Citrix Health Monitoring Tests

Health monitoring tests

Citrix IMA Service test

This test queries the service to ensure that it is running by enumerating the applications available on the server.

Logon monitor test

This test monitors session logon/logoff cycles to determine whether or not there is a problem with session initialization or possibly an application failure. If there are numerous logon/logoff cycles within a short time period, the threshold for the session is exceeded and a failure occurs. The session time, interval, and threshold can be configured by modifying the parameters in the Test file field. These parameters are listed and described in the following table.

Logon monitor test parameter	Description
SessionTime	Defines the maximum session time for a short logon/logoff cycle. Default is five seconds.
SessionInterval	The time period designated to monitor logon/logoff cycles. Default is 600 seconds.
SessionThreshold	The number of logon/logoff cycles that must occur within the session interval for the test to fail. Default is 50 cycles.

Remote Desktop Services test

This test enumerates the list of sessions running on the server and the session user information, such as user name.

XML Service test

This test requests a ticket from the XML service running on the server and prints the ticket.

Check DNS test

This test performs a forward DNS lookup using the local host name to query the local DNS server in the computer’s environment for the computer’s IP address. A failure occurs if the returned IP address does not match the IP address that is registered locally. To perform reverse DNS lookups in addition to forward DNS lookups, use the flag /rl when running this test.

Check Local Host Cache test

Citrix does not recommend running this test unless you have problems with corrupted local host caches. This test ensures the data stored in the XenApp server’s local host cache is not corrupted and that there are no duplicate entries. Because this test can be CPU-intensive, use a 24-hour test interval (86,400 seconds) and keep the default test threshold and time-out values.

Before running this test, ensure the permissions of the files and registry keys that the test accesses are set properly. To do this, run the LHCTestACLsUtil.exe file located in C:\Program Files (x86)\Citrix\System32 of the XenApp server. To run this utility, you must have local administrator privileges.

Check XML Threads test

This test inspects the threshold of the current number of worker threads running in the Citrix XML Service. When running this test, use a single integer parameter to set the maximum allowable threshold value. The test compares the current value on the XenApp server with the input value. A failure occurs if the current value is greater than the input value.

Citrix Print Manager Service test

This test enumerates session printers to determine the health of the Citrix Print Manager service. A failure occurs if the test cannot enumerate session printers.

Microsoft Print Spooler Service test

This test enumerates printer drivers, printer processors, and printers to determine whether or not the Print Spooler Service in Windows Server 2008 is healthy and ready for use

ICA Listener test

This test determines whether or not the XenApp server is able to accept ICA connections. The test detects the default ICA port of the server, connects to the port, and sends test data in anticipation of a response. The test is successful when the server responds to the test with the correct data.

NETSCALER Communication Flow

Environment: NETSCALER is in the DMZ & Web Interface, Xenapp farm is behind the Firewall i.e (secure  N/W).

1.) MIP: Mapped IP address is the interface which communicated with STA: 80 /443 so these ports need to be opened from the NS in the DMZ all the way to STA server. Also Ports ICA:1494 & CGP:2598 need to be opened from NS in the DMZ to the Xenapp /Xendesktop farm

2.) From secure N/w to connect to Netscaler ports 80,22,3010 need to be opened.

3.) NSIP : Netscaler IP address From Netscaler to secure N/W you need to open following ports if you are configuring LDAP, LDAPS, RADIUS, RSA etc..

                   LDAP: TCP 389

                   LDAPS: TCP 636

                   RADIUS : UDP 1812

4.) The Access Gateway IP address is the NAT ed IP address.

5.) The users hit the Access Gateway with External  IP address (Eg: 209.12...). This IP address does a
      NAT ing to Virtual server Access Gateway Enterprise N/W. 

6.)  From External N/W to AG : Port 80 & 443 needs to be opened

      From Netscaler to Xenapp Farm : It happens through the MIP Port 80 & 443, 1494, 2598 needs to

      be opened.         

      If you need Authentication to be happens at Netscaler : Port TCP 389, 636 & UDP 1812 needs 

      to be opened.     

7.)  Vserver - Virtual Server actually refer to Netscaler AG Enterprise edition.

      Access Gateway is nothing more than a Vserver that lives on  Netscaler

      Netscaler is a Load Balancing device. So instead of being a Load Balancer, Application Firewall, Citrix 

      have added a Vserver(AG)  that you can load on a netscaler and makes it a NS AGEE ( NetScaler 

      Access Gateway Enterprise Edition )

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.

Xenapp 5.0 Vs Xenapp 6.0

Xenapp 5.0	Xenapp 6.0
Policies are created using Xenapp Advanced configuration console	Policies can be created and configured both using Group Policy Managed console and/or directly out of the Citrix Delivery Service Console. The policies are logically now divided in two parts: computer and user. Policies assigned to Server / Farm properties comes under Computer policies. Policies assigned to user sessions comes under User policies.
Available via Java console	XenApp tasks are now available within a MMC 3.0 based console, named Citrix Delivery Services Console single console for all tasks.
There is no concept of Worker groups	Worker groups can create a group of XenApp server (based on a OU, AD Group or XenApp Farm servers). This workgroup can be assigned to policies, Load Balancing Policies and published applications. When you add a new server and assigns this one to the worker group it automatically will be configured using the policies and host the published applications configured.
Load evaluators are assigned to servers & applications	Load Evaluators are no longer assigned to servers,  but to Worker Groups or OUs.
Not Applicable	With XenApp 6 it is also possible to stream App-V virtualized application to client running the Citrix Streaming Client/Receiver
HDX includes think of speedscreen, ICA compression and progressive display	HDX RealTime : Which improves audio quality to CD quality level, VOIP echo cancellation and support for Microsoft Office Communicator (LAN based only).
XenApp 5 allowed for USB-attached flash and disk drives to be linked to XenApp sessions.  Users should logoff and logon again to have USB devices detected	HDX dynamic USB plug and play support is added : This makes it possible to add USB devices (cameras (including Webcams), microphones, headsets) into the client, while the user has already a XenApp session running
Software need to be installed separately	Role based installation which enables easy and simple migration to the latest XenApp platform