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Best Practices for Upgrading to vSphere 5 in a Citrix Provisioning Environment

Summary

This article describes the steps for upgrading to vSphere 5 in a Citrix Provisioning environment.

This applies to Provisioning Services version 5.6/5.6SP1/6/6.1 and VMware vSphere 5.x

Requirements

  • A working Provisioning Services environment.
  • Admin access to Provisioning Services server.
  • Admin access to Provisioning Services targets.
  • Rights required to make changes to target devices and the host.

Procedure

  • Reverse image vDisks.
  • Change NIC on target to VMXNet3.
  • Enable Interrupt Mode in Bootstrap used by target devices.
    (vSphere 5.1 doesn’t require interrupt mode – Enable Interrupt Mode only applies to vSphere 5.)
  • Upgrade host ESX server(s) to vSphere 5.x
  • Upgrade VMware tools.
  • Reinstall Provisioning Services target software.
  • Create image of updated machine.
  • Reinstall XenDesktop Virtual Desktop Agent (if installed) while vDisk is in Private Mode.
  • Note: You can change vDisk to standard mode and deploy to targets.

Source

Live webinar “The Top-5 Challenges and Best Practices for Virtualizing Citrix XenApp & XenDesktop on vSphere”

Hi All

I would like to invite you to the live webinar “The Top-5 Challenges and Best Practices for Virtualizing Citrix XenApp & XenDesktop on vSphere” presented by virtualization expert Elias Khnaser (Virtualization Review) on July 12 at 2 pm ET | 11 am PT | 7 pm UK – Register now (hurry, seats are limited)
https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/655301880

Whats the Live webinar about

A growing number of companies are virtualizing Citrix XenApp and XenDesktop on VMware vSphere to reduce cost and boost flexibility. While Citrix virtualization seems like an easy, straightforward project, many virtualization initiatives experience performance problems, delayed deployments, cost overruns and frustrated users. Find out how to prevent these issues in the first place and join virtualization expert Elias Khnaser as he shares the top-5 challenges and best practices for virtualizing Citrix XenApp & XenDesktop environments on vSphere.

Sign up for the free webinar today and learn how to:

  • Prevent common problems in storage, network, compute and memory tiers
  • Design and configure vSphere and Citrix XenApp & XenDesktop for maximum reliability, performance and scalability
  • Deliver the cost and flexibility benefits of virtualization
  • Identify and monitor the right performance metrics
  • Get complete visibility into your virtualized Citrix environment
  • Build performance assurance into your Citrix environment to deliver performance, user satisfaction and cost control

Webinar details

DATE & TIME: July 12 at 2 pm ET | 11 am PT | 7 pm UK

PRESENTERS: Elias Khnaser (Virtualization Review) | Bala Vaidhinathan (eG Innovations)

REGISTER NOW: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/655301880

Provisioning Server 6.x Displays a Blue Screen when Starting Target Virtual Machine from the vDisk

Symptoms

Citrix Provisioning Server 6.x displays Blue Screen of Death (BSoD) when starting target Virtual Machine from the vDisk.

Note: When starting the target Virtual Machine from the vDisk, this BSoD (0x0000007b) is displayed, while the master Virtual Machine did not have any problems.

Cause

This is the known issue with Provisioning Server 6.x with VMware 4.1 and 5 with either the VMXNET3 or the E1000 NIC driver.

Resolution

Ensure that you are running Provisioning Server software with the latest Service Pack or Hotfix.

http://support.citrix.com/product/provsvr/

You can resolve this issue using one of the following option:

Option 1

Complete the following steps:

  • Clone Master Virtual Machine using vCenter Console.
  • Remove the Hard Disk.
  • Convert clone to template.
  • Create Virtual Machines using this template

Option 2

  • Right-click on Clone Virtual Machine and edit Properties.
  • Click Option, select General, and click Configuration Parameters, as displayed in the following screen shot:
  • You notice that the etherne## is available under the Name column and that the etherne## value is 192, as displayed in the following screen shot:
  • Close the Configuration Parameters window
  • On a Master Virtual Machine, find and match the same value from step 4.
  • Create the Name or Value field (if the information is not already available).
  • Use Provisioning Server Stream Wizard to create more Virtual Machines using the Master Virtual Machine.

Known Hardware-Related Citrix Provisioning Services Issues

Summary

This article contains a list of known hardware-related issues encountered when using Provisioning Services. Virtual hardware issues are also included in this article. Each individual article contains specific information about the issue encountered.

Issues List

CTX131570 – TSBBDM.BIN File Failed to Download in a Hyper-V Environment

CTX131156 – HP Proliant BL 460G7/465G7 Unable to Boot from Boot Device Manager Start Imaging Process

CTX130458 – Teamed NICs Used for Non-Provisioning Services Traffic Fails

CTX129999 – Unable to Download ARDBP32.bin when Using XenServer or Hyper-V with HP Flex-10/Flex Fabric Module

CTX128923 – No Operating System Found when Attempt to PXE Boot an HP DL180G6 as a Provisioning Services Target

CTX128834 – HP Proliant BL 460G7 Unable to PXE Boot to Start Imaging Process

CTX128750 – Hyper-V Synthetic Network Interface Card Reinitializes on New Provisioning Services Target

CTX128647 – nVidia ION Based Devices Cannot Boot from Provisioning Services 5.x

CTX128074 – Unable to Stream to Cisco USC Based Servers

CTX128071 – Provisioning Services Support for UEFI on IBM System X

CTX125361 – Target Device Fails to Start with VMXnet3 Drivers

CTX125317 – Unable to Stream to Non-Master Target Dell Physical Hosts

CTX124757 – Unified Extensible Firmware Interface Based Target Devices Do Not Boot

CTX123639 – Teaming Network Interface Cards with NC532i Adapters

CTX123591 – Unable to PXE Boot using HP NC532i Dual Port 10GbE Network Interface Cards

CTX122365 – Provisioning Target Device hangs on Windows Splash Screen

CTX122297 – Windows 2008 Server vDisk on an HP BL465c Target Machine Fails to Boot

VMware vSphere 5 Support for Citrix Provisioning Server 5.6.x and 6.0

Finally its now supported to build a Citrix Provisioning Server 5.6.x or 6.0 on a VMware vSphere 5 solution.

Symptoms

Provisioning Server 5.6 and 6.0 Target Devices hosted on VMware vSphere 5.0 becomes unresponsive after Windows operating system restart (at a black screen with PXE)
– Or –
“hang” after “Found “!PXE” @ xxxx:yyyy” (with BDM).

Provisioning Server 5.6.x and 6.0 are now supported with vSphere 5 with an updated Bootstrap configuration change.

Workaround

The workaround for this issue is to select Interrupt safe mode in the Bootstrap.

This needs to be performed in one of two places:

If you are providing the Bootstrap through the Provisioning Server:

In the Provisioning Server Console, right click on Configure Bootstrap, click on Options, and select Interrupt safe mode, as shown in the following screen shot:

If you are using the BDM boot ISO to provide the bootstrap to your Target Devices, perform the following:

  • Click on Start > Citrix > Boot Device Manager, as displayed in the following screen shot.
  • In the Specify Login Server screen, enter the necessary information for your environment, click Next.
  • On the Set Options screen, select Interrupt Safe Mode and click Next, as displayed in the following screen shot:
  • On the Burn the Boot Device screen, enter any relevant details for your configuration, select: Citrix ISO Image Recorder from Boot Deviceand select Burn, as displayed in the following screen shot:
  • Save the Boot ISO and/or move it to the VMware data store that your Target Devices have access to, and configure your Virtual Machines to start from the new Boot ISO you just created.