My experience using templates in XenServer together with XenDesktop

The other day i was doing a Proof of Concept where i help some ppl building a Citrix environment containing multiples Windows Server 2008R2 servers and some Windows 7 machines. I build 1 VM with Windows Server 2008R2 patched it up to latest hotfixes from MS and then  converted into a template, that i could use as a OS template for my new VM’s i attend to build for VM’s that was needed for a Domain Controller, Citrix Provisioning Server, XenApp Controller, XenDesktop Controller, File server, SQL server well you get the picture.

I build a new domain with some XenApp 6.5 servers, file servers, provisioning, sql, file servers and everything runs smooth and fast off course its new and clean build =O) then when i wanted to build a Citrix XenDesktop Controller the software installed fine and  smooth as it has done multiple times i have build this. When i then wanted to connect to a SQL i got some errors, i troubleshooted it and it seems so weird the SQL issues i had. Well and nice and easy turn was building the SQL express that you can choose within Citrix XenDesktop ISO. I placed the SQL express where i installed the Citrix XenDesktop Controller software. Then lets get things up and running and create and database … new bug.. started to troubleshoot again… hmm. I noticed that all the machines had the same SID that is used when I build them from the template. The solution was building a fresh VM with Windows Server 2008R2, patched it and then install Citrix XenDesktop and then i could connect to the external SQL or to its build-in SQL express if i had chosen that.

I got my lesson learned from Mr. SID.

The case where SID duplication would be an issue is if a distributed application used machine SIDs to uniquely identify computers. And using the machine SID in that way doesn’t work just for the fact that all DC’s have the same machine SID. Citrix XenDesktop relies on unique computer identities either uses computer names or computer Domain SIDs (the SID of the computer accounts in the Domain).

The right way of building a template in XenServer

So the SID really does matter. Prior to taking your clone or image, just remember to use Sysprep as follows:

1) Run Sysprep (on Windows Server 2008 this is located in c:\Windows\System32\Sysprep\Sysprep.exe)
2) Ensure ‘System Out-of-Box Experience (OOBE)’ is selected
3) Tick the ‘Generalize’ option (this resets the SID)
4) Select ‘Shutdown’ from the Shutdown Options.
5) Once the machine has shutdown, take your image and you are good to go!

Good stuff to read about mr. SID

Mark Russinovich explains The Machine SID Duplication Myth (and Why Sysprep Matters)
http://blogs.technet.com/b/markrussinovich/archive/2009/11/03/3291024.aspx

I used PSGetSID from Microsoft Mark Russinovich http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb897417.aspx to see that all my VMs from the template had the same SID.

RES Software have released RES Automation Manager 2012. RES Automation Manager now supports Linux and better integration with Microsoft System Center. In the following article i will describe whats new in RES Automation Manager 2012.

Whats new in RES Automation Manager 2012

RES Automation Manager 2012 introduces the RES Automation Manager Agent for Linux Operating Systems. With this Agent, you can execute the following new RES Automation Manager Tasks on machines running Linux Operating Systems:

• Linux Command (Execute) (“Task “Linux Command (Execute)
• Linux Computer (Reboot, Shutdown) (“Tasks “Linux Computer (Reboot, Shutdown)
• Linux Resource (Download) (“Task “Linux Resource (Download)RES Automation Manager Agents for Linux need to be installed with a separate installation file. The RES Automation Manager Agents for Linux will run on the following Linux Operating Systems:

• Red Hat Enterprise Linux release 4: 4.5 and higher
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux release 5: 5.3 and higher
• SUSE Linux Enterprise Server release 10: versions higher than 10.0
• IBM AIX 5L: version 5.3

Licensing: Evaluation licenses valid for 45 days

When you install RES Automation Manager 2012, 75 evaluation licenses are provided automatically. These evaluation licenses are now valid for 45 days, instead of 60.

New RES Automation Manager Dispatcher: Dispatcher+

RES Automation Manager 2012 introduces a new Dispatcher that has been developed using the latest Microsoft tools. This has enhanced the Dispatcher with the following capabilities:

• Improved scalability: The Dispatcher+ is no longer limited to 150 concurrent connections.
• Native 64-bit installer.
• Resource integrity check: When the Dispatcher+ starts, an integrity check is now performed on the available Resources in the Resource cache of the Dispatcher+. This ensures that Agents can always download valid Resources from the Dispatcher+.
• The availability of a Web API provides full support for building and deploying RESTful and SOAP web services. This allows you to integrate Job scheduling in external systems.
• The Dispatcher+ logs all events in the Event log, which can be viewed with e.g. the Event Viewer that is part of the Microsoft Windows Operating System.The new Dispatcher requires the installation of Microsoft .NET Framework 4 (full version) on all machines hosting a Dispatcher. Please make sure to update all Dispatcher hosts with this version before installing or upgrading to RES Automation Manager 2012

New RES Automation Manager Upgrade Pack

RES Automation Manager 2012 introduces a new Upgrade Pack: the Upgrade Pack now consists of a standalone executable file. This differs from Upgrade Packs of previous releases of RES Automation Manager, in which you could upgrade your RES Automation Manager environment by importing a .WUP file in the Console. The RES Automation Manager 2012 Upgrade Pack can also be used on machines on which no Console has been installed.

As a result of the new Upgrade Pack, the buttons Update Wizard and have been removed from the node Infrastructure > Datastore > Setup > Components in the Console.

If necessary, it is now possible to downgrade to a previous version of RES Automation Manager by right-clicking the node Infrastructure > Datastore > Setup > Components and choosing Downgrade (WUP).

The RES Automation Manager 2012 Upgrade Pack needs to be deployed manually and is not suitable for unattended installations.

RES Automation Manager 2012 upgrade requirements

• RES Automation Manager 2011 SR3 or later
• Microsoft Windows XP SP3 Professional or later (x64/x86)
• Microsoft Windows Installer 3.1
• Microsoft .NET Framework 4.0 or later: Client Profile is the minimum requirement for the machine on which the Upgrade Pack is run; Full Version (Client Profile and Extended) is required for all Dispatchers. Microsoft .NET Framework 4.0 Full Version can be installed on your Dispatchers from the Console.

RES Automation Manager samples for RES Automation Manager 2012

RES Automation Manager introduces a set of samples that make it easier to perform certain IT tasks. These samples are Building Blocks of predefined Modules and include hypervisor Modules, Linux Modules and Microsoft Windows Modules. After importing these Building Blocks into your RES Automation Manager environment, you can adapt the predefined Tasks to your situation if necessary.

The samples are included in the file RES-AM-2012-Samples-6.5.0.0.zip, which can be downloaded from the support portal.

The samples cover the following:

• Linux Tasks:
  • Application Management
  • Disk Management
  • Network Management
  • Security Management
  • Service Management
  • System Management
  • User Management
• Hypervisor Tasks: These Tasks allow you to manage snapshots and VMs on:
  • VMware vSphere Hypervisor
  • Microsoft Hyper-V Server
  • Citrix XenServer
• Additional Tasks:
  • Citrix XenApp 6.5 Unattended Deployment
  • Write Event to Microsoft Windows Event Log

Support for Bare Metal OS deployment using WDS and RES Automation Manager

When deploying new workstations or servers, Bare Metal OS deployment usually is the first task that is performed. This task can now easily be carried out by combining Microsoft Windows Deployment Services (WDS) and RES Automation Manager.

For more information about Microsoft Windows Deployment Services, please refer to the Windows Deployment Services Getting Started Guide, available at http://technet.microsoft.com/en- us/library/cc771670(WS.10).aspx.

For more information about Bare Metal OS deployment using WDS and RES Automation Manager, please refer to the chapter Appendices\Best Practices\Bare Metal OS deployment using WDS and RES Automation Manager of the RES Automation Manager 2012 Administration Guide, available at http://support.ressoftware.com/automationmanageradminguide2012.

Variables

RES Automation Manager 2012 introduces Variables.

When configuring a Task, the values of many fields can now optionally be replaced with Variables. Similar to parameters, Variables function as placeholders for customer-specific values, such as, for example, server names, passwords or credentials. Different from parameters however, Variables are resolved at the moment of Job execution, rather than at the moment of Job scheduling.

The global values of Variables can be set up at Infrastructure > Datastore > Settings > Global Variables. These values are inherited by default by all Teams and Agents, but exceptions for individual Teams and Agents can be set up on the Team’s Team Variables tab and the Agent’s Agent Variables tab.

Team Variables and Agent Variables allow “owners” of a specific Team or Agent to override the Global Variables by specifying a custom-value. This makes Variables especially useful for use in multitenant RES Automation Manager sites, because it makes it easier to manage different settings for different customers and assigned projects, and to exchange Modules, Projects and Run Books with other branches of an organization.

Example

You can set up Global Variables to specify a Domain, Security Context and Domain controller for usage in a Task Manage Active Directory Computer. This creates a generic Task that can be used by all customers in your multitenant site. “Owners” of a specific Team or Agent at the customer site can override the global values of these Variables by specifying a custom-value that only applies to their site. When the Task is executed, the Task automatically gets the correct values that applies to the individual customer site. Depending on the hierarchy of these Variables, these can be the global values, Team-specific values or Agent-specific values.

Video tutorials

As of RES Automation Manager 2012, video tutorials are available that will help you quickly start using RES Automation Manager. These tutorials cover a broad range of subjects, from planning, installing and setting up an environment to using the functionality of RES Automation Manager.

Video tutorials can be accessed from the Help:

Custom Properties from previous versions of RES Automation Manager will automatically be migrated to Variables in RES Automation Manager 2012. Because names of categories in Variables must be unique, any categories in Custom Properties with the same name will be merged into one category in Variables and any existing Custom Properties objects in these categories will be categorized in this category.

A complete list of all available video tutorials by category can be found in the Help, by clicking Help > Video Tutorials from the menu bar of the Console.

Depending on availability, individual tutorials can be accessed from the matching Help topic, by clicking “View tutorial”.

New Tasks in RES Automation Manager 2012

Task “Linux Command (Execute)”

At Repository > Modules, a new Task has been added to the library folder Linux: Execute Linux Commands. With this Task, you can run commands on Agents running on Linux Operating Systems.

Scripts that you run on the RES Automation Manager Agent for Linux using the Task Execute Linux Command cannot include reboot and shutdown commands. Use the Tasks Reboot Linux Computer or Shutdown Linux Computer instead. See Tasks “Linux Computer (Reboot, Shutdown)” (on page 6).

The library Linux and its Tasks will only be available in the Console if your RES Automation Manager environment contains at least one RES Automation Manager Agent for Linux.

Tasks “Linux Computer (Reboot, Shutdown)”

At Repository > Modules, the following Tasks have been added to the library folder Linux: Reboot Linux Computer and Shutdown Linux Computer. With these Tasks, you can reboot or shut down Agents running on Linux Operating Systems automatically. A restart is often required after the installation of new software. These Tasks can also be useful after the execution of a Task Execute Linux Command. See Task “Linux Command (Execute)” (on page 6).

The library Linux and its Tasks will only be available in the Console if your RES Automation Manager environment contains at least one RES Automation Manager Agent for Linux.

Task “Linux Resource (Download)”

At Repository > Modules, a new Task has been added to the library folder Linux: Execute Linux Commands. With this Task, you can download Resources to Agents running on Linux Operating Systems.

The library Linux and its Tasks will only be available in the Console if your RES Automation Manager environment contains at least one RES Automation Manager Agent for Linux.

Tasks “Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager (Distribute Software, Query Client)”

At Repository > Modules, the following Tasks have been added to the library folder Provisioning: Distribute Software with Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager and Query Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager Client. You can find these Tasks in the Task library Provisioning.

Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager allows you to distribute, configure and manage software across virtual, distributed and mobile environments. RES Automation Manager supports Configuration Manager 2007 and 2012.

• With the Task Distribute Software with Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager, you can deploy software distribution packages on Agents on which a Configuration Manager Client is running.
• With the Task Query Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager Client, you can:
  • Create status reports of Configuration Manager clients, including client version, cacheoptions, service states, etc.
  • Obtain an overview of all software distribution packages that were advertised to Configuration Manager clients, including local status of the advertisement, last run date and exit code.

Tasks “RES Automation Manager Job Results (Delete, Export)”

At Repository > Modules, the following Tasks have been added to the library folder RES Automation Manager: Delete RES Automation Manager Job Results and Export RES Automation Manager Job Results.

• With Delete RES Automation Manager Job Results, you can clean up the Datastore from Job results that are no longer relevant, for example because they have become obsolete through Snapshot Intelligence or because they are the results of recurring Jobs.
• With Export RES Automation Manager Job Results, you can export Job results to XML files. This allows you to back up Job results for review purposes. This Task is especially useful in combination with the Task Delete RES Automation Manager Job Results, in which you first back up certain Job results by exporting them to zipped XML files, and then clean up the Datastore by deleting them.In these Tasks, you can delete or export Job results from the Datastore, based on a combination of criteria:
• The type of Job that was performed (recurring/non-recurring)
• The relevance of the Job results (actual Job results/Job results that have become obsoletethrough Snapshot Intelligence)
• The Agent(s)/Team(s) that executed the JobThe period in which the Jobs were executed

Task “RES Automation Manager Team Membership (Change)”

At Repository > Modules, a new Task has been added to the library folder RES Automation Manager: Change RES Automation Manager Team Membership. With this Task, you can add or remove Agents from a Team, and offers a more dynamic way of adding and removing Agents to and from Teams.

This Task is typically used in combination with a Task Query Installed Programs in which an evaluator determines whether the succeeding Task Change Team Membership should be executed.

For example, suppose you want to add an Agent to the Team Office if Microsoft Office is installed on the Agent. You can achieve this by setting up a Module that contains the following:

• A Task Query Installed Programs with an evaluator for Microsoft Office that fails the Query if it does not return results.
• A Task Change RES Automation Manager Team Membership with a condition that executes the Task if the status of the previous Task is Completed. This Task adds the Agent to the Team Office.When the Module is executed, the Agent(s) that execute the Module will be added to the Team Office if Microsoft Office is installed; if not, they will not be added to the Team.

Enhancements and Improvements

Agents: Agents no longer shown as offline when using IBM DB2

When using an IBM DB2 database, all Agents were shown as being offline in the Console. This did not have any consequences for the functioning of these Agents: in reality, they were online and all RES Automation Manager functionality was available. This has been fixed. All online Agents will now also be shown as being online.

Agents: Delete Job history of Agents

At Infrastructure > Agents, it is now possible to delete the entire Job history of individual Agents.

If many snapshots of an Agent are made, for example by using a provisioning server, the Job history of such Agents can become very large and may contain many obsolete entries. In such situations, it can be desirable to clean up the Job history of the Agent.

For this purpose, a button Delete Job History has been added to the History tab of the Agent Properties window, which is available when viewing the properties of an Agent.

It is also possible to delete the Job history of an Agent at Infrastructure > Agents (right-click the Agent, select Delete Job History).

Further informations about RES Automation Manager 2012

For the full release notes read the informations from RES Automation Manager 2012 release notes which can be downloaded from the client portal at www.ressoftware.com

Symptoms

Windows Remote Management (WinRM) is correctly configured on the desktop machine; this is displayed by Activity and HDX information appearing. Desktop Director is showing dash (-) for ICA latency under the Session Details panel.

Cause

The ability to retrieve ICA latency information depends on DCOM security permissions. The Desktop Director user might not have the necessary permissions to retrieve this data.

Resolution

More Information

Enabling WinRM for Desktop Director

Citrix Consulting have created this great whitepaper that describes how you create High Availability for TFTP with Citrix Provisioning Services and Netscaler

Overview

Citrix Provisioning Services is a software streaming technology that allows servers and desktops to be provisioned and re-provisioned in real time from a single shared-disk image
1. The service is commonly integrated with Citrix virtualization solutions to optimize Operating System delivery and management. Often these solutions are critical to the operation of organizations and require high availability. Providing high availability for Provisioning Services requires designing each component of the service without a single point of failure across the network. The „bootstrap file‟, named ardbp32.bin, is a key component that must be delivered to Provisioning Services target devices in order for them to communicate with Provisioning Services over the network.

The bootstrap file is typically delivered via Trivial File Transfer Protocol (TFTP) services hosted on Provisioning Servers. This document focuses specifically on comparing high availability options fordelivery of the bootstrap file to target devices via TFTP. The advantages and disadvantages of each option are outlined as well as the steps to implement the load balancing options with NetScaler. The document scope does not include details of the implementation or operation of other aspects of Provisioning Services.

Read the full whitepaper Implementation Guide for High Availability for TFTP here

This document applies to:

• NetScaler 9.0
• NetScaler 9.1
• NetScaler 9.2
• NetScaler 9.3
• XenApp 6.0 for Windows Server 2008 R2
• XenApp 6.5 for Windows Server 2008 R2
• XenDesktop 4 x32
• XenDesktop 5 x32
• XenDesktop 5.5 x32

Symptoms

Monitor Blanking inconsistently occurs on XenDesktop 5.5 VDAs with HDX3D Pro installed on physical Windows 7 PCs that use a WDDM display driver.

Cause

This is an architectural issue and is not one that can be 100% resolved in XenDesktop 5.5.

HDX3D Pro on XenDesktop 5.5 was designed for access to data center workstations for high-end 3D professional graphics.

While various aspects of this issue can be and has been fixed for certain video cards, 100% reliability of monitor blanking cannot be guaranteed.

Many display drivers do not provide the necessary feedback mechanisms to determine whether the monitor on the VDA side was truly blanked out.

Workaround

Refer to the Knowledge Center article CTX124877 - Unable to Connect to XenDesktop Virtual Desktop Agent on Vista or Windows 7 with WDDM Driver for more information on a possible workaround

Citrix have released CloudGateway Enterprise for web.

About CloudGateway Enterprise

CloudGateway Enterprise is designed to offer a single point of control for enterprise delivery of Windows, Web and SaaS applications, with a seamless end-user experience across the various Receiver variants. CloudGateway Enterprise comprises of three key components:

1. StoreFront services- The Windows component allowing the various Citrix Receivers to connect to the enterprise store, and deliver Windows, Web and SaaS applications to users, with a follow-me subscription and launch experience.
2. AppController- A linux based virtual machine available for both XenServer and vmware based hosts, providing the central administrative point for configuration of all enterprise Web and SaaS applications, to be delivered to end users, with a single sign-on federation and consolidated provisioning capabilities
3. Gateway services – Delivered through the Access Gateway component, either standalone, or as a feature of the NetScaler MPX, VPX and SDX platforms.

Note that CloudGateway Enterprise provides the license entitlement for the Access Gateway universal licenses, but the actual AG physical or virtual appliances actually needed to deploy this functionality, will need to be procured independently

In addition to the above components CloudGateway Enterprise will also consist of regular AppConnector update packs, which will include new connectors for applications, that will keep increasing the number of applications supported for both federation and user account provisioning support within the AppController.

Source

Download Citrix CloudGateway Enterprise here

Citrix CloudGateway Express aka StoreFront Services 1.0 is released to web.

Citrix have again confussed people about naming their products and the StoreFront Services 1.0 is CloudGateway Express. And if you go under Citrix.com and choose to download CloudGateway Express you can download StoreFront Services =O) does it make sense… hope so.

About Receiver Storefront

Receiver Storefront consists of services that provide authentication and resource delivery infrastructure for Citrix Receiver:

Source

Download Citrix StoreFront Services 1.0 here - Require MyCitrix ID

More info about Citrix StoreFront Services 1.0 http://support.citrix.com/proddocs/topic/dws-storefront-10/dws-version-wrapper.html

Citrix have released Receiver for Windows 3.1 and Receiver Enterprise for Windows 3.1

What’s New in the Citrix Receiver Standard Package

Enhancing XenDesktop Availability with NetScaler Implementation Guide

Providing high-availability to a XenDesktop environment provides the level of assurance organizations need when moving towards a desktop virtualization solution. Because the desktop operating environment is no longer on the endpoint, but is instead within the data center, a failure of one component has the potential to impact hundreds or thousands of users. This is a risk with any desktop virtualization solution. Because of this fact, XenDesktop is built around fault tolerant components that can be further enhanced with Citrix NetScaler to provide disaster recovery and
business continuity.

This Implementation Guide shows how to provide high-availability, disaster recovery and business continuity to a XenDesktop environment.

The document is divided into the following sections:

• Local Availability: Configure the XenDesktop components in a highly-available configuration
• Global Availability: Configure the XenDesktop architecture to provide the best delivery for users, regardless of location
• Disaster Recovery/Business Continuity: Provide XenDesktop users with a fallback solution in the event of a major outage.

Read the full whitepaper here