Citrix XenApp 5.0: Preparing for a successful migration New functionality of Citrix XenApp 5.0 and details of migration options
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Contents 1
Introduction......................................................................................................... 1
2
New and extended functionality of Citrix XenApp 5.0 .......................................... 1
3
4
2.1
New or extended functions of Citrix XenApp ..............................................2
2.1.1
Windows 2008 support ...........................................................................2
2.1.2
Web Interface 5.0 ..................................................................................2
2.1.3
Application streaming “2.0” .....................................................................2
2.1.4
Preferential load balancing ......................................................................3
2.2
Functions introduced with Citrix Presentation Server 4.5 ............................. 3
2.2.1
Application streaming .............................................................................3
2.2.2
Application Isolation 2.0 .........................................................................3
2.2.3
SpeedScreen progressive display ............................................................. 3
2.2.4
Application performance monitoring (EdgeSight)/Health Assistant ................4
2.2.5
Configuration logging .............................................................................4
2.2.6
Load Throttling ......................................................................................4
2.2.7
Non-admin installation of client software ..................................................4
2.3
Functions introduced with Citrix Presentation Server 4.0 ............................. 4
2.3.1
Support for USB devices .........................................................................4
2.3.2
Virtual IP .............................................................................................. 5
2.3.3
CPU/RAM optimization ............................................................................5
2.3.4
New printing system and universal printer driver .......................................5
Planning/prerequisites ........................................................................................ 5 3.1
System requirements .............................................................................6
3.2
Concept considerations ...........................................................................6
3.3
Best practices for XenApp farms .............................................................. 7
Traditional installation procedures ...................................................................... 7 4.1
Manual installation .................................................................................8
4.2
Imaging/cloning an entire server ............................................................. 8
4.3
Imaging/cloning only the operating system ...............................................9
4.4
Unattended Setup ..................................................................................9
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4.5 5
6
Citrix XenApp and installation procedures ............................................... 10
Using vADM 2008 ............................................................................................... 11 5.1
visionapp Server Management 2008 ....................................................... 11
5.2
visionapp Workspace Management 2008 ................................................. 14
Procedures for migrating to Citrix XenApp 5.0 ................................................... 15 6.1
Cross-farm licensing............................................................................. 15
6.2
Mixed-farm concept(s) with Citrix Presentation Server 4.5 and Citrix XenApp 5.0 ......................................................................................................... 17
6.3
Multi-farm concepts ............................................................................. 17
6.4
Application publishing ........................................................................... 18
6.5
License server backup .......................................................................... 18
7
Check lists ......................................................................................................... 19
8
Imprint .............................................................................................................. 21
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1
Introduction
Citrix is a leading vendor in the application delivery market. In addition to numerous new features, Citrix Presentation Server now boasts a new name. By adopting the name XenApp, Citrix aims to highlight that it has adopted a new, more holistic strategy together with XenDesktop (provision of virtual desktops) and XenServer (server virtualization). Unfortunately, transitioning from an older version to Citrix XenApp requires consistency, enforceable quality control processes, and reporting for audit purposes. However, in today's economic environment, companies must also be mindful of placing excessive workloads on IT staff—and a XenApp upgrade can be demanding. Contrary to the original announcement, Citrix XenApp does not force a change of the underlying Windows operating system: In addition to Windows 2003, Citrix XenApp will – unlike its immediate predecessor Citrix Presentation Server 4.5 (now called XenApp 4.5) – also be installable on Windows 2008 systems. A direct upgrade path for an in-place migration to Windows 2008 is available.
2
New and extended functionality of Citrix XenApp 5.0
In addition to describing the new functionality in Citrix XenApp, the following sections contain a brief summary of features introduced in Citrix Presentation Server/XenApp 3.0, 4.0 and 4.5. If you are using an earlier version, this will give you a better overview of what’s new in the latest edition. While Citrix XenApp 5.0 contains many new functions, several existing features will be discontinued. At least three functions included since MetaFrame 1.0 or Citrix Presentation Server 4.0 will no longer be available (depending on the OS):
> Drive Remapping > ActiveSync support > Application Isolation Environment (AIE).
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2.1
New or extended functions of Citrix XenApp
The following list highlights the new features most important in migration decisions. It is not meant to be a complete list.
2.1.1
Windows 2008 support
Citrix XenApp 5.0 can now also be installed under both Windows 2003 and Windows 2008. For companies planning a migration to Windows 2008, this is a vital feature, especially since Citrix Presentation Server 4.5 was usable only with Windows 2003.
2.1.2
Web Interface 5.0
The Citrix Web Interface has been fully revised. In addition to a visual facelift, several changes have been made to the back end:
> The Download Wizard and Client Detection have been improved. > A High & Low graphic mode has been developed; in the Low graphic mode small monitors, such as those of PDAs, can still work well with the WI.
> General support for RADIUS-based and Kerberos-based authentication methods. > Improved notification functionality: the notification area now has its own tab page. 2.1.3
Application streaming “2.0”
The application streaming component has also been updated, with the following functions being added or extended:
> Inter Isolation Communication
With Citrix XenApp 5.0, isolated or streamed applications can communicate with each other even if they are not located in the same container.
> Differential synchronization
Target devices (such as end-user PCs) now receive only the changed files; expired files are removed if the streamed application has changed in any way. This significantly reduces the required network and time resources.
> HTTP- and HTTPS-support for streamed applications
Application profiles can now alternatively be saved to a web server instead of a file server, which allows, for example, encryption of the data stream.
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2.1.4
Preferential load balancing
The load-balancing feature of Citrix XenApp 5.0 offers new functionality: With preferential load balancing preset values can now be applied to both specific users and particular applications. This means, for example, that a specific share of CPU time can be reserved for a particular application.
2.2
Functions introduced with Citrix Presentation Server 4.5
Below is a list of the key features that Citrix introduced in version 4.5 of its Presentation Server (now called XenApp 4.5).
2.2.1
Application streaming
Application Streaming is a new method for a centralized delivery of applications. Unlike application delivery through the ICA Protocol, streaming transmits not the actual screen contents but the program logic needed to run an application to the client. This is especially useful if, for example, applications do not support multiple users and cannot be run on terminal servers, or when they require specific peripherals that cannot be provided or integrated through terminal servers. Of course, streaming applications make other demands on the clients (thin clients or older PCs may no longer be suitable because the application is run locally). Application Streaming does not replace but rather complements application provisioning through ICA. Alternatively, streaming applications can be provisioned through a Citrix Server; i.e. they are streamed to the Citrix Server instead of the end user PC, where they are made available to the end users through ICA as usual.
2.2.2
Application Isolation 2.0
The new generation of Application Isolation offers a significantly higher performance and better compatibility of the isolated applications. Application Isolation 2.0 is a central component of the Application Isolation Environment and Application Streaming features.
2.2.3
SpeedScreen progressive display
SpeedScreen Progressive Display boosts the performance and usability of graphics-intensive applications (such as medical applications for three-dimensional display of CTs or MRs), which can now be conveniently provided through Citrix. Up through Citrix Presentation Server 4.0, the speed of certain applications was somewhat limited, which could frustrate users. The new technology compresses graphics so that they are rendered faster on screen when they are being moved or edited. When the image is static again, it is displayed in its full detail. This approach provides a significant increase in performance for graphics-intensive applications.
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2.2.4
Application performance monitoring (EdgeSight)/Health Assistant
The Citrix EdgeSight software automates (proactive) monitoring. The main goal is to enhance the end-user experience; i.e. to improve ease of use by increasing the availability of systems and reducing failures and performance bottlenecks. Citrix EdgeSight is not limited to Citrix servers or devices but can be installed on nearly all devices within the IT infrastructure. Furthermore, it is still possible to trigger automated Restore procedures; for instance, when a system has been identified as underperforming or having failed. As this does not require manual steps, it provides a significant reduction of administrative work.
2.2.5
Configuration logging
The Configuration Logging feature tracks and logs every modification and activity performed within a Citrix Presentation Server™ farm. This applies to using the CMC (Citrix Management Console), the AMC (Access Management Console, formerly Access Suite Console) and also to access through the MFCOM interface. Configuration Logging is therefore an indispensable tool for troubleshooting and revision-proof storage, especially when several administrators are involved in the administration of the Citrix Presentation Server farm.
2.2.6
Load Throttling
Load Throttling prevents new servers from being overloaded when they connect to the farm for the first time and ensures consistent and reliable user sessions. This effectively eliminates the infamous “black-hole effect1”.
2.2.7
Non-admin installation of client software
As of version 4.5 of Citrix Presentation Server, client versions are supplied that can be installed without administration rights. This is particularly useful when users have to work on a PC where they do not have sufficient rights for installation (for example, in an Internet café).
2.3
Functions introduced with Citrix Presentation Server 4.0
The summary below lists the key functions that Citrix introduced with version 4.0 of its Presentation Server.
2.3.1
Support for USB devices
As of version 4.0, Citrix Presentation Server supports the connection of USB-based cameras, printers, scanners, etc. This functionality is available only with an ICA Client version 9.0 or 1
Black-hole effect: A farm server signals zero sessions for load balancing immediately after booting is completed. This causes all incoming session requests to be directed to that server. During peak times (for example in the morning or after lunch), this may have a fatal impact, bringing farm operation to a complete standstill.
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higher for 32-bit Windows, as these are the only versions containing the functions required for the local connection of PDA devices to the USB bus.
2.3.2
Virtual IP
A further stumbling block in Citrix projects was frequently caused by “older” applications that required a unique IP address for each instance. This applies mainly to HOST emulations that use IP to communicate with the host. Using the Virtual IP function introduced with Citrix Presentation Server 4.0, a separate IP address can be provided for each user session from a pool of addresses. This allows problem applications to be also used on centralized platforms.
2.3.3
CPU/RAM optimization
Two of the most eagerly anticipated new functions of Citrix Presentation Server™ 4.0 were CPU Management and Storage Optimization. Using the FairShare algorithm to manage and prioritize processes as well as intercepting CPU peaks allowed a more even allocation of processor time across all processes, in cases where a process gets out of control and interferes with other processes. This provided an overall improvement of the average system load in situations where the users were previously disadvantaged by longer peak loads. As of Citrix Presentation Server 4.0, storage management includes a learning process that optimizes the loading of system modules (DLLs) so that they can be used jointly across sessions where possible. This speeds up access to the modules and saves RAM. As this function is strongly dependent on user behavior and the installed applications, the results cannot be predicted. Storage management must therefore be thoroughly tested in each new environment.
2.3.4
New printing system and universal printer driver
In Citrix Presentation Server 4.0, Citrix® revised the entire printing system and – in addition to a new universal printer driver – also offered a new Print Provider Module as well as improved handling of the generated print tasks. The new universal printer driver resolved some of the previous problems associated with printing on local printers. Rather than producing PCL-based print files, it used the Windows EMF (Enhanced MetaFile) process to produce a virtually hardware-independent preliminary printing stage. The final printout is produced only at the client. As the EMF file is normally smaller than a PCL file, this speeds up printing and saves bandwidth. In addition, it was now possible to print to local printers that do not support the PCL language.
3
Planning/prerequisites
When conceiving and planning a migration project such as this, the existing installed base and any desired modifications or improvements should be considered. A migration strategy that best meets your company’s or your own requirements (for example, reduced
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maintenance or 24/7 availability) must also be created. This document provides a number of suggestions to help develop the ideal strategy for the migration.
3.1
System requirements
This section describes some of the new requirements to be considered when installing and operating a Citrix XenApp 5.0 farm.
> Server operating system
Citrix XenApp 5.0 can be installed both on Windows Server 2003 and on Windows Server 2008. This means that, while it is possible to stay with the existing operating system, a conversion to Microsoft Windows Server 2008 may be advisable as part of a strategic migration. Because existing versions of Citrix Presentation Server/XenApp arenot executable under Windows 2008, and Citrix XenApp 5.0 runs under both Windows 2008 and Windows 2003, an in-place migration is possible. A new installation of the servers, including the operating systems, is recommended. Sometimes a mixed operation of a Citrix XenApp 5.0 server and a Citrix XenApp 4.5 server in the same farm is necessary. Citrix officially supports the operation of so-called mixed farms, although Citrix does not recommend it. This is necessary, for example, if features that are no longer available with XenApp 5.0 (e.g., ActiveSync, Drive Remapping) are still needed, or if a migration can be performed only successively due to small maintenance windows. (Mixed farms with earlier versions of Citrix MetaFrame/Presentation Server/XenApp are not generally supported.)
> Server hardware
The minimum hardware requirements will not change with the introduction of Citrix XenApp 5.0. The Microsoft requirements for the operating system will continue to apply.
> Data Store
Beginning with Citrix Presentation Server 4.5, Citrix no longer supports the Microsoft SQL Desktop Engine (MSDE). Its successor, the free-of-charge Microsoft SQL 2005 Express, is supported as the database system for the Data Store. All other previously supported systems can still be used. When changing from MSDE to a different system, a migration of the Data Store database must be performed. In this case, we strongly recommend a reinstallation of the data store to ensure that the data store in the new installed base is error-free and consistent.
> Product license upgrades
For Citrix XenApp 5.0 a License Server from the 5.0 product series must be installed and corresponding licenses entered. Both the License Server and the licenses are downwardcompatible (to Citrix Presentation Server 3.0) and can therefore be used in a mixed farm or in installed bases in which farms with different versions exist.
3.2
Concept considerations
Our experience in previous migration projects shows that, in addition to meeting the above system requirements, the following points should be taken into account.
> Server farm design
Is your existing division into farms and zones really the best solution for the company, the network, or the users’ needs? Sometimes, your existing structures are the result of an organically grown environment, and not of conceptual planning. A migration offers an
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excellent opportunity to introduce an improved concept, adapted to the current situation, as a starting point for the farm design.
> User access during migration
During and immediately after migration, we recommend the use a transition environment to make sure that users have access to the usual published applications and resources. This reduces pressure on the administrators charged with implementing the migration in as short a time as possible, possibly even without a testing phase.
> Reinstalling the data store
As mentioned above, the data store cannot be upgraded directly and must therefore be reinstalled.
When upgrading more than five servers, a migration is best performed in multiple stages: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
Reviewing the installation requirements. Installing the License Server. Installing the first Citrix XenApp Server™ and – if applicable – the new Data Store. Migrating the first users to the new farm. Successively moving the servers to the new farm (new installation in new farm). Successively moving the users to the new farm.
To make the migration phase fully transparent for the users, application access through a Web browser (for example, with Citrix Web Interface or the visionapp Application Center/vWM), must be set up. If using the Program Neighborhood, the users would be forced to configure the farm they want (which is impossible in practice).
3.3
Best practices for XenApp farms
For larger XenApp farms, many Citrix experts advise implementing standardized procedures and enforceable methodologies. One software tool that performs these tasks is visionapp Server Management 2008 (vSM). To clearly show the benefits of this best practice, we will first look at conventional installation procedures, which can be used for a new installation of Citrix XenApp as part of a migration.
4
Traditional installation procedures
We can distinguish between several traditional installation methods that can be used for a reinstallation of Citrix XenApp 5.0 during a migration:
> > > >
Manual installation Imaging/cloning the entire server Imaging/cloning only the operating system Unattended setup
Each of these methods has advantages and disadvantages to be considered when rolling out a new server farm under Citrix XenApp 5.0.
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4.1
Manual installation
During a manual installation, all system components are installed manually, without the aid of automation mechanisms, starting with the operating system using the vendor’s data media and continuing with Citrix XenApp and finally publishing the individual applications. Advantages:
> Very little preliminary work needed. Disadvantages:
> Significantly more time is required for the installation itself. > Significantly more prone to errors. > Cannot be directly reproduced. > If a manual installation is performed on several devices, it must be repeated in exactly the same way for each subsequent device.
> Although checklists and installation instructions can help avoid inconsistencies, there is nevertheless a risk of deviations from the first or any reference installation.
> The greater the range of applications or the number of printer drivers on the servers, the harder it is to perform a 100 percent successful and repeatable installation on several servers.
> Does not provide any rollback mechanisms. Once a component has been incorrectly
installed, the whole machine may have to be reinstalled. A manual installation is therefore best suited to standalone systems or very small farm environments.
4.2
Imaging/cloning an entire server
Imaging and cloning refer to creating a copy of an existing hard disk or partition, which is then transferred to the hard disks of other devices. This produces identical copies of the installation, known as “clones.” Normally, the starting point for creating an image is a manual installation (see section 4.1), in which the settings are configured in such a way that the system is ready to be run and used. Advantages
> Because the identical copies of the system on the additional devices are logically consistent with the reference system, they are also ready to use. Disadvantages
> Very inflexible. Because the installed and configured system is always copied as a whole, any changes to it must be applied by the same route.
> Very difficult to change any components. If a component needs to be replaced, an entirely new image will normally have be created and all the stages of installation, including the modified component, need to be repeated.
> Images are largely dependent on hardware. While Microsoft Windows is still able to, for example, recognize a different graphics adapter and install the corresponding driver after the image has been applied, this will not work for basic components such as hard disk controllers. It is therefore advisable to create a separate image for each hardware type.
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> Failure will occur without additional steps. The image of a fully installed Citrix server cannot be compared to a “normal” server and requires preliminary work before it is ready to serve as a basis for further clones. After cloning a server, some subsequent work is necessary:
> Both preliminary and subsequent work consist mainly of integrating the server in a
Citrix farm, as the master server was originally installed in the farm under a different name or not installed in any other Citrix farm at all.
> To make sure that no errors occur during the server’s integration in the farm after cloning, the server’s membership in the original farm must be canceled and a new integration perform after cloning.
> Some applications refuse to boot after cloning. Some apps remember the server
name or IP address in their configuration during installation; after cloning, these apps now find they are no longer on the original system. Cloning is therefore not possible in such environments, as the Microsoft tool SYSPREP manipulates the Windows environment but not the various applications on the system. In conclusion, a perfect imaging/cloning procedure for a fully installed server is possible only in special environments under suitable conditions. It cannot, however, be recommended as a general procedure for a Citrix installation or migration.
4.3
Imaging/cloning only the operating system
Advantages
> Faster speed compared to Unattended Setup. Cloning of the Windows operating
system has become standard as the first part of a server installation (see Section 4.4).
> Suitable for Windows Server 2008. Windows 2008 Server also supports only an
imaging-based installation procedure. This procedure is meant to replace the Microsoft Unattended Setup of the operating system and cannot be compared to cloning a fully installed Citrix server. In contrast to the above problems with Citrix farm integration and installed applications, imaging only the operating system is likely to be problem-free as only the Windows operating system is installed at this point, without any further configuration. After the image-based installation of the operating system, setting up the Citrix servers usually continues with a package-based procedure, for example using visionapp Server Management 2008 (see Section 4.4).
4.4
Unattended Setup
Unattended Setup uses a method that, in its outcome, is largely similar to a manual installation, but is fundamentally different in its implementation. Unattended Setup is based on transferring a “response file” or parameter file to the components being installed, which contains the exact same settings used in a manual installation. Advantages
> Flexibility: This procedure has the decisive advantage of offering the flexibility of a manual installation while achieving a substantially greater degree of homogeneity between installations.
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> Repeatability: It provides the same degree of repeatability as cloning without the disadvantages.
> Widely supported: Numerous common application setups, including Citrix XenApp 5.0 and Microsoft Office, support Unattended Setup methods. Unattended Setup was still supported for the operating system itself, up to and including Windows Server 2003. Disadvantages
> Time-consuming: The time needed to perform an unattended installation is generally considerably longer than that of an imaging procedure.
> With Unattended Setup, the individual installation steps are always carried out
completely, even though the parameters are pre-configured and no user intervention is needed.
> However, if the installations are run unsupervised (for example, overnight), this
disadvantage does not come into play because human resources are not an issue. The advantages of the procedure therefore more than compensate the theoretical disadvantage of a longer installation time.
> No future: Unattended Setup is not supported under Windows Server 2008. 4.5
Citrix XenApp and installation procedures
In Citrix XenApp 5.0, a basic prerequisite for operating farm is that the servers in the farm or a load-balancing group (server role) remain as identical as possible. Therefore, imaging/cloning and Unattended Setup are the only two suitable installation procedures. . Only imaging/cloning and Unattended Setup allow the behavior of all servers to remain predictable, provided that any modifications made as part of ongoing maintenance (redistribution, patch/change management) are implemented identically on all servers. visionapp’s aforementioned software toolkit, vSM 2008, takes the approach of combining these two processes. The installation is split into two parts, in which both methods are used. This provides advantages of both imaging/cloning and Unattended Setup, while minimizing each method’s drawbacks. The first part of the installation is the operating system deployment. This can be performed using, for example, the free Microsoft Windows Deployment Services (WDS). WDS uses an imaging/cloning procedure to deploy the operating system to the target server, and has the advantage of being significantly faster than an unattended setup. As only the operating system and required drivers are installed with Microsoft WDS, the loss of flexibility previously described does. The second part of the installation is the application deployment, which the XenApp software, the configurations, and the optimization of the system. The application deployment uses package-based processes controlled by the Installation Control Manager (ICM). This part of the procedure uses application packages that typically perform an unattended installation of the corresponding application. To increase flexibility, these packages can be centrally configured by using visionapp Application Delivery Management (vADM) Console.
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5
Using vADM 2008
Using the recommendations and best practices outlined above, a migration from an earlier version of Citrix Presentation Server to Citrix XenApp 5.0 can become more straightforward. Further automation, as well as implementing standards and enforcement around these best practices, can save a significant amount of time and effort in a XenApp deployment (and continued maintenance and updates). visionapp has a suite of tools, called the Application Delivery Management Suite (vADM) 2008, which provides this addition automation and best-practice enforcement. vADM 2008 consists of two main components: 1) visionapp Server Management (vSM) 2008 (briefly mentioned earlier) 2) visionapp Workspace Management (vWM) 2008
5.1
visionapp Server Management 2008
vSM automates the server builds that are pushed out to your server farms. Based on a modular architecture, vSM 2008 provides centrally managed automation for the installation, configuration, and administration of server farms. With vSM, you can use pre-built, pre-tested, and Citrix Ready™ package templates of operating systems, Citrix XenApp/Presentation Server, Terminal Server, web server software, database server software, hotfixes and patches, and most business applications (Microsoft Office, AutoCAD, WinZip, Adobe Acrobat, etc.). Add your configuration and licensing information, stack the packages appropriately, and build your server. In practice, a server can be completely built in as little as 20 minutes. For instance, to migrate to Citrix XenApp 5.0, you can use the Citrix Ready XenApp 5.0 package template for your Citrix XenApp 5.0 servers. All of the packages needed for installing, configuring an optimizing the Citrix XenApp Server are included in vSM 2008. vSM components use specific interfaces to administrate and monitor Citrix XenApp Server and other Citrix products. When you require a new application update or new patch, simply add the new package to the stack—your previous configuration and licensing information can be automatically added—and click to rebuild the server. If you have many server builds to manage, vSM can save weeks of time and effort. You can manage your server environment through the intuitive GUI of vADM’s administration console. vSM’s robust Installation Control Manager has been specifically optimized for Terminal Server and Citrix Server platforms. At an early point in the server installation process, the visionapp add-on tools are transferred to the target platform. There, they primarily act as a connection facility to vADM console and its modules. The collection of tools includes applications with graphic interfaces, console applications and Windows services. These tools extend the functionality of the server and allow full automation of all configurations during installation and subsequent operation. vSM 2008 includes a collection of parameterizable package templates for installing common products and applications on servers. The supplied package templates, many of which are certified as Citrix Ready, are the result of many years of experience installing and operating
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servers in corporate environments. vSM also includes tools to customize any package template and integrate your licensed binary files with the application vendors’ media.
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As mentioned above, automating both the installation and the configuration of a Citrix XenApp farm and individual servers is required to operate an effective environment. vSM 2008 provides many key components to help you meet these requirements:
> > > > > >
Citrix Ready packages for the Citrix XenApp Server installation Citrix Ready packages designed to automate XenApp server configuration Pre-tested packages designed to automate other server configurations Citrix Ready packages to install the Citrix Data Store Pre-tested packages to install the Microsoft SQL or Oracle database servers
Common business application and utility packages (for Microsoft Office, AutoCAD, WinZIP, Adobe Acrobat, and many more) Because of the high level of automation and the ability to enforce how each server is built, using vSM for a Citrix XenApp 5.0 a migration to Citrix XenApp, vSM 2008 offers:
> Faster, simpler installation
Administrators don’t have to perform time-consuming manual installations of individual servers. Instead, any number of servers or entire farms can be installed from a centralized console with almost complete automation and an enforced methodology.
> More reliable server builds
Manual installations are highly prone to errors. In Citrix XenApp farms, the server installations must be absolutely identical. Any differences in these basic settings can result in various problems and adverse effects for users.
> Increased data security
All settings as well as the necessary files for the entire installation are stored on file servers or in a database. This data can be backed up and reused whenever required. Following an update that has caused operational problems, it is possible to revert to the older version to reset the servers to a stable, tested state within a few hours.
> Faster updates, changes, and maintenance
Changes resulting from new hardware or software can be responded to much faster and more easily, regardless of whether physical or virtual servers are to be installed.
> Complete logging and reporting
The installations are automatically and fully documented with a built-in automatic log function. vSM maintains a complete history, so that previous configurations can be reproduced at any time.
> Faster response times
After implementation of vSM 2008 and initial training, administrators are fully capable of independently performing complex adjustments to the new system.
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Figure 1: Configuring XenApp through the vADM Console
5.2
visionapp Workspace Management 2008
visionapp Workspace Management (vWM) 2008 provides a customizable, centrally managed, web-based application access surface. Like Citrix Web Interface, vWM gives users access to applications and resources. But vWM “supercharges” Web Interface by organizing a user’s applications and resources into a customizable, easy-to-use Workspace. The Workspace delivers applications of all kinds (Citrix XenApp™-published, streamed, and provisioned apps; Microsoft RemoteApps™; Web apps; App-V; and local apps) into a single web page—that looks and acts the same no matter where users are or what machine they’re on. vWM increases user productivity and lowers help desk costs. Admins can place File Center, SharePoint, Outlook Web Access, and more on the users’ workspace. Users can then customize their favorite applications and their preferred language (without requiring two different Web servers for the content). Web parts and multiple web servers can be managed by admins with full granularity. Tools such as newstickers, calendars, Citrix connection management tools, and online help integration are available out of the box.
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In the context of a migration to XenApp, vWM allows a “gentle” migration for the users because of its its “virtual farms”. With this concept, two or more physical farms (which can also contain different versions of the Citrix software) are combined into one single virtual farm. vWM contains its own access control system for the applications served by the farm. During the migration phase, this allows access to applications from both the “old” Citrix Presentation Server farm and the new Citrix XenApp farm. For the users this process is virtually transparent.
6
Procedures for migrating to Citrix XenApp 5.0
For a successful XenApp 5.0 migration, a number of logical migration procedures must be considered. These include:
> > > > >
Cross-farm licensing Mixed-farm concept(s) with Citrix Presentation Server/XenApp 4.5 and Citrix XenApp 5.0 Multi-farm concepts with earlier Citrix versions Optimum Application Publishing (multi-farm/preferred zones) Backup concepts for the License Server
The key issues are briefly summarized below.
6.1
Cross-farm licensing
As of version 3.0 of Citrix Presentation Server, Citrix licenses are no longer stored in a data store. A separate License Server provides the licenses for the entire company, irrespective of the distribution of servers across farms. This makes it easier to plan the desired production farm environment, and allows an in-house test environment to be set up for installing test servers separate from the productive farm. Repeated reinstallations of test servers in production farms carry the risk of data store corruption if a test server is not installed correctly or has not been properly integrated into and then removed from the farm. If a mixed-farm operation is planned for the migration phase, keep in mind that Citrix XenApp 5.0 requires its own License Server.
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Figure 2:: License management, included from Citrix Presentation Server 3, enables cross cross-farm licensing.
Figure 3: Separate farms for production and testing as basis for stable environments
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6.2
Mixed-farm concept(s) with Citrix Presentation Server 4.5 and Citrix XenApp 5.0
Because the Citrix software versions support different operating systems, you cannot perform an in-place migration. Instead, a mixed farm can be set up for the duration of the migration. The servers running Citrix Presentation Server/XenApp 4.5 and Citrix XenApp 5.0 are then operated in a single farm. (Citrix recommends this setup only for the duration of the migration phase.)
6.3
Multi-farm concepts
Because it is often not possible (or desirable) to install all applications on a single server, most Citrix farms today contain a number of different installed server types. In this case, administrators must decide whether new server types are to be installed within the same farm or in new farms. Operating several server types within the same farm simplifies the farm’s administration, since the servers of each type (for example, with the same set of applications) can be logically grouped through server folders. The setup and support of server folders is fully integrated in vSM 2008. The decision to split farms for deploying special applications is usually based on a need for higher security and stability; for examplem if the application plays a vital role within the company and its availability must be ensured. If the primary farm fails due to corruption, the farm with the special application remains unaffected because the two farms operate independently of each other. The disadvantage of a farm split is a slight increase in required administration effort. Besides increased stability, a further advantage of a farm split is that it is possible to implement independent release update cycles in the farms. Any solution for installing and configuring Citrix farm environments should be able to implement the desired specifications and model the farms in production and test environments.
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Abb. 1
6.4
Splitting farms for maximum farm stability
Application publishing
One of the most common errors found in in existing Citrix farms is incorrect or inconsistent publishing of applications. Different parameters for color depth, encryption depth, audio settings and more, may cause incorrect application startup. startup This can lead to an application being unable to exchange nge dynamic data with other Windows applications. These errors can be avoided by automating application publishing within the Citrix XenApp farm, so that all key parameters are identical and all applications start in session sharing mode. By automating publication lication of installed applications, vSM 2008 ensures that the applications operate consistently and without errors. The focus of visionapp’s automated publishing is based on a very simple definition of the application properties so that a packager achieves the desired result without errors and with very little user input. Application publication of an application can therefore be easily fully automated – regardless of whether the application is to be isolated, streamed or traditionally published – while also eliminating a frequent source of errors and providing a consistent user experience experience.
6.5
License server backup
At the time of writing this document, no detailed information about the new License Server for Citrix XenApp was available. We are assuming that the th e following information, which is based on Citrix Presentation Server 4.5, will also apply to Citrix XenApp. A Citrix License Server for Citrix Presentation Server 4.5 can be down for 30 days before the license information temporarily stored on the Citrix servers becomes invalid. So, although a quick restoration of a failed License Server is not critical, critical creating a backup of the License Server can still be helpful. The he two t options for License Server backups are are:
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> Cold standby backup server > Warm standby backup up server The Citrix licenses are supplied by Citrix in the form of a license file. This file is assigned to a single specific server name. Therefore, the license file cannot be imported to another server. For the cold standby server option, a second server, server, switched off and with the same name, is maintained as backup. This can also be a VMware® instance. If the primary License Server fails, the cold standby server is activated and the license imported. If it is a member in the Active Directory (AD), the old ld object must be removed from the AD before the backup server with the same name can be included in the AD. For the warm standby server option, a second server with a different name and the Citrix license service pre-installed installed is made available in the network. network. If the primary License Server fails, a replacement license for the new server name can be requested from Citrix ® through its secure portal (MyCitrix) and then imported onto the new server. As the warm standby method requires assistance from Citrix®, most organizations prefer the cold standby option. You can also use vSM 2008 to fully automate the installation and configuration of a complete License Server.
Figure 4:: Backing up the License Server as cold or warm standby server serv
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Check lists
We strongly recommend drawing up a checklist and planning your steps before you begin a migration to Citrix XenApp 5.0.
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This checklist should contain all of the steps required for the migration, as well as steps specific to processes or procedures for your company or your infrastructure, even if they are not directly related to the technical completion of the migration. To maintain a clear overview of the progress of the migration, monitor each step carried out and confirm on the list when the step has been successfully completed. Once planned, the steps in the checklists can easily be transferred to vADM Console through the user interface, after which they can be automated. Checklist for preparing a migration from Citrix MetaFrame/ Presentation Server/XenApp 3.0/4.0/4.5 to Citrix XenApp 5.0
Date
Prepared by: _____________________ General tasks Farm name: ______________________ Task
Steps to be performed
Performed by
Obtain approval from decision-makers
Hold meeting with management and inform team members
Performed on
Server checklist for the migration sequence from Citrix MetaFrame/ Presentation Server/XenApp 3.0/4.0/4.5 to Citrix XenApp 5.0
Date
Prepared by: _____________________ General tasks Farm name: ______________________ Name
Static IP address
Location
Role before upgrade
Role after upgrade
Test matrix
Sequence
Date
Prepared by: _____________________ General tasks Farm name: ______________________ Test
Expected outcome
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Tool used
Successful/ failed
Remark
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Imprint
Disclosure and Warranty The information, concepts, and ideas contained in this document are the property of visionapp AG. No part of this document may be disclosed or reproduced in any form without written permission of visionapp AG. Any violation thereof will be pursued. All brand names and product names used in this document are trademarks of their respective holders and are recognized as such. Any product descriptions or representations in this document are for identification purposes only and are not to be construed as a warranty of specific properties or guarantee or warranty of any other type. visionapp shall assume no liability, either explicit or implied, for the documentation. All rights reserved ©visionapp AG, December 2008 About visionapp visionapp specializes in the design, implementation and operation of server-based infrastructure and portal solutions based on Microsoft and Citrix technologies. The company provides unique products and services for optimization and cost-effective administration of Windows Terminal Server infrastructures. visionapp Application Delivery Management Suite including visionapp Server Management and visionapp Workspace Management as well as consulting and ASP services form the core business. The visionapp products and solutions will be provided through a worldwide certified partner network. Only in Germany visionapp delivers products and solutions directly to large enterprises. The SME market is also being supplied through certified partners. Further Information visionapp AG Head Office Frankfurt am Main Helfmann-Park 2 65760 Eschborn Germany web: software.visionapp.com
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