Session Reliability

A MetaFrame Presentation Server Client, configured to use “Session Reliability,” establishes an ICA session on TCP port 2598 (instead of port 1494) when connecting to Presentation Server.

Port number (default 2598): Assign the port on which you want the servers in the farm to listen for attempts to reestablish dropped connections.

When session reliability is enabled, the ICA Client tunnels its ICA traffic inside the Common Gateway Protocol and sends the traffic to port 2598. The XTE service acts as a relay, unwrapping the Common Gateway Protocol layer and then forwarding traffic to the ICA listener on port 1494.

Likewise, the Presentation Server sends ICA data to the client by way of the XTE service. If the Common Gateway Protocol connection between the client and the XTE service is broken, the ICA listener can continue to send ICA traffic to the XTE service, where it will be buffered until the client reconnects. The user’s session does not go into a disconnected state as long as the XTE service is buffering data for the user.

On the client, the user’s application will appear frozen while the client attempts to rebuild the Common Gateway Protocol connection. Once the connection is restored, the XTE service flushes the buffered ICA data to the client and the session continues.

Xendesktop Flexcast Technology

Flexcast Technology:  makes Xendesktop 5 more flexible

     1.) With Flexcast Technology , IT can deliver any type of Virtual desktop to any user on any device.

     2.) It gives you the ability to supply a Desktop virtualization solution for different types of users.

     3.) Flexcast for APPS:

                    a.       Hosted Shared: Terminal services by Xenapp

                    b.      Streamed:  Which is kind of application virtualization

                    c.       Hosted VM: If there is application that only works on Win XP but you want to publish to different users you can publish that application from hosted VM Win7, etc…

      4.) Hosted Shared for Desktops: With Terminal server / Xenapp server we can do hosted shared desktop. Memory mechanism: In TS if we have 4GB of RAM and if 20 users are logging in they are sharing that 4GB of RAM actually they are sharing less than 2GB of RAM because in 32bit that 4GB of RAM has been divided into 2GB for KERNEL and 2GB for Applications. From user prespective they r sharing only 2GB allocated for KERNEL

     5.)  Hosted VDI:  same as terminal server but giving Each user a dedicated VM . Here can allocate each user a dedicated ram for accessing apps.

     6.) Streamed VHD: Provisioning a single Master image to multiple desktops.

     7.) Local VM : Can accomplished with Xenclient , a type of Client 1 Hypervisor and so many other ways.

XenDesktop 5.6 Personal vDisk Feature Overview

Citrix Xendesktop 5.6 introduces Personal Vdisk Feature

1.)    Persistent personalization of user profile and applications.

2.)    Eventhough Base image is changed the user personalization will remain the same.

3.)    Citrix PVD:  Here inbetween Base image & VMs there will be persistent layer (PVD)  that contains all users changes like ( wallpapers, start menu settings, application installations, etc..)

4.)    Citrix PVD attached to VMs  have the capability to persist their changes across base image changes. For Eg: IF administrator changes Service pack or patches to base image Personal Vdisk  SW will make the users changes are integrated to new base image.

1.)    Here while creating a VM pool we should mention whether PVD enabled or not

2.)    Initially when the user login PVD will be empty and go on user made some changes these changes will be integrated on PVD.

3.)    If admin decide to upgrade Firefox 10 he will do the changes in base image but there may be chance of conflict if user already installs Firefox 9. By default admin changes will take effect

4.)    If user install the same SW as admin the PVD detects it as a duplicate copy and removes it from user personalization. So admin installed SW will exists. Also note that these rules are customizable  and changeable.

5.)    PVD are created as part of VM setup process. We can mention PVD storage in MCS wizard or PVS wizard. 

Citrix Provisioning Services Installation and Configuration

This is the overview of Citrix Provisioning Services installation and configuration.

Design Setup: 2 (Windows server 2003/ 2008 R2) machines required. One act as DNS server and another as Provisioning server. One Win XP / 7 Client machine is required for taking the image. Make sure all machines are in N/W and they are pingable. 

Please configure DHCP option 66 & 67 on PVS server. See below for required fields.

DHCP Citrix Server Setup

Citrix Provisioning Server 5.6.1 will use the DHCP from Windows Server 2008 and the PVS PXE boot from Citrix.  The DHCP service will include/use 66 and 67.  66 is the Host IP Name and 67 is ARDPB32.bin.  The client PC will PXE boot sending out its MAC address to the server.  The DHCP service will “see” this MAC address and assign it an IP from the Reservation list of IP’s along with the Citrix ARDPB32.bin.  This is then handed to the Citrix PVS who will then “see” the request from the MAC address / ARDPB32.bin verify the MAC in the Device Collection and stream out the proper image to the client.  

After DHCP configuration start installing PVS server installation. Then proceed with Target device software installation on client machine and start the imaging process. I have the step by step document for installation and configuration of PVS.

Pls mail to udaya1984s@gmail.com to get complete guide for PVS lab setup.

Thanks,
Uday.
9790974560.