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Citrix Receiver 3.4 for Windows

Citrix have released a new Citrix Receiver 3.4 for Windows.

About Receiver 3.4 for Windows

Citrix Receiver for Windows provides users with self-service access to resources published on XenApp or XenDesktop servers. Receiver combines ease of deployment and use, and offers quick, secure access to hosted applications, desktops, and data. Receiver also provides on-demand access to Windows, Web, and Software as a Service (SaaS) applications. You can use it for Web access or configure it for use with Citrix CloudGateway.

What’s new

Citrix Receiver 3.4 for Windows (CitrixReceiver.exe) provides the following new features and enhancements.

  • Single authentication to the Access Gateway:
    • Use of a single session for both VPN and clientless access so that a Receiver user logs on once for both types of access and consumes only one license. This feature requires StoreFront.
    • Automatic routing of ICA traffic through the Access Gateway ICA proxy for optimal user experience.
    • Automatic start-up of a VPN tunnel when a user logs on. This feature requires that you disable the Single Sign-On with Windows setting on the Access Gateway.
    • Support for Access Gateway SmartAccess controls.
  • Improved logon and logoff operations:
    • Users are prompted to log on to Receiver only when a logon is required. Actions that require a log on include starting an app from Receiver or the Start menu, using the Refresh Apps command, viewing or searching for apps, or adding an account. A user is logged on only to the account associated with the requested resource.
    • Users remain logged on until choosing to log off or exit Receiver, roam from the internal network to an external network, or delete passwords.
    • A VPN tunnel is established when a remote user performs an action that results in a logon. Internal users are logged on to StoreFront.
  • Support for Windows 8. You can use Receiver for Windows 3.4 on Intel-based Windows 8 devices. (Receiver for Windows 8/RT is available on the Windows App Store for ARM-based Windows 8 devices.)
  • Support for Windows Server 2012 R2, 64-bit edition.
  • Support for Project Thor Technical Preview (XenApp Connector). Receiver for Windows 3.4 can be used with Project Thor Technical Preview to deliver apps with Microsoft System Center 2012 Configuration Manager.
  • Usability improvements, including:
    • App and desktop Start menu shortcuts are no longer copied to other devices, enabling users to control the location of shortcuts on each of their devices.
    • The Request button is removed. Users can now simply click to add an app and, if a request for permission to add the app is required, a dialog box appears.
    • Arrow keys can be used to navigate search results.
    • Users will experience fewer dialog boxes when adding and removing apps.
    • Error messages and certificate warnings are clearer.
    • Users can reset Receiver to factory defaults. For information of preventing user resets, see http://support.citrix.com/article/CTX135941 in the Citrix Knowledge Center.
  • Support for session pre-launch. The session pre-launch feature reduces launch times for applications delivered through Web Interface sites.
  • Support for ShareFile StorageZones. Receiver for Windows supports both ShareFile-managed cloud storage and on-premises StorageZones.
  • Upgraded FIPS support. Receiver for Windows 3.4 supports certificates with a minimum public key of 2,048-bit RSA and a SHA256 signature hash algorithm.

Receiver for Windows Enterprise

The Receiver 3.4 for Windows Enterprise package (CitrixReceiverEnterprise.exe) provides the following enhancements:

  • Support for smart card single sign-on for Windows 7 devices. When used with Web Interface, Receiver 3.4 for Windows Enterprise enables smart card pass-through authentication from Windows 7 devices.
  • Support for Fast Connect. Fast Connect provides the necessary technology for partners to rapidly authenticate users to Citrix sessions or desktops.

Source

Download Citrix Receiver 3.4 for Windows here

Download Citrix Receiver 3.4 Legacy PNA for Windows here

 

How to Create a PNAgent Services Site Mobile Devices When using Web Interface on Citrix NetScaler

Summary

This article describes how to create a PNAgent Services Site for mobile devices with Web Interface on NetScaler.

Background

This article is helpful if you are providing dual authentication for the mobile users externally, and want to offer single authentication for the users internally.

When creating a Direct Mode PNAgent site, the Site Path is /Citrix/PNAgent/ by default. However, with Web Interface on NetScaler, the mobile devices can run into an issue when adding the mobile account with just the hostname such as, mobile.example.com. Currently, you have to put in the entire site path such as mobile.example.com/Citrix/PNAgent/config.xml.

Requirements

  • NetScaler software release 9.2 e or later

Procedure

To create a PNAgent Services Site for mobile devices complete the following procedure:

  • Open the Configuration Utility of the appliance.
  • Select the Web Interface node.
  • Click on the Web Interface Wizard link and follow the onscreen instructions.
  • For the Site Path, change all letters to lowercase, as shown in the following screen shot:
  • Select Direct Mode and enter the load balancing virtual IP address information.
  • Select the Enabled access through receiver client option.
  • Click Next and enter the XML Services Addresses and complete the Wizard.
  • When you add the account for Citrix Receiver, you can now use the hostname such as, mobile.example.com.
  • Enter the account credentials and click Save.

More Information

When creating a Direct Mode PNAgent site and using the default Site Path syntax /Citrix/PNAgent/, the NetScaler appliance does not respond to the letters in upper case when mobile devices are requesting the PNAgent site from the Citrix Receiver.

The following network packet trace indicates that there is an HTTP GET /citrix/pnagent/config.xml, after that the appliance responds with a 404 Not Found.
IP Information
10.0.1.73 – Client-IP (iPhone)
10.0.1.4 – NSIP
10.0.1.6 – SNIP
10.0.1.11 – Web Interface or XenApp
10.0.1.49 – Load Balancing Virtual IP address

HTTP Status 404: /citrix/pnagent/config.xml
Status report: /citrix/pnagent/config.xml
Description: The requested resource (/citrix/pnagent/config.xml) is not available

From the user perspective, after entering the account credentials, ‘Invalid Path’ appears, as shown in the following screen shot:

After creating the Direct Mode PNAgent site and changing the Site Path syntax to /citrix/pnagent/, the results are successful. You get a 200 OK result with the xml information. And, you are able to successfully add a mobile account with only typing the hostname.

Source

How to Disable User-Driven Desktop Restart in Web Interface for XenDesktop 5.x

Summary

This article describes how to disable the user-driven desktop restart option found in Web Interface for XenDesktop 5.x

Requirements

A working XenDesktop 5.x Site

Access to DDC and

Microsoft PowerShell

Background

By default, the users have the ability to restart their virtual desktops directly from Web Interface. The following PowerShell commands removes that link taking away the end-user’s ability to restart virtual machines.

Procedure

  • Start a PowerShell session by clicking the blue icon on the taskbar or browsing to Start > All Programs > Accessories > Windows PowerShell > Windows PowerShell
  • Type Asnp Citrix.* and press Enter. This loads the Citrix-specific PowerShell modules.
  • Type Set-BrokerAccessPolicyRule “DesktopGroupName_Direct” –AllowRestart $false (Replace “DesktopGroupName” with the name of the desktop group that you wish to disable this feature for), press Enter.
  • Type Set-BrokerAccessPolicyRule “DesktopGroupName_AG” –AllowRestart $false (Replace “DesktopGroupName” with the name of the desktop group that you wish to disable this feature for), press Enter.
  • Check results of commands by typing: Get-BrokerAccessPolicyRule and press Enter.
  • Results should show as follows:
  • The following is the result in Web Interface:

More Information

CTX127254 – XenDesktop 5 SDK Cmdlet Help

Communication Ports Used by Citrix Technologies *updated

Fred Donovan from Citrix have updated the whitepaper – Communication Ports Used by Citrix Technologies to version 1.5 (April 2011)

Overview

This document provides an overview of ports that are used by Citrix components and must be considered as part of Virtual Computing architecture, especially if communication traffic traverses network components such as firewalls or proxy servers, where ports must be opened to ensure communication flow.

References

The assignments are listed by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA), updated regularly, and revised when new information is available and new assignments are made. The specific location of the port numbers list is available at the following Web site: http://www.iana.org/assignments/port-numbers.

Microsoft Article “Network Ports Used by Key Microsoft Server Products”.

Microsoft Article ID 832017 “Service overview and network port requirements for the Windows Server system”.

Download WhitePaper – Communication Ports Used by Citrix Technologies here

How to Create ICA Launch Files for use in XD 5 High Availability Mode

Summary
This article describes how to create an ICA Launch file for use in the XenDesktop’s High Availability mode.

Requirements
XenDesktop Version 5.0 or later

A desktop with the Virtual Desktop Agent Version 5.0 installed and with the High Availability feature enabled
The IP address of this desktop
The credentials of the user allowed to connect to this desktop, which includes:

  • Domain name
  • User logon name
  • User password

Procedure

  1. Open Notepad on the client computer and copy and paste the Minimal ICA Launch file from below.
  2. Change the following fields:

    a. USER_LOGON_NAME_HERE to the actual user’s logon name
    b. USER_PASSWORD_HERE to the actual user’s clear text password
    c. DOMAIN_NAME_HERE to the actual domain name
    d. DESKTOP_IP_ADDRESS_HERE to the desktop’s IP address

  3. Save the file with a relevant name and with an .ICA extension to an easy to find location on the client’s computer.

Minimal ICA Launch file content:

[Encoding]
InputEncoding=UTF8

[ApplicationServers]
Desktop=

[Desktop]
Username=USER_LOGON_NAME_HERE
Clearpassword=USER_PASSWORD_HERE
Domain=DOMAIN_NAME_HERE

Address=DESKTOP_IP_ADDRESS_HERE:1494
AutologonAllowed=ON
BrowserProtocol=HTTPonTCP
CGPAddress=*:2598

TransportDriver=TCP/IP

ClientAudio=On
DesiredColor=8
DesiredHRES=1024
DesiredVRES=768
DoNotUseDefaultCSL=On

FontSmoothingType=0
InitialProgram=#Desktop
LPWD=31
Launcher=WI
LocHttpBrowserAddress=!

Read the full knowledge article here