XenApp XenDesktop 7.8 Workshop

Herzlich willkommen zum
Referat: Citrix XenApp und XenDesktop 7.8
Marco Fernandez // Citrix Certified Instructor
Gloria Gräser // Product Manager Digicomp

Agenda
• XenApp and XenDesktop Improvements
• User Experiences
• MultiGeo Zones
• Application Limits
• Multiple Reboot Warnings
• Session Recording
• Citrix Director Enhancements
• Storefront 3.5
• AppDisks
• Best Practice

© 2015 Citrix | Confidential
XenApp and XenDesktop
Improvements

XenApp and XenDesktop Improvements
• Improved flow of database configuration
– Previously could not configure Site to create separate
databases for Site, Logging and Monitor data stores
– This is now possible during the step where the
administrator selects the SQL Server instance to use
• Multiple controllers can be specified during the initial
Site configuration
– Previously would need to add additional controllers
after Site configuration
– This is now possible during the step where the
administrator selects the SQL Server instance to use
• Updated MetaInstaller to install SQL Express 2012 SP2

User Experience

User Experience
Self service password reset

Self Service Password Reset
• Platinum Feature
• Reduce Helpdesk Calls
• Instantly unlock accounts
• Additional Security Questions
• Aimed at XenApp 6.5
organizations that want to move to
StoreFront while retaining SSPR

Self Service Password Reset
Receiver
StoreFront
3.5
XenDesktop 7.8
Controller
XenApp 6.5
AppCenter
SQL Database
SQL Database
Server 2008R2
AppCenter 6.5
Single Sign On 5.0
XenApp 6.5
Data Collector
SQL Database
SSPR

Device, app and cloud flexibility
Secure Browser

HardwareUsers
ResourceAccess
Control
HTTPS
(443)
HTTPS
(443)
XML
(443)
ICA
(1494)
XML
(80)
SQL
(1433)
Web AppSecure Browser
SQL ServerController
StoreFront
NetScaler Gateway
HTTP (80)
HTTPS (443)

Receiver for HTML5
• Since we expect the web apps to
only be accessed via browser,
configure HTML5 Receiver
• This is a store-level setting; create
multiple stores on the same server
if necessary

Kiosk Mode
Standard Browser Mode Kiosk Browser Mode

Create Shortcut URLs – Basic Option
• To create URLs that can be linked from other websites, use the “Add Shortcuts to
Websites” feature of Receiver for Web

Create Shortcut URLs – Advanced Option
• For more flexibility, build a
launcher using StoreFront’s Web
API (public download on
citrix.com)
– Faster app launch times
– Custom authentication methods
– Allows more permissive launches (no
need to whitelist source URLs)

SQL
Apps
Headquarters
Delivery Controller
Windows DesktopLinux Desktop
Satellite
Delivery Controller
Physical PC Windows Desktop
Satellite
Delivery Controller
SQLSQL
Single Site Implementation

Windows Desktop
Delivery Controller
Physical PC
Delivery Controller
Apps
Headquarters
Delivery Controller
SQL
Satellite Satellite
Multi-site Implementation

Satellite
Zone
StoreFront
Satellite
Zone
StoreFront
Headquarters
Primary Zone
StoreFront
Zones

Connection Leasing
19
Site DBDelivery Controller
StoreFront
XML File
Apps Pooled
Windows Desktop
Linux DesktopPhysical PC Personal
Windows Desktop
Personal
Linux Desktop

Windows Desktop
Delivery Controller
Physical PC
Delivery Controller
Apps
Headquarters
Delivery Controller
SQL
Satellite Satellite
Failover

Azure
(East US)
Data Center A
(Hyper-V)
Azure
(West US)
Azure
(West Europe)
Data Center B
(XenServer)
XenApp Zone 1 XenApp Zone 2 XenApp Zone 3 XenApp Zone 4 XenApp Zone 5
XenApp & XenDesktop
Hybrid deployment
Primary Zone

Workspace Cloud
Control Plane
Citrix Workspace Cloud
Applications and Desktop Services
Azure
(East US)
Data Center A
(Hyper-V)
Azure
(West US)
Azure
(West Europe)
Data Center B
(Hyper-V)
XenApp Zone 1 XenApp Zone 2 XenApp Zone 3 XenApp Zone 4 XenApp Zone 5

MultiGeo Zones
What does this feature accomplish?
• Divides a Site into separate zones
• A zone contains resources which communicate to other zones via a low latency connection
• Resources can include Controllers, Machine Catalogs, Hypervisor Connectors
• Two types of zones available
• Primary Zone
• Containing at least a Controller and Database. May also contain License Server and Director servers for the Site
• Examples of a Primary Zone: Main office, main datacenter location
• Satellite Zone
• At a minimum, there will be a single VDA in this zone.
• Satellite zones may also include a local Controller
• Example of a Satellite Zone: Remote branch office

MultiGeo Zones
Diagram of Site configured with MultiGeo Zones

MultiGeo Zones
Why would a customer use this feature?
• Allows a XenDesktop Site to span multiple branches or datacenters rather than
build a separate site for each
• Allows for centralized management across multiple branches or datacenters
from a single Studio instance

MultiGeo Zones
What Happens During A Local Controller Failure?

MultiGeo Zones
What Happens During A WAN Failure?

Limitations
Limitations, Known Issues & Technical Risks
• Satellite Zones with no local Controller or Storefront server experience a single point of failure if
the WAN connection is interrupted
• Lack of database replication to satellite sites with Local Controllers introduces a reliance on
Connection Leasing to reconnect to applications launched within the past 2 weeks (default
value). The leasing cache value can be modified if required.
• After upgrading from XA/XD 7.6.300 to XA/XD 7.8, the MultiGeo Zones feature does not appear
in Citrix Studio
– To resolve this behavior, in an Elevated rights PowerShell Window, navigate to “C:Program
FilesCitrixXenDesktopPoshSdkModuleCitrix.XenDesktop.Admin.V1Citrix.XenDesktop.Admi
nStudioRoleConfig” and run the following
– Import-AdminRoleConfiguration .RoleConfigSigned.xml

Application Limits

Application Limits
Application Limits allows for the admin or support team to configure an application
to launch a specific number times, either for the user (single launch) or for the
Delivery Group.

Application Limits
Application Limits are beneficial in the following scenarios:
• When used to limit the number of sessions a resource intensive application that
can be launched
• When used to control licensing of an application and prevent users from
launching multiple session, thus, using multiple licenses
• Will assist customers in remaining within their Software License Agreement

Application Limits
How do I configure this feature?
Under the Delivery tab in Application
Settings
• Check box Limit to one instance per
user to restrict the users to single
launch
• Set the value under Limit the number
of instances running at the same
time to limit the number of
simultaneous copies of an application
can be used for the Delivery Group

Multiple Reboot Warning and
Schedules

Multiple Reboot Warning and Schedules
This feature reintroduces the ability for administrators to allow multiple warnings to
users prior to rebooting the server.

Previously, the Reboot Warning would only occur a single time 5 minutes prior to
the reboot occurring. This could potentially cause lost work if the end-user did not
see the initial warning or quickly dismissed it. With the multiple reboot warnings,
the end-user would be reminded every 5 minutes to save their work.

From Citrix Studio:
• Edit the Delivery Group and select
Restart Schedule
• Select desired notification time.
Note: Frequency only available if
you select a 15 minute warning
• Enter desired notification message.
Note: Use %m% to include the
number of minutes in the message

Limitations & Technical Risks
• If older VDA remains in updated (XA/XD 7.8) site or if newer VDA is in non-
updated site, repeated reboot warning messages will not work
• Notification frequency is only available in Studio if initial notification is set to 15
minutes
• Only applies to Server OS Delivery Groups

Contextual and Embedded Security
VDI Session Recording

Session Recording & Troubleshooting
Improved session activity monitoring
• Powerful activity monitoring
– Capture screen updates to a video file
– Configure monitoring of a specific user, app or server
– Trusted digitally signed recording
• Faster problem resolution
– Replay actual screen activity at exact moment of failure
– Quickly troubleshoot errors through time-stamped visual records
• Enhanced auditing
– Monitor activity involving sensitive data
– Record admin screen for change management of critical systems
– Notify users of recording to help deter potential misdoing

Session Recording
Session
Recording Server
Session Recording
Policy Console
Session
Recording
Database
Session
Recording Player
XenApp Servers
Session Recording Agent
XenDesktop VMs
Session Recording Agent

Citrix Director Enhancements

Integrated Windows Authentication for Citrix Director
This feature allows the use of the currently logged on users’ credentials to pass-
through and log into the Citrix Director site.

One less set of credentials for the administrator to enter when they look to monitor
their environment.

From IIS on the Citrix Director server:
• Drill down to the Director site folder
• Disable Anonymous
Authentication
• Enable Windows Authentication
• Run IISRESET from a Command
Prompt

Sequence of Operations

What happens if pass-through authentication fails?
If Director is launched by a user that does
not have permission to login, they will see
the standard Director login
In Event Viewer, you will also find the
following Warning advising the account
does not have permission to access this
site

Desktop Usage and Reporting
• Provides usage insight for the XenApp and XenDesktop Site
• Displays usage of Desktop OS (Remote PC and VDI) as well as Server OS
desktops sorted by
• Capacity Management tab displays historical usage of desktops via the Desktop
OS Usage filter along with displaying the Server OS VDAs that have been
delivered as a service.
• Hosting Application Usage view is dependent upon the XenApp and XenDesktop
licenses that an organization has. This view will provide a graph with peak
concurrent usage as well as application based usage over a given time period

Why would I use this feature?
• Allows a real-time view of operating system usage to quickly assess a Site’s
needs for capacity

How does this feature work?

Hosted App Usage Reporting & Trending
Performance management and network analysis
• Analyse performance trends for
proactive capacity planning and
deployment optimization.
• Network Analysis

Desktop and Server Capacity Management reporting
• Added Server OS to Capacity Management reports
– who used which desktop
– when
– for how long

Historical performance trending with EdgeSight
• Analyse performance trends for
proactive capacity planning and
deployment optimization.
• Network Analysis

Proactive Notification & Alerting in Director 7.8
• Monitor key conditions in a site
– Session disconnects
– Connection failures
– Logon times
– Server load
• Warning and critical thresholds
• Automatic email alerting
• Closes gap with classic ES 5.4
Configure thresholds
and severity

EdgeSight? Director? Insight? What’s what? (Part I)
• Director is…
– the name of our Help Desk Monitoring strategy.
– the component name of the Web Console used to display data.
– the Help Desk feature of XenApp / XenDesktop, i.e. up to 7 full days worth of data.
• EdgeSight is…
– The name of our Performance Analysis Monitoring strategy.
– The technical components that capture, aggregate and store data.
– Two platinum features that enables “long term” persistence of the data (more than 7 days)
– EdgeSight Performance Management
– EdgeSight Network Analysis using the Insight HDX feature from NetScaler
– Data Retention period is set to 90 days by default but can be extended to suit needs.

EdgeSight? Director? Insight? What’s what? (Part II)
• All XenDesktop 7.x / XenApp 7.x Editions
– Director – Real-time monitoring and basic troubleshooting (7 full days worth of data)
• XenDesktop 7.x / XenApp 7.x Platinum
– EdgeSight performance management feature
– Above plus historical monitoring (default 90 days but goes way beyond that)
• XenDesktop 7.x / XenApp 7.x Platinum + NetScaler Enterprise
– EdgeSight performance management and network analysis
– Above plus 60 minutes of network data
• XenDesktop 7.x / XenApp 7.x Platinum + NetScaler Platinum
– EdgeSight performance management and network analysis
– Above plus unlimited network data

NetScaler Insight Center
User experience network analysis with EdgeSight
Analytics for the virtual desktop
• Gain visibility into end user experience for virtual
applications, desktops, and users for XenDesktop
• Correlate network data with application data with
real-time metrics for effective troubleshooting
• Integrated with Director Console

Simple and Scalable Management
System Center Operations Management Pack

SCOM Management Packs for Citrix Full Stack Monitoring
• Platinum customers now entitled to the
following SCOM Management Packs
– XenApp, XenDesktop, XenServer
– Storefront, Web Interface, PVS
– License Server, NetScaler, CloudBridge
• Provides true end to end monitoring from a
single console
• Tightens integration with Microsoft System
Center Operations Manager (SCOM).

Citrix Connector for System Center Configuration Manager
Provides administrators with an end-to-end solution for managing Citrix deployments
• Deploy software to XenApp & XenDesktop
• Create published apps using Conf Manager
• Operational enhancements like user logoff
• Provisioning Support (PVS and MCS)
• Unified policy control for published app, MSI
and App-V

SCOM Integration
Alerts &
Infrastructure
monitoring

SCOM Integration
• This feature introduces the ability of Citrix Director to query the SCOM server for
any health and performance alerts that have been configured
• Allows for filtering and access to a historical view of SCOM alerts and trends
from within Citrix Director

SCOM Integration
• Ease of using a single interface (Citrix Director) to view all Microsoft (SCOM)
and Citrix alerts
• Alert details includes relevant knowledge base information

SCOM Integration
How does this feature work?

SCOM Integration
Limitations and Technical Risks
• No definitive way of mapping
alerts to a site
• Management Pack does not
support a locale requested by
a browser
• Targeted for SCOM 2012 R2
only
• OpsMgr 2012 SDK does not
support querying data by
Management Pack.
• OpsMgr 2012 SDK does not
support sorting of data. This
has to be handled by Director

StoreFront Administration

What’s new in StoreFront 3.5
• Updated Deployment Wizard
– Improved Flow
– Additional Settings now available during
initial configuration
• New Store-centric Admin Console
– Simplified configuration
– Settings now apply per Store
– Most options configured through UI
• Other new Features
– Delegated Authentication
– Multi-Site Configuration
– Store and Receiver for Web Advanced
Settings in UI
– Background health checks with brokers
– Configuration Export-Import
– Self Service password reset
– New Updated PowerShell SDK

Updated Deployment Wizard
• Store creation
– Define default IIS website
– Advanced settings

Store-centric Administration Console

Authentication Service
• Pre StoreFront 3.5
– Authentication service
shared across all stores
– Provides SSON across
multiple stores
• StoreFront 3.5
– Authentication managed
under each store
– Multi-store deployments
can use shared
authentication service

New Configuration Flow
• Consolidated
properties
– Integrates separate
dialogs together
– Allows for easier
administration

Advanced Store Settings
• Simplifies configuration
settings
• Includes many items
previously only
available via
PowerShell

Receiver for Web
• Deploy
– Can disable option to
download Receiver
– Can define Receiver
upgrade requirements

Receiver for Web
• Session settings
– Server communication
attempts
– Communication timeout
– Session timeout
– Sign in timeout

Receiver for Web
• Workspace Control
– All configurable within
management console
– Logoff action
– Automatic reconnection
– Reconnect and
disconnect button
configuration

Receiver for Web
• Client Interface
Settings
– Auto launch desktop
– Show desktop viewer
– Enable Receiver
configuration
– Apps and desktop view
options

Receiver for Web
• Advanced Settings
– Numerous settings
configurable in console
– Previously required
PowerShell

Authentication Methods
• Authentication via
– Active Directory
– Delivery Controller XML

Gateway Gateway
Data Center A Data Center B
Application
StoreFront
Multi-Site Aggregation
StoreFront
Application
Controller Controller

Standard Routing
Gateway Gateway
Application
StoreFront
StoreFront
HDX
XML
HDX Optimized Routing
Gateway Gateway
Application
StoreFront
StoreFront
HDX
XML

NetScaler gateway use cases
• Authentication and HDX routing
– Netscaler will be used for authentication
and access policy filter.
– HDX ICA Proxy are used for the same
FQDN
– Common configuration for most users
• HDX routing only
– HDX ICA Proxy will be used only
– Used for customer who requires HDX
insight to force user traffic through a
NetScaler gateway
•Authentication only
– User authentication processed on
NetScaler gateway no HDX ICA Proxy
feature will be used.

Optimal Gateway configuration and use case
1. Assign Optimal gateway based on
XenDesktop 7.8 Zone, not based on
Site.
2. All internal and external HDX
connections must pass through
assigned gateway. (Used for HDX
insight and enhanced security with
SSL)
3. Assign a gateway to a Delivery
Controller for external user only.

AppDisks

App Management

App Management
Ensuring application compatibility, interoperability and delivery
App Management

Windows 10
Workspace
App
How?
Is the app compatible?
Will the app interoperate?
How will I deliver the app?

Retire
Package
Patch
PublishValidate
Application
Life-Cycle
Procure

App Management
Step 1: Gather apps
App

App Management
Step 2: Analyze and remediate apps
App AppDNA

App Management
Step 3: Sequence and layer apps
Create
App-V Sequence
Create
AppDisk Layer
App Manual Install
• App-V
– Automated sequence creation
– Supports app isolation
– No extra infrastructure required
– 1 sequence to many targets
• AppDisk
– Integrated layer interoperability analysis
– No extra infrastructure required
– 1 layer to many targets
• Manual Install
– Traditional approach
– App part of the desktop image
AppDNA

App Management
Step 4: Publish & deliver apps
Create
App-V Sequence
App Manual Install
Windows 7, 8 and 10 App
Pooled VDI
Personal VDI
Windows 2008R2 and
2012R2 App
Create
AppDisk Layer
AppDNA

Limitations & Technical Risks
• Limit of 15 AppDisks per VM
• AppDisks cannot be used in conjunction with PVD at this time
• AppDisks cannot be attached while VMs are running
• AppDisks created from 64-bit VMs will not work on 32-bit VMs
• Currently do not support applications from the Windows Store

AppDisk

The Traditional Approach to Images
Traditional Golden Image
Operating system and
apps added to image

The Traditional Approach to Images
• Image sprawl
• Duplicate application deployments
• Increased management time
• Patch same app hundreds of times
Engineering image
IT image
Finance image
Finance mgmt image

What is App Layering
Manage discrete layers
Operating System
Corporate Layer
App Layer
App Layer

Common application management beliefs
1. Managing base image and separate app layers is more time and cost efficient
2. Allows more modular assembling of desktops for multiple service offerings
3. App layers make provisioning desktops faster and easier
4. Managing app layers is easier than managing lots of traditional golden images
5. Snapping together a base image with a bunch of app layers will be reliable
6. I will have one way to package all apps for physical or virtual machines

Citrix AppDisk
Application layers for easy and efficient management
Manage applications and base
image separately
• Faster and reliable application delivery
• Fast and easy provisioning of desktops
• Fewer/cleaner golden images
• Time and cost efficient
• Assessment and guidance with AppDNA

The dark side of App Layering
Simplicity
Dependencies
Priorities
Conflicts

Microsoft App-V
Manage applications and base
image separately
• Isolates applications from conflicts
• Fewer/cleaner golden images
• Assessment and guidance with AppDNA

• Disks “merged” with base OS at
startup
• Disk attach are up to the hypervisor
• No isolation
• Sequences delivered when needed
• Streamed to target devices
• Based on isolation of apps
AppDisk App-V

Why multiple technologies?
• Every app is unique
– Apps are the weak point … some apps are better than others
– Some apps conflict and need to be isolated
– Some apps don’t work if they are isolated
– App dependencies vary -- .NET versions, JAVA versions, interaction with other apps, etc
• If only the OS was just DOS again where “app installs = xcopy”
• Best case is having 2 or 3 methods for packaging and delivering apps
– I don’t want to figure out which app goes with which method
– Too time consuming and error prone

AppDNA
Nucleus of Citrix Application Lifecycle Management
• Automated application P2V analysis
• Up to 90% faster than manual
• Simplifies App migration for Windows EOL
• Build assessment and Interop testing
• Simple Green - Amber - Red status
App-V
AppDisk
App ManualAppDNA

Citrix AppDisk with AppDNA
Three levels of analysis
• Three levels of analysis
– Basic compatibility with AppDisks driver technology
– Compatibility with the specific OS targeted for deployment
– Compatibility with OS combined with other disks on the machine

App Dependencies
Operating System
Corporate Layer
App Layer
App Layer
?
Dependency

App Layer Priority
Layer 4
Layer 3
Layer 1
Layer 2
Priority 1
Priority 2
Priority 4
Priority 3

App Conflicts
Layer 4
Layer 3
Layer 1
Layer 2
Conflict
Isolate
with App-V

Design considerations
• Theoretical number of AppDisks per VM
• HyperV: 252
• XenServer 6.5: Unlimited
• vShpere EXSi 6: 63,996
• Practical number of AppDisks per VM
• 5-15
• Each attach adds latency
• Deployment types
• Machine Creation Services and Provisioning Services
• Pooled virtual desktops without Personal vDisk

AppDisk
• Create new AppDisk

AppDisk
• Install & seal

AppDisk
• Install & seal
• Publish

AppDisk
• Install & seal
• Publish
• Compatibility &
interoperability

App-V single admin management

Citrix App-V Integration (v1)
• Dual administration
– App-V Packages added to App-V Management Console
– Configure Studio, App-V Packages visible in Studio
• Challenges
– Reliance on the full App-V infrastructure model of deployment
– User permissions must be managed in the App-V Management console and Studio

• Start on the App-v Publishing Node
to add a package
• Navigate to your Application Library
• Studio shows the source type
‘Application Library’ for validation

• Add Applications
• Associate with Delivery Group
• Select the Application Source
• Select appropriate applications
• Applications can now be accessed

Considerations
• Studio will require read-only access to the share
• Dual Admin functionality will be kept available for organizations who already
have it
• Able to use both Dual and Single Admin features simultaneously
• Applications will be enumerated from the Application Library
• App-V logs can be enabled in Studio and on the VDA
• App-V Telemetry logs usage data in customer’s environments to send back to
Citrix

Improved App Publishing

• Delivery Type page is displayed
only for Static Assigned Desktop
OS VDAs
• All other machine types can deliver
both apps and desktops

• Source Types:
– From start menu
– Manually
– Existing
– App-V
• Allow or deny users to launch a
desktop
• Optional Citrix Receiver description
field
• New Delivering column

• New Applications Node
• Add Applications to multiple
Delivery Groups
• Add applications from various
sources at once
• Applications will display with the
associated source type

• Tags are now more system-wide
• Search queries based on tags
• Apply policies based on tags

Platinum Features
Feature XenApp Platinum XenDesktop Platinum
Common Criteria Certification P P
HDX Seamless local apps P P
CloudBridge VPX-10 for WAN optimization P
CloudBridge plug-in P P
SmartAccess™ P P
SSL VPN P P
Hosted App Usage Reporting & Trending P P
Historical performance trending (EdgeSight) P P
User experience network analysis (EdgeSight) P P
Intelligent session recording P P
AppDNA for AppDisk P P
Citrix Connector for System Center Configuration Manager P P
SCOM Management Packs for Citrix Full Stack Monitoring P P
Self Service Password Reset (Storefront 3.5) P P
Integration with NetScaler HDX Insight™ P P
Director Proactive Notification and Alerting P P

Best Practice
For the best combination of user experience and resource consumption,
optimize appropriately

Example 1
Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 10, Windows 2012R2 optimizations

Optimization
•Optimize for Scale
– Turn off services
– Tweak images
– Reduce frame rates
•Detailed within the Optimization Guide
– Windows 7: http://support.citrix.com/article/CTX127050
– Windows 8: http://support.citrix.com/article/CTX140375
– Windows 10: http://virtualfeller.com/bp/
•Optimize for User Experience
– Based on XenApp/XenDesktop policy
template
– Set frame rates to 24 FPS

User 1
User 2
VDA 1
VDA 2
Lync Online
WAN LAN
ICA
ICA
SIP
SIP
RTP
Microsoft Lync with Native ICA
WAN

User 1
User 2
VDA 1
VDA 2
Lync Online
WAN LAN
ICA
ICA
RTP
Microsoft Lync with Citrix Optimization Pack
SIP
WAN

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