DWORD (32-bit) Value.

b. Type DisabledComponents, and then press ENTER.

c. Double-click DisabledComponents.

5. Type any one of the following values to configure the IPv6 protocol, and then click OK:

Type 0 to enable all IPv6 components.
Note The value "0" is the default setting.

a. Type 0xffffffff to disable all IPv6 components, except the IPv6 loopback interface. This value also configures Windows Vista to use Internet Protocol version 4 (IPv4) instead of IPv6 in prefix policies.

b. Type 0x20 to use IPv4 instead of IPv6 in prefix policies.

c. Type 0x10 to disable native IPv6 interfaces.

d. Type 0x01 to disable all tunnel IPv6 interfaces.

e. Type 0x11 to disable all IPv6 interfaces except for the IPv6 loopback interface.

Notes

· Using a value other than 0x0 or 0x20 will cause the Routing and Remote Access service to fail after this change goes into effect.

· You must restart your computer for these changes to take effect.

Identify the server name

o Do the qfarm /load and determine the server load for that server

o Login to the identified server through the console.

o Monitor the Performance of the server by going to the Task Manager

If the CPU usage is found high

o Get to the process tab and sort the tab for CPU usage

o Try and identify the highly utilized process for CPU

o If the usage is found for any users, identify the user and try sending him message through the console requesting him to log off and log in back to bring down the CPU spike.

o If the usage is for any services, identify the service, monitor the event logs and take appropriate actions against that particular service or application causing the spike.

If the Memory usage is found high

o Get to the process tab and sort the tab for Memory usage

o Try and identify the highly utilized process for memory

o If the usage is found for any users, identify the user and try sending him message through the console requesting him to log off and log in back to bring down the memory spike.

o If the usage is for any services, identify the service, monitor the event logs and take appropriate actions against that particular service or application causing the spike.

Description: Disable the address bar on the Internet Explorer

How to use it: Copy the statement below and copy in the text file and save in .ADM or ADMX

What does it do? Restricts the user to use the Internet Explorer and few of Tool bars

Post

**************************************************************

class user

category IESettings

policy "disable command bar"

keyname "software\policies\microsoft\internet explorer\toolbars\restrictions"

valuename "NoCommandBar"

valueon numeric 1

end policy

policy "disable IE nav bar"

keyname "Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Toolbars\Restrictions"

valuename "NoNavBar"

valueon numeric 1

end policy

policy "disable Address bar"

keyname "software\policies\microsoft\internet explorer\toolbars\restrictions"

valuename "NoAddressBar"

valueon numeric 1

end policy

end category

**************************************************************

Description: General script for troubleshooting IMA issue

How to use it: copy the script in the notepad and save in the text file in .BAT format

What does it do? It will restart the IMA and Recreate the LHC and as well as restart the MFCOM service

Post

*********************************************************************

sc stop mfcom
sc stop CitrixWMIService
sc stop imaservice
taskkill /IM imasrv.exe /F
taskkill /IM IMAAdvanceSrv.exe /F
taskkill /IM mfcom.exe /F
dsmaint recreatelhc
dsmaint recreaterade

sc start mfcom
sc start CitrixWMIService
sc start imaservice

*********************************************************************