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Citrix VDI-in-a-box 5.4

Citrix have released a new version of Citrix VDI-in-a-box 5.4

VDI-in-a-Box 5.4 provides support for Windows 8.1 virtual desktops and Windows Server 2012 R2 Hyper-V. It also includes a range of enhancements that increase VDI-in-a-Box’s flexibility and a range of power tools for administrators. If you want to migrate your VDI-in-a-box platform to a XenDesktop 7 platform, there is now a wizard included in VDI-in-a-box 5.4, that lets you easy migrate your images, template configuration and user assignments.

Note !!! – Citrix VDI-in-a-Box does not support HDX3D Pro.

Whats new in Citrix VDI-in-a-box 5.4

  • Windows 8.1 virtual desktops
    Create Windows 8.1 desktops and run them on any supported hypervisor.
  • Windows Server 2012 R2
    Windows Server 2012 R2 Hyper V is now supported. You can also use Windows Server 2012 R2 desktops with HDX connections. Grids running on Windows Server 2012 R2 Hyper V and Windows Server 2012 Hyper V can use shared storage.
  • VMware vSphere ESXi 5.5
    VMware vSphere ESXi 5.5 Hypervisor is now supported.
  • Built-in HTML5 device support
    Use devices running HTML5-capable browsers to access VDI-in-a-Box desktops without StoreFront. This allows devices such as Chromebook to access VDI-in-a-Box desktops without additional server components.
  • Multiple computer domains
    If you use Active Directory as a user database, you can place the computer objects for VDI-in-a-Box desktops in more than one domain. This allows you to separate your users into different domains and meet regulatory or compliance requirements in your organization. For more information, see Use VDI-in-a-Box with Active Directory.
  • StoreFront smart card support
    Users can log on using smart cards when accessing desktops through StoreFront from non-domain-joined Windows devices.
  • SSL certificate multiple host names
    You can specify multiple host names on a single SSL certificate, which is more cost-effective than using a wildcard certificate. This enables you to specify the grid IP FQDN as the common name and add subject alternate names for the FQDNs of the individual vdiManagers. For more information, see Manage SSL certificates.
  • Install existing SSL certificates
    Install existing SSL certificates through the Manage SSL Certificate wizard. For more information, see Manage SSL certificates.
  • Follow-me desktops
    Time-share user devices among multiple user names where each user name is shared by a group of users: in a classroom or lab environment, for example. In previous releases of VDI-in-a-Box this was achieved through setting your entire grid to generic user mode. You now have the flexibility to support shared user accounts and dedicated user accounts in the same VDI-in-a-Box grid just by clearing a check box on an individual template. For more information, see Configure shared user accounts.
    Generic user mode is now reserved solely for avoiding user name verification after the user logs on to a desktop. For more information, see Configure generic user accounts.
  • Image save as
    You can save an existing image under a new name. This gives you the flexibility to easily create backups, or experiment with different image settings.
    If you need to pilot a new version of an image for a pooled desktop, you can update an existing image, save it with a different name, then edit an existing template to use this image. When testing is complete it’s easy to either continue using the updated image, move back to the previous version, or create subsequent versions if you need to continue testing.
    For more information, see Manage images.
  • Change images for pooled-desktop templates
    You can edit an existing template for pooled desktops and base it on a different image, provided the image is compatible with the template properties and existing desktops. This enables you to test new versions of images, as described above. For more information, see Manage templates.
  • Remote Assistance support
    Launch Windows Remote Assistance from the vdiManager console, enabling administrators or support staff to share users’ screens and shadow their sessions. For more information, see Manage user sessions.
  • Wizard-driven migration to Citrix XenDesktop
    If you need to move your entire VDI-in-a-Box deployment to XenDesktop, this easy-to-use wizard exports your images and generates PowerShell scripts that you can run to migrate all template configurations and user assignments to a XenDesktop deployment. For more information see http://support.citrix.com/article/CTX136081.

Source

Download Citrix VDI-in-a-box 5.4 here (Require MyCitrix ID)

Citrix XenDesktop 7.1

Citrix XenDesktop 7.1 is now finally released and vGPU is now in the product and build in with MCS, very very cool. You can configure GPU pass-through with any GPU card or vGPU profiles with NVIDIA GRID, the brilliant thing about this its now build in to the product, you only have to choose a GPU profile and XenDesktop takes care of the High Availability with XenServer and find the resources that free and connects the GPU to the Virtual Machine. Microsoft have just released Windows 8.1 and Server 2012R2 and in this release of Citrix XenDesktop 7.1, Citrix are supporting Microsoft newest Operating System Platforms.

One of the things that have been fixed in the XenDesktop 7.1 Virtual Delivery Agent is following:

  • With HDX 3D Pro enabled, the NVIDIA card might not support certain resolutions. This enhancement introduces support of up to 2560×1600 pixel resolutions.
  • With HDX 3D Pro enabled, client connections to a XenDesktop 5.6 VDA do not support resolutions beyond 1900×1200 pixels. This enhancement introduces support for a wide range of additional resolution ratios, including:
    • 1920×1200
    • 2048×1152
    • 2560×1440
    • 2560×1600

What’s new in XenDesktop 7.1

  • GPU — The Graphical Processing Unit (GPU) capabilities feature provides graphics virtualization, offering a superior experience for users who use graphic-intensive applications and often manipulate 3-D models. The GPU feature also can improve the graphics experience for a large number of users. Administrators can evaluate workflows for the creation of GPU-capable connections and machine catalogs created with an MCS-provisioned master image. If problems are encountered, then Administrators may need to manually create the machines.

When you install Citrix XenDesktop 7.1 on the Controller, you can now choose a GPU type and group which its getting from XenServer.

 

vgpu_option_in_XenServer_-_build_XD

If you have NVIDIA GRID with XenServer, XenDesktop 7.1 takes care of creating a GPU type attached to the GPU group.

vgpu_option_in_XenServer_done_-_build_XD

in above example I am choosing a vGPU type: K140Q. It have 960MB video RAM per VM)

If you have 1 GRID K1 card and choose a K140Q type, you can have maximum 16 virtual machines assigned to this card. If you have 2 GRID K1 and choose  K140Q type, then you can have 32 virtual machines assigned to the GROUP K1, and XenDesktop 7.1/XenServer vGPU takes care of the HA of GPU assignment.

Look at below chart to get an understanding of which vGPU types you can choose in XenDesktop 7.1 with NVIDIA GRID K1 & K2.

Read my blogpost about vGPU profiles

vgpu-profile

The above numbers are from NVIDIA but the vGPU types Citrix have defined in XenDesktop 7.1 are following:

for NVIDIA GRID K1 vGPU options:

  • GRID K100 (256B video RAM per VM)
  • GRID K140Q (960MB video RAM per VM)
  • Passthrough – GK107 GL GRID K1

for NVIDIA GRID K2 vGPU options:

  • GRID K260Q (1920MB video RAM per VM)
  • GRID K240Q (960MB video RAM per VM)
  • GRID K200 (256MB video RAM per VM)
  • Passthrough – GK104GL

 

  • Windows Server 2012 R2 and Windows 8.1 support — Deliver a high-definition user experience on Windows 8.1 virtual desktops and physical machines. HDX 3D Pro has also been upgraded to support Windows 8.1.

vda-platform-support

 

Upgrade XenDesktop 7 components to 7.1

When you run the installer AutoSelect, the wizard checks whether certain Site components (such as the Delivery Controllers, Director, and VDAs), need to be upgraded. If you opt not to upgrade some components during this process, when you run Studio, it performs a component check and notifies you when components need to be upgraded. You cannot proceed to manage your Site until you upgrade these components.

Upgrade Site with components deployed on different machines

The following figure shows the high-level processes involved when upgrading a XenDesktop 7 to XenDesktop 7.1 in which Studio components are deployed on different machines.

Perform the upgrade procedures in the following order.

Check the licenses

Make sure that your Subscription Advantage date for licenses is no earlier than 2013.0522.

Upgrade StoreFront

If StoreFront is deployed on a separate machine, follow the steps described in Upgrade core components from eDocs

Upgrade Director

If Director is deployed on a separate machine, follow the steps described in Upgrade core components from eDocs

Upgrade Provisioning Services

If you are using Provisioning Services, follow the procedures described in Upgrading Provisioning Services from eDocs

Upgrade the Virtual Delivery Agent

For Remote PC Access deployments, Citrix recommends that you upgrade a VDA in a remote PC using a command-line method. For detailed information, see Install using the command line.

  1. Log on to the server using a local administrator account and run the installer by inserting the media or mounting the ISO drive for this release, and double-clickingAutoSelect.
  2. On the Welcome page, click Start. The wizard detects what components need to be upgraded and displays the Upgrade options page, activating the components you can upgrade.
  3. On the Upgrade options page, select:
    • Virtual Delivery Agent for Windows Desktop OS for Desktop OS, and earlier XenDesktop versions
    • Virtual Delivery Agent for Windows Server OS for Server OS
  4. On the Firewall page review the default ports and configure firewall rules.
  5. On the Summary review the prerequisites to be installed and the components to be upgraded then click Upgrade.
  6. On the Finish Upgrade page one of the following messages appears upon completion:
    • Success — Upgrade successful appears when the upgrade completes without errors.
    • Failed — The Upgrade failed appears with a list of failed components. Click Why did this fail to review what you must do to fix the problem. Other components that installed successfully are retained; you do not need to reinstall them.
  7. Click Finish to complete the upgrade.

Upgrade Delivery Controllers

Citrix recommends that you upgrade Delivery Controllers as follows:
  1. Upgrade half of your Site’s Delivery Controllers.
  2. Use the upgraded version of Studio to perform the Site upgrade as described in Upgrade core components.
  3. Upgrade your remaining Delivery Controllers.

Upgrade Databases using Studio

Use Studio to upgrade the Database.

Automatically upgrade Databases

  1. Start Studio. The wizard detects what components need to be upgraded and displays the Mandatory upgrade page.
  2. Select Start the Site upgrade automatically.
  3. At the prompt, select I am ready to upgrade.The wizard displays the upgrade progress. After the upgrade completes, the wizard performs tests. This takes several minutes.
  4. At the Site Upgrade Complete window, you can optionally view a data migration report and then click Finish.
  5. At the Upgrade successful page, click Finish upgrade and return to the Site overview.

Manually upgrade Databases

To minimize Site down time when performing a manual upgrade, it is important that the XenDesktop Administrator closely coordinates with the Database Administrator. This process requires that you run a script that temporarily disables Xendesktop Services while the manual upgrade scripts are run by the Database Administrator using a preferred tool (for example, SQL Server Management Studio). Ideally, immediately after these scripts complete, the XenDesktop Administrator should enable XenDesktop Services and complete the upgrade using Studio.

Manual upgrade requires:

  • Backing up the databases
  • Running the generated scripts in the following order:
  1. DisableServices.ps1 — PowerShell script to be run by the XenDesktop administrator on an XenDesktop Controller.
  2. UpgradeSiteDatabase.sql — SQL script run where the Site databases resides
  3. UpgradeMonitorDatabase.sql — SQL script run where the Monitor databases resides.
  4. UpgradeLoggingDatabase.sql — SQL script run where the Logging database resides.
    Note: You should only run this script if the Logging database changes. For example, run it after applying a hotfix.
  5. EnableServices.ps1 — PowerShell script to be run by the XenDesktop administrator on an XenDesktop Controller.

To upgrade manually

  1. Start Studio. The wizard detects what components need to be upgraded and displays the Mandatory upgrade page.
  2. Select Manually upgrade this site.
  3. The wizard checks for License Server compatibility. Make sure your License Server and license files are compatible with XenDesktop 7.1. Select the confirmation check box and click Continue.
  4. The wizard prompts you to backup the Database. When you have done so, select the confirmation check box and click Continue.
    • The wizard generates the manual upgrade scripts that you must run and displays them in a window
    • The Mandatory Upgrade page changes to display a checklist of the manual upgrade steps
  5. Make sure you have completed the checklist tasks and click Finish upgrade and return to Common Tasks.

Upgrade core components

The installer automatically upgrades core components such as Delivery Controllers, Studio, and Director if they were previously installed.

  1. Log on to the server using a local administrator account and run the installer by inserting the media or mounting the ISO drive for this release, and double-clickingAutoSelect.
  2. On the Welcome page, click Start. The wizard detects what components need to be upgraded and displays the Upgrade options page, activating the components you can upgrade.
  3. Click Delivery Controller.
  4. Accept the license agreement.
  5. Review the upgrade steps, click I’m ready to continue and click Next.
  6. On the Core Components page review the components available for upgrade.
  7. On the Firewall page review the default ports and configure firewall rules.
  8. On the Upgrade page review the prerequisites to be installed and the components to be upgraded and then click Upgrade.
  9. On the Finish Upgrade page one of the following messages appears upon completion:
    • Success — Upgrade successful appears when the upgrade completes without errors.
    • Failed — The Upgrade failed appears with a list of failed components. Click Why did this fail to review what you must do to fix the problem. Other components that installed successfully are retained; you do not need to reinstall them.
  10. Click Finish to complete the upgrade.

Upgrade a Site with components deployed on the same machine

The following figure shows the high-level processes involved when upgrading a Site in which all components are deployed on the same machine.

Upgrade XD7 on a single machinePerform the upgrade procedures in the following order:

  1. Make sure that your Subscription Advantage date for licenses is no earlier than 2013.0522.
  2. Back up the Controller databases.
  3. Optionally back up templates and upgrade Hypervisor.
  4. Upgrade PVS servers and agents as described in Upgrade Provisioning Services from eDocs
  5. Upgrade the core components as described in Upgrade core components from eDocs
  6. Upgrade Virtual Desktop Agents as described in Upgrade the Virtual Delivery Agent from eDocs
  7. Upgrade the Database using Studio as described in Upgrade Databases using Studio from eDocs
  8. Upgrade the remaining Delivery Controllers.

Post upgrade processes

After the upgrade and data migration is complete, you can run environment and configuration tests to make sure that the Site is in functional order.

To test the upgraded site, select Test Site n the Site Configuration pane of the Studio Common Tasks page.

Source

If you want to upgrade your current Citrix XenDesktop 7 environment to XenDesktop 7.1. environment look here

fixes in XenDesktop 7.1 – Virtual Delivery Agent

fixes in XenDesktop 7.1 – Controller 

Download Citrix XenDesktop 7.1 here (Require MyCitrix ID)

Citrix Command Center 5.1 Build 32.2

Citrix have released a new version of Citrix Command Center 5.1 Build 32.2

What is Citrix Command Center

Command Center is a centralized management and monitoring solution for Citrix NetScaler, NetScaler Gateway, CloudBridge, CloudBridge Advanced Platform and NetScaler SDX Platform.

Whats new in Citrix Command Center 5.1 Build 32.2

The Citrix Command Center Release 5.1, Build 32.2 includes the following new features and enhancements.

  • Authentication Enhancements
  • Counter Reporting Enhancements
  • New SNMP OID Support
  • Host Name Column Added in Device Inventory Page
  • Command Center Appliance Initial Setup Wizard
  • Command Center Appliance Specific Logs
  • New Built-in Tasks Support
  • NetScaler 10.1 SNMP Traps Support
  • Configuration History Email Notifications
  • Ability to Test Email Connectivity
  • CloudBridge Rebranding Changes
  • CloudBridge 2000 & 3000 Support

 

  1. Authentication Enhancements

    This release, delivers the following enhancements to the authentication capabilities of Command Center:

    RADIUS Authentication Settings
    The way that Command Center handles RADIUS authentication after a forced failover is improved. If you configure Command Center servers in high availability mode with RADIUS authentication, you must provide the Secondary Server Client Identifier details.

    Ability to Verify Authentication Server Settings and Connectivity
    With this release, the authentication server settings specified under Administration > Security > Authentication Settings are verified. If the settings are not accurate, an error message prompts you to specify the correct settings.

    Search for Active Directory Groups
    If you enable group extraction from Active Directory, you can browse and search for Active Directory groups while adding groups in Command Center. The number of search results is limited to 5000 results.

    Counter Reporting Enhancements
    With this release, Command Center can generate a report to plot the difference in the following counter values between the polling cycles: Vserver hits, Request bytes, Response bytes, Total Packets rcvd, Total Packets sent, Current client connections, Current Client Est connections, Current server connections, and Spill Over Hits.

  2. Counter Reporting Enhancements

    With this release, Command Center can generate a report to plot the difference in the following counter values between the polling cycles: Vserver hits, Request bytes, Response bytes, Total Packets rcvd, Total Packets sent, Current client connections, Current Client Est connections, Current server connections, and Spill Over Hits.

Source

Download Citrix Command Center 5.1 Build 32 here (Require MyCitrix ID)

Tech Talk: Virtual Desktops for Designers and Engineers

Hi all

I have had some amazing days at NVIDIA GTC 2013 where i did my presentation on how business adapt remote graphics solutions from Citrix.

citri

The same week I did a Tech Talk webinar together with Yvonne Dresser, Sr Marketing Product Manager at Citrix HQ in Santa Clara. The topic we discussed Virtualizing 3D Professional Graphics Apps and. In this webinar you will learn how Citrix XenDesktop & XenApp can deliver remote graphics with 3D applications and how they can be virtualized in multiple layers from Servers to Desktops to Apps and how they can be delivered to any device from a PC to a tablet, phone or even a thin client.You will learn which graphic solutions from NVIDIA thats available and how the new NVIDIA GRID K1/K2 fits into these solutions from Citrix.

I covered the best practice part from the field i have experience in the years since 2008 and share this with the audience and we got 30 questions that we cover, so for me it was amazing having such a big audience attending and asking for very technical questions how to build these solutions and what the requirements are, whats available whats possible.

Source

Watch the recorded webinar here

Download the presentation here PDF format

Download the presentation here PPS format

Citrix Mobile Solutions

Citrix have released a new product called Citrix Mobile Solution which are the components of Zenprise now called XenMobile combined with Citrix CloudGateway (AppController, app prep tool+access gateway). Citrix have done a great job combining the two technologies into 1 product. I saw how the new XenMobile MDM & @WorkMail app for iOS worked at a Citrix Disti Bootcamp that was held 25-25th February  at Citrix Systems in Stockholm, and it looks really awesome and fast too, so its a ready product but i doesn’t communicate with the local contact phone list, and let you abstract the informations from the local phone book to the @WorkMail, which some mights wants this functionality. Lets digg in.

Mobile Solutions

Citrix Mobile Solutions is an enterprise mobility management solution that provides mobile device, app and data freedom for employees by giving users access to all their mobile, web and Windows apps and data from a unified app store. Mobile Solutions includes the following components:

  • CloudGateway that includes AppController, the App Preparation Tool, and Access Gateway.
  • XenMobile MDM contains Device Manager, Secure Mobile Gateway, and the Multi-Tenant Console.

The Citrix Mobile Solutions Bundle, is comprised of XenMobile MDM and CloudGateway. Employees have quick, single-click access to all their mobile, web, SaaS and Windows apps from a unified app store, including secure productivity apps that seamlessly integrate to offer a great user experience.

The Mobile Solutions Bundle provides identity-based provisioning and control for all apps, data and devices, policy-based controls, such as restriction of application access to authorized users, automatic account de-provisioning for terminated employees and selective wipe of device, apps or data stored on lost devices. With the Mobile Solutions Bundle, IT can give users device choice while giving IT the ability to prevent data leakage and protect the internal network from mobile threats.

mobile solutions architecture

Mobile Solutions Bundle is composed of the components below

  1. AppController – A Linux based virtual machine available for both XenServer and VMware® based hosts, providing the central administrative point for configuration of all native mobile apps, Web/ SaaS apps, and ShareFile data.
  2. Gateway services – Delivered through the Citrix Access Gateway, either standalone, or as a feature of the NetScaler MPX, VPX and SDX platforms.
  3. App Preparation Tool – MDX technology provides encapsulated iOS and Android applications with security, encryption, and control.
  4. @Work Applications – @WorkMail and @WorkWeb applications for secure Exchange mail and secure Web.
  5. Mobile Device Management – Allows IT to manage mobile devices, set mobile policies and compliance rules, gain visibility to the mobile network, provide control over mobile apps and data, and shield the corporate network from mobile threats

xenmobile device manager

AppController 2.6, whats new

  • Certificate support. When you log on to AppController for the first time in the web-based management console to configure the initial settings, you can add or create certificates on the Active Directory settings page. This option appears only when configuring settings in the management console the first time you log on. When you log on subsequently to the management console, you can configure certificates by using theCertificates link on the Settings tab.
  • Microsoft Hyper-V support. You can install the AppController 2.6 virtual machine on Windows Server 2012 with Hyper-V enabled or on Microsoft Hyper-V Server 2012.
  • Migration support to AppController 2.6. You can upgrade to AppController 2.6 from AppController 2.0 or from AppController 2.5.
  • Secure connections to Active Directory. When you log on to AppController for the first time in the management console to configure the initial settings, you can configure secure connections to Active Directory on the Active Directory settings page. When you log on subsequently to the management console, you can change Active Directory settings by using the Active Directory link on the Settings tab.
  • ShareFile updates. In previous AppController versions, when you configured ShareFile, the domain sharefile.com was automatically appended to the domain name. In this release, the domain sharefile.com does not automatically append to the ShareFile domain name. You must enter the entire ShareFile domain name.
  • Support for mobile links. You can configure mobile links to retrieve the name and description of apps automatically from the Apple App Store. For apps available through the Google Play Store, you enter the name, description and URL of the app. When you configure mobile links, links appear in Receiver with the Play Store or App Store name.
  •  Web proxy user name format. When you configure the web proxy, you can use either the SAMAccount format or the User Principal Name (UPN) as the user name.

Source

Download Citrix Mobile Solutions bundle here (Require MyCitrix) 
The new version of the AppController 2.6 & App preparation tool for iOS and Android are located in above link + XenMobile components.

edocs of Citrix Mobile Solutions

Architecture of the Citrix Mobile solutions bundle