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x Helpdesk Support
Citrix Course CXD-105-I
Table of Contents
Module 1: Supporting XenDesktop 7.x as a Helpdesk Representative .......................................... 13
Supporting XenDesktop 7.x as a Helpdesk Representative ......................................................................................... 15
Citrix Solutions ......................................................................................................................................................... 15
Application and Desktop Virtualization ................................................................................................................. 15
Networking Solutions ........................................................................................................................................... 15
Collaboration and Data Sharing ........................................................................................................................... 15
Discussion Question ............................................................................................................................................ 16
Desktop Virtualization Architecture ........................................................................................................................... 16
Understanding Citrix XenDesktop 7.x Components ............................................................................................. 16
Citrix Receiver .................................................................................................................................................. 17
Citrix StoreFront ............................................................................................................................................... 17
Delivery Controller ............................................................................................................................................ 17
Citrix Studio ..................................................................................................................................................... 18
Citrix Director ................................................................................................................................................... 18
Server OS Machines ........................................................................................................................................ 18
Desktop OS Machines ..................................................................................................................................... 18
Discussion Question ........................................................................................................................................ 18
Virtual Delivery Agent (VDA) ............................................................................................................................. 19
SQL Database ................................................................................................................................................. 19
NetScaler ......................................................................................................................................................... 19
Citrix License Server ........................................................................................................................................ 19
Hypervisor ........................................................................................................................................................ 19
Discussion Question ............................................................................................................................................ 19
XenDesktop Infrastructure ................................................................................................................................... 20
Port Utilization ...................................................................................................................................................... 21
Helpdesk Overview .................................................................................................................................................. 21
Support Levels and Responsibilities ..................................................................................................................... 21
Troubleshooting Methodology ............................................................................................................................. 21
Defining the Issue ............................................................................................................................................ 22
Gathering Detailed Information ......................................................................................................................... 22
Considering Possible Causes ........................................................................................................................... 23
Creating an Action Plan ................................................................................................................................... 23
Implementing the Action Plan .......................................................................................................................... 23
Observing the Results of the Action Plan ......................................................................................................... 24
Documenting Changes Following Issue Resolution .......................................................................................... 24
Discussion Question ........................................................................................................................................ 24
Troubleshooting Flowchart ...................................................................................................................................... 24
Reinforcement Exercise: Understanding XenDesktop Components ......................................................................... 25
Reinforcement Exercise: Simulating a Helpdesk Call ................................................................................................ 26
You'll receive a fresh set of labs, giving you the opportunity to recreate and master
each step in the lab exercises.
25 days of access
Get unlimited access to the labs for 25 days after you launch, giving you plenty of time
to sharpen your skills.
Get ready for your Citrix certification exam by practicing test materials covered by lab
exercises.
Notices
Citrix Systems, Inc. (Citrix) makes no representations or warranties with respect to the content or use of this publication.
Citrix specifically disclaims any expressed or implied warranties, merchantability, or fitness for any particular purpose. Citrix
reserves the right to make any changes in specifications and other information contained in this publication without prior
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Copyright 2015 Citrix Systems, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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The following marks are service marks, trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners in the United States
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Other product and company names mentioned herein might be the service marks, trademarks or registered trademarks of
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Credits
Instructional Designers:
Product Specialist:
Graphic Artist:
Manager:
Gina Alesse
Editor:
Tanya Brice
Special Thanks:
Allen Furmanski
12
Module 1
14
This module teaches you about application and desktop virtualization and covers the different roles within a support
department and the troubleshooting methodology that you should follow when attempting to resolve end-user issues.
After completing this module you will be able to:
Discuss the benefits of desktop virtualization and how it affects your role.
Identify the architecture and components of a XenDesktop 7.x Solution.
Apply the troubleshooting methodology within your support role.
Evaluate the architecture and components of a virtualized environment.
Citrix Solutions
Citrix enables mobile work-styles by empowering people to work and collaborate from anywhere with secure access to
applications and data on any device as if they never left the office. Citrix helps organizations of all sizes by providing the
following solutions:
Networking Solutions
The Citrix NetScaler offers the industrys most advanced cloud network platform. It enables the datacenter network to
become an end-to-end service delivery solution that optimizes the delivery of applications over the Internet and private
networks. NetScaler combines application-level security and traffic management into a single, integrated appliance. When
deployed in front of application servers, a NetScaler ensures optimal distribution of traffic. Numerous load balancing
algorithms and extensive server health checks improve application availability by directing client requests to the appropriate
servers.
15
GoToMeeting
GoToWebinar
Software that allows you to host professional webinars from the comfort of your office.
GoToWebinar offers participation tools and accommodates large audiences.
GoToTraining
Podio
Build apps and set up workspaces with this collaborative platform to support your
preferred workflows and be more effective. Easily manage projects and other business
processes, and interact with clients, partners and team members, anytime, anywhere.
ShareFile
An enterprise follow-me data solution that enables IT to deliver a robust data sharing
and sync service that meets the mobility and collaboration needs of end users and the
data security requirements of the enterprise. By making follow-me data a seamless and
intuitive part of every end-users day, ShareFile enables optimal productivity for
todays highly mobile, anywhere, any-device workforce.
XenMobile
Discussion Question
What benefits do Citrix solutions bring to your organization? How do these solutions affect your role?
16
Citrix Receiver
Installed on end-user devices, Citrix Receiver provides end users with secure access to documents, applications, and desktops
from any of the end-users devices. Receiver provides:
Citrix StoreFront
The app store concept came about from the increase in mobile activity by end users, providing them with a centralized access
point for all the applications specific to a platform. StoreFront enables you to create universal enterprise application stores to
facilitate your end users' mobile workstyles while giving you centralized control.
StoreFront is an integral component of any XenDesktop implementation, authenticating end users to Microsoft Active
Directory and managing the delivery of desktops and applications from your servers in the datacenter to end-users' devices.
End users access StoreFront stores through Citrix Receiver or by browsing to a Receiver for Web or Desktop Appliance site,
which enable end users to access stores through a webpage. StoreFront keeps a record of each end-user application and
automatically updates devices, ensuring that end users have a consistent experience as they roam between their devices.
Delivery Controller
Installed on servers in the datacenter, the Delivery Controller consists of services that communicate with the hypervisor or
physical machines to distribute applications and desktops, authenticate and manage end-user access, and broker connections
between end users and their virtual desktops and applications. The Controller manages the state of the desktops, starting and
stopping them based on demand and administrative configuration. Each site can have one or more Delivery Controllers.
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Citrix Studio
Citrix Studio is the management console that enables you to manage and troubleshoot your XenDesktop environment,
eliminating the need for separate management consoles for managing delivery of applications and desktops. Studio is also
used by Citrix administrators to deploy and assign applications and desktops to end users.
Citrix Director
Director is a web-based tool that enables IT support and helpdesk teams to monitor an environment, troubleshoot issues
before they become critical, and perform support tasks for end users. You can also view and interact with an end users
session. Director offers:
Server OS Machines
With the Server OS machine model, a single server-based OS can host multiple desktops. The Server OS machine model
provides a low-cost, high-density solution; however, applications must be compatible with a multiuser, server-based OS. In
addition, because multiple end users share a single OS, they are restricted from performing actions that may negatively affect
others. Example of such actions include: installing applications, changing system settings, and restarting the OS. A single end
user may also consume too many resources, which may negatively affect others.
Desktop OS Machines
With the Desktop OS machine model, each end user has a full desktop OS, which provides administrators with a granular
level of control over the number of virtual processors and memory assigned to each desktop.
You can deliver Desktop OS machines as:
Random Desktops
Desktops in which end users are dynamically connected to one of the desktops in the
pool each time they log on. Restarting the machine will lose changes to the desktop
image.
Static Desktops
Desktops that assign a virtual desktop or allocate a virtual desktop to end users on first
access. Once assigned, end users will always be connected to the same virtual desktop.
Changes to the desktop image are lost when end users restart the machine, unless you
implement persistent write cache or Personal vDisk (PvD).
PvD is a dedicated virtual disk attached to an environment and can add flexibility and persistence of end-user
installed applications and end user settings. The PvD is merged along with the write cache.
Discussion Question
Why would you use Random desktops over Static? Why would you use Static over Random?
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SQL Database
After completing the authentication process, the Delivery Controller contacts the Microsoft SQL database to discover the
machines and applications available to the end user. The SQL Server is a relational database and management system that you
can install on a Windows server. A total of three databases store the following information: the Site, configuration logging,
and statistical data for the implementation. By default, XenDesktop creates the required databases on the SQL Server.
NetScaler
NetScaler provides a secure application access solution that brings granular application-level policy and action controls.
NetScaler optimizes the delivery of applications over the Internet and private networks, combining application-level security,
optimization, and traffic management into a single, integrated appliance.
Hypervisor
A hypervisor is a thin layer of software that allows you to allocate physical resources of a device amongst multiple virtual
machines. These virtual machines reside on the hypervisor. Citrix administrators will use the hypervisor to manage resources
and monitor the environment. XenDesktop supports several hypervisors, including:
Citrix XenServer
Microsoft Hyper-V
VMware ESX
Discussion Question
What are the benefits of hosting virtual machines within a hypervisor as opposed to using physical machines?
19
XenDesktop Infrastructure
Now that you have an understanding of the XenDesktop 7.x components, below you will see each layer of the infrastructure
and the basic flow of an end-user device as it accesses the environment.
User Layer
The user layer contains Citrix Receiver, regardless of whether the end user connects
from an internal or external device.
Access Layer
The access layer contains the components that provide end-user access to the
environment, Citrix NetScaler, and StoreFront. The NetScaler provides secure access
and intelligent load-balancing for StoreFront, Delivery Controller, and related
infrastructure. Internal end-user devices connect from the user layer to the access layer
using Citrix StoreFront. In a Citrix-recommended implementation, external end-user
devices connect first through Citrix NetScaler---and often a firewall and perimeter
network---and then through StoreFront to access resources.
Control Layer
The control layer houses various controllers and infrastructure components required
for managing and delivering virtual desktops. The control layer addresses decisions
surrounding the management and maintenance of the overall solution. The control
layer is comprised of access controllers, Delivery Controllers, and infrastructure
controllers. Once an end-user connection moves past the access layer, Citrix
StoreFront communicates with the Delivery Controller in the control layer.
Resource Layer
The resource layer contains the end user's virtual desktop and applications. It contains
three components: applications, operating system image, and personalization, which
contain the end-user profiles and policies.
Management Layer
The management layer contains all of the consoles and utilities used to configure and
manage the XenDesktop components.
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Port Utilization
The following is a summary of the ports used by the components we have discussed throughout this module.
For more information about the ports used in a XenDesktop environment, see Citrix article CTX101810 at
http://support.citrix.com.
Helpdesk Overview
Helpdesk representatives solve a variety of issues for end users with the assistance of administrative tools. Every organization
follows different policies and procedures. Yet when troubleshooting within an environment, you will find the methodology
remains consistent. This section discusses the methodology and helps build your skills of documenting, troubleshooting, and
resolving issues.
The boundaries for what a specific helpdesk tier can and cannot do depend on the size of the organization, whether the
helpdesk provides dedicated support for Citrix components, and whether the helpdesk is the first-level entry point for all
issues in an environment. This course will present tasks and utilities that some helpdesk teams may not have access to, while
other helpdesk teams will be able to complete these tasks and more.
This section provides the knowledge you need to understand the XenDesktop architecture and the communication flow
between the components. This knowledge will enable you to diagnose and troubleshoot end-user issues.
Troubleshooting Methodology
The diagram below outlines the troubleshooting methodology. You can use this troubleshooting methodology regardless of
the product, components, or environment.
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Each time you discover a new issue, the process will start from the beginning.
Depending on your organization and the level of support you work in, you may have to escalate an issue before
reaching the end of the methodology.
Further define the scope of the issue by identifying, categorizing, and documenting
symptoms.
Attempt to reproduce the issue and obtain a clear representation of the environment.
The scope of the issue is the number of end users impacted or the extent to which it
affects performance.
Review historical data about the environment such as resource usage. This information
can help determine if recent changes made to the environment may be at fault.
23
It explains exactly what was done to repair the issue, which can be helpful in repairing similar issues.
It provides valuable historical information to colleagues.
It includes troubleshooting steps and their results, which can reduce the likelihood of repeated actions and promote faster
case closings with escalated issues.
Citrix recommends documenting all actions, including key information provided by the end user, as they occur. Doing so
ensures you do not overlook vital information. In addition, when you document while troubleshooting, you save time after
the helpdesk call that could go toward working with other end users. This workflow promotes efficient case management,
resulting in quicker case resolutions.
Discussion Question
In what instances has documentation saved you time or trouble? When have you tried to resolve an issue and not had proper
documentation?
Troubleshooting Flowchart
Problems can arise in multiple areas within an environment. Sometimes the issue may seem related to the virtualization
aspect; however, you must properly configure many other components XenDesktop to function properly. Prior to escalation,
ask the right questions to ensure that you escalate the issue to the appropriate group within your organization.
Below is a flowchart that will help you rule out components by answering questions based on what is happening during
troubleshooting. This is also available within a job aid in your Student Resource Kit.
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Directions: Read each statement and match it to the appropriate XenDesktop component.
Approximate time to complete: 10 minutes
Choices
Choices
A. Citrix Receiver
E. Citrix StoreFront
B. Citrix NetScaler
F. Delivery Controller
C. Hypervisor
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Choices
Choices
D. Citrix Director
H. Citrix Studio
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Provides end users with quick, secure, self-service access to documents, applications, and desktops from any end-user
device.
A Web-based tool that enables IT support to monitor a XenDesktop environment, troubleshoot issues, and perform
support tasks for end users.
A management console that enables you to configure and manage your XenDesktop implementation.
A thin layer of software that allows you to share physical resources of a device with several virtual machines.
Enables virtual machines to register with a Delivery Controller.
Communicates with the hypervisor to distribute applications and desktops, authenticates and manages end-user access,
and brokers connections between end users and their virtual desktops and applications.
A self-service Windows application store that provides a single aggregation point for all IT user services.
Functions as an application accelerator and also provides advanced management using load balancing, content switching,
and application security.
Helpdesk Administrator
End User
Yes.
Yes.
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Module 2
28
A unified StoreFront that delivers Software as a Service (SaaS) & native mobile applications and XenDesktop resources.
Simplified Account Provisioning, which enables end users to connect to assigned desktops and applications by simply
entering their email or a server address, or by opening a provisioning file in Receiver.
Access from any Receiver with a consistent end-user experience, including automatic fallback to an HTML5 client if a
native client is not available locally and cannot be installed.
Synchronization of resource subscriptions across all platforms and devices (Follow-me Apps & Data).
The StoreFront server locally records application subscriptions, shortcut names, and
locations. When an end user accesses a store, the application synchronization feature
automatically updates the subscribed applications on the end-user device to match the
configuration stored on the StoreFront server. The Store Service retrieves the
credentials to authenticate to XenDesktop, ensuring that end users have a consistent
experience across all devices.
Authentication Service
This service authenticates end users to XenDesktop sites. Built-in Windows security
features store the credentials, so the end user only needs to log on once.
Store
The store authenticates end users to the components providing the resources. The
store also enumerates resources available from XenDesktop sites and the Delivery
Controller (SaaS applications). End users access the store through Citrix Receiver or
Receiver for Web.
29
This site enables end users to access stores through a web page. The site can verify the
installed version of Receiver and guide the end user through an upgrade or installation
process. For scenarios in which end users cannot locally install Receiver, they can use
HTML5 Receiver.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
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An end user enters a username and password into Receiver, which sends the information to the StoreFront server (end
users may skip this step if an administrator already configured pass-through authentication).
The authentication service of StoreFront retrieves the end-user credentials and validates them with a domain controller.
The StoreFront server must be a member of the same Active Directory forest as the end-user account and the accessed
resources.
StoreFront retrieves the end-users application subscriptions locally and loads them into memory.
StoreFront forwards the end-user credentials as part of an XML query to the Delivery Controller.
The Controller validates the end-user credentials with a domain controller.
After successful validation, the Controller checks which resources in its database it has already published to the end user.
The Controller sends an XML response to StoreFront containing all resources available to the end user.
StoreFront sends the list of available resources including the existing subscriptions to the Citrix Receiver or displays them
in the Receiver for Web.
The end user requests a resource. Receiver sends the request to the Controller, which starts the broker service.
The broker service finds a machine to fulfill the session request and powers it on if needed.
The Controller sends the connection details to the StoreFront Server.
The StoreFront Server sends the information in an ICA file to the Receiver client on the end-users device.
Receiver client launches a connection to the server hosting the resource.
Discussion Question
What key concerns do you have about this diagram?
Accessing StoreFront
The StoreFront console provides ways to manage your deployment. You can:
Add or remove servers and change their base URLs to scale your deployment and add redundancy.
Configure the authentication service. You can also enable end users to change their passwords or you can change the
password expiry period.
Create stores to group together resources or create additional stores for a specific group of end users.
Deploy Receiver for Web.
To Access StoreFront
1.
Log on to the Stf-001 VM machine that is hosting StoreFront. PLEASE USE THE REMOTE DESKTOP MANAGER
TOOL LOCATED ON THE STUDENT DESKTOP TO ACCESS VMs WITHIN EACH LAB
a.
b.
2.
2.
3.
4.
Open StoreFront.
Select the Stores node.
Select a store to view its controller address.
Select MiamiStore.
5.
6.
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2.
3.
4.
Open StoreFront.
Select the Receiver for Web node.
Select the Store you would like to view the URL for.
Select the MiamiStore Receiver.
5.
Note the URL that appears within the Overview and ensure that the end user is using the appropriate address.
Verify that the end user is using https://storefront.TRAINING.lab/Citrix/MiamiStoreWeb
Receiver handles the ICA extension, a file that contains details such as session properties and establishes a connection
between the end user and the remote server. End users receive the ICA file when they request an application or desktop.
You will first learn how to configure Receiver manually. You can also push a configuration file to the end user.
32
4.
5.
6.
7.
Click Download Receiver for Windows and then run the file.
Click Next on the welcome screen.
Enter the FQDN of the StoreFront server or a valid domain email address when prompted.
Click Finish.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
2.
3.
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4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Click Activate.
Select Open to open the receiverconfig.cr file.
Click Add to accept the certificate provided by the TRAINING domain.
Sign in with your domain credentials.
Type TRAINING\HR1 and Password1 and click Log On.
Discussion Question
Can you make a connection from an endpoint to a XenDesktop resource without installing Receiver installed on the
endpoint? Why?
Navigating Receiver
Citrix Receiver can be accessed from a device or from a browser. In both cases, the Receiver client and Receiver for Web act
as gateways to the internal corporate network, requiring the end user to sign in. Once signed in, the end user can customize
Receiver with the applications and virtual desktops needed to work on site or remotely.
2.
3.
Click the up arrow in the system tray, right-click Receiver, and select Open.
Enter your domain credentials if prompted.
Type TRAINING\HR1 and Password1.
4.
5.
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6.
Click the application you want to add. The icon will appear in the central window.
Click Calculator, HR User Desktops - Win81, and WordPad.
7.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Click Apps.
Click the icon to launch the application.
Click Calculator.
7.
8.
Click Desktops.
Click the desktop available to the end user.
Click HR User Desktops .
You define desktops in the machine catalogs, while assigning end users access to the machines using Delivery
Groups. The Studio module covers both topics.
Log on to the machine hosting the version of Receiver you want to verify.
Log on to the HR-PC virtual machine using the TRAINING\HR1 and Password1 credentials.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
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2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
13.
14.
15.
16.
Click Disconnect.
Click Yes to confirm.
Click Close.
Click OK.
Resetting Receiver
There may be times an end user incorrectly configures Receiver by entering an invalid server address or the incorrect email
address. Resetting will prompt Receiver to request a server or email address, allowing the end user to configure Receiver
manually. Resetting will also delete account information, so the end user will lose the applications and desktops that appeared
upon logging in.
To Reset Receiver
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
36
6.
7.
8.
9.
Log on to the machine you would like to view the event logs for.
Log on to the HR-PC virtual machine using the TRAINING\Administrator and Password1 credentials.
2.
3.
4.
Right-click the Start menu from the taskbar and select Event Viewer.
Expand the Windows Logs node and then select Application.
Look for warning signs and document the errors to assist with resolution.
Resolution
37
38
Module 3
40
Performs all tasks and operations. A Full Administrator has the All scope by default.
Creates and manages machine catalogs. This role can manage base images and install
software, but cannot assign applications or desktops to end users.
Host Administrator
Manages host connections and their associated resource settings. This role cannot
deliver machines, applications, or desktops to end users.
Views Delivery Groups and manages their sessions and machines. Sees the machine
catalog and host information of the active Delivery Groups and performs session and
machine power management for the machines in those Delivery Groups.
Read-only Administrator
Reads all objects in specified scopes as well as global information, but cannot modify
settings.
41
42
Log on to the Controller machine that has Citrix Studio installed on it. PLEASE USE THE REMOTE DESKTOP
MANAGER TOOL TO ACCESS VMs WITHIN EACH LAB
a.
b.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
43
Machine catalogs
Delivery Groups (including changing power management settings)
Administrator roles and scopes
Host resources and connections
Citrix policies through Studio
MCS enables the rapid creation of machine catalogs based off a single master image.
Since the master image contains a single OS and settings, MCS can provision identical
VMs and place them in their own catalog. MCS will also create corresponding
machine accounts in Active Directory. The power of MCS is in its ability to update the
master image and replicate the changes to the provisioned VMs.
PVS also enables the rapid creation of machine catalogs, but might be better suited for
larger deployments and for storage performance considerations such as IOPS
limitations. With PVS, you can start new VMs using PXE or BDE services and add
them to a catalog specified in the PVS console. Like MCS, you can update the single
master image and replicate changes to the members of your machine catalog.
44
Log on to the Controller machine that has Citrix Studio installed on it..
Log on to the XDC-001 machine using the TRAINING\Administrator and Password1 credentials.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Open Studio.
Click the Machine Catalogs node.
Click Create Machine Catalog.
Click Next in the machine catalog screen.
Select the type of OS machines that will be part of the catalog and click Next.
Select Desktop OS.
7.
8.
Select how you want to manage the desktop images and then click Next.
Select Machine Creation Services (MCS).
45
9.
Select a resource (host) for the catalog and then click Next.
Verify that Internal-105 is selected.
10. Select whether to provide random or static desktops to end users and then click Next.
Select I want users to connect to a new (random) desktop each time they log on.
11. Select a hosted VM to based the image on and then click Next.
Select Win81-MCS-MSTR.
12. Specify the number of VMs and their specifications and then click Next.
a.
b.
13. Determine how the machines in the catalog will correspond to Active Directory accounts and then click Next.
a.
b.
c.
Discussion Question
Why would an application or desktop appear to the end user but fail to launch? If the machine does not register with the
controller, why does the application or desktop still appear?
46
The behavior of machines after they disconnect from all sessions: nothing, suspend, or shut down.
When you want to investigate the status of a machine, check to see if an administrator had previously configured these
settings.
You cannot create Delivery Groups from machine catalogs with different machine types. For example, a Delivery
Group cannot mix machines from a Server OS catalog with a Desktop OS catalog.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Open Studio.
Select the Delivery Groups node.
Click Create Delivery Group.
Click Next on the welcome screen.
Select a machine catalog, the number of VMs to add, and then click Next.
a.
b.
7.
Determine what resources the Delivery Group will provide and click Next.
Select Desktops.
8.
Add end users who can access the Delivery Group and click Next.
a.
b.
c.
9.
Select the method for configuring Receiver on the machines in the Delivery Group and then click Next.
a.
b.
47
Note the applications, the machine catalogs used to deliver the them, the network usage, and the
administrators allowed to modify the Delivery Group.
Discussion Question
How would you handle a request that asks you to provide access to a Windows 8 machine catalog and a Server 2012 machine
catalog for one group of end users?
2.
3.
Open Studio.
Locate the machine or desktop group to put into Maintenance Mode.
Click Search and select the XDW-Acct-01.TRAINING.lab desktop OS machine.
If you do not see the machine, make sure to clear the search filter then click the Desktop OS Machines tab.
4.
.
Click Turn On Maintenance Mode to enable or click Turn Off Maintenance Mode to disable maintenance mode.
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
If you would like to adjust maintenance mode for a machine and do not know the FQDN, you can access the
machines by double-clicking a particular machine catalog or Delivery Group.
48
2.
3.
4.
5.
Open Studio.
Click the Delivery Groups node.
Select HR User Desktops .
Scroll the Details tab below and verify the states of machines under the State column to the right.
There could be one registered machine and two total machines. Recall that you may have turned on Maintenance
Mode in the previous lab task.
With policies you can apply different profile behaviors to the machines in each Delivery Group. For example, one Delivery
Group might require Citrix mandatory profiles, whose template is stored in one network location, but another Delivery
Group might require Citrix roaming profiles stored in another location with several redirected folders.
You can manage Citrix policies through Group Policy in Windows or from Studio. The console or tool you use depends on
whether you have the appropriate permissions to manage policies, where you want to store them, and how you plan to
maintain them.
The site database stores Citrix policies. The database also pushes updates to the end-user session, either when the machine
registers with the Controller or when an end user connects to a resource. Before you create a policy, decide which group of
end users or devices you want it to affect. You may want to create a policy based on job role, connection type, device, or
geographic location.
By default, Citrix provides Unfiltered policies for Computer and User policy settings. If you use Active Directory Group
Policy Editor to manage Citrix policies, settings applied to the Citrix Unfiltered policy will apply to farm servers and
connections that fall within the scope of the Group Policy Objects containing the Unfiltered policy. If you use Studio to
manage Citrix policies, settings added to the Unfiltered policy affect servers and connections in the farm.
49
When creating a policy, you will specify a filter and settings. The filter defines the objects affected by the policy, while the
settings contain the specific rules of the policy.
For example, a printing policy may specify that all objects (filter) within an OU retain the last installed printer as the default
printer (settings).
View policy details in Studio when you suspect there are policy conflicts. Documenting policy details can assist others during
issue escalation.
These are not the same as Group Policy Objects (GPOs), which an Active Directory administrator typically
configures.
2.
3.
Open Studio.
Click the Policies node.
Click Close on the Citrix Policies Welcome screen if it appears.
4.
5.
6.
50
7.
8.
9. Click Next.
10. Assign the policy to end users and machine objects.
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
Discussion Question
What is the purpose of Citrix policies?
51
The XenDesktop server stores local profiles and initially creates them based on the
default profile. End users retain changes to their local profile on each individual server,
but changes are only accessible for future sessions on that same server. Local profiles
require no configuration.
Roaming Profiles
The site stores these profiles in a centralized network repository. Roaming profiles
differ from local profiles, being available to end user sessions accessed from all
XenDesktop servers in the environment. The first time the end user logs on to a
XenDesktop server, the server creates the roaming profile based on the default profile.
During logoff, the server copies the profile to a network location.
Mandatory Profiles
Sometimes called roaming mandatory profiles, the site also stores these in a centralized
network location for each end user. They differ from roaming profiles by not retaining
the end users changes at logoff.
This is a unique profile type that supersedes all other profiles. It addresses last write
wins issues by only capturing changes within the profile, rather than writing the
entire profile at logoff. This strategy minimizes conflicts that result from making
profile changes when accessing multiple XenDesktop servers.
52
Citrix Profile management provides end users with fast logons and logoffs. The following steps describe how Citrix Profile
management delivers a profile to the end user:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
The end user starts a session for a machine with Profile Management enabled.
The Citrix Profile management service determines if the end user is a member of the processed group defined in the
profile management policies. If the end user is a member, the service attempts to load the appropriate profile from the
store. If the end user is not a member, a Microsoft profile is assigned.
Profile management verifies that the store contains the profile. If a profile is not found on the store, the service migrates
the end user's Microsoft profile to the store or creates a new one from a template specified in the policy.
Profile management streams a local profile from the store to the virtual machine.
Profile management monitors the end user's profile and logs any changes back to the end user's profile store.
By default, Citrix Profile management installs silently on master images when you install the VDA. For more
information about Profile Management best practices, see http://support.citrix.com/article/CTX136376
You must first configure and enable this setting to enable the Profile Management
policy.
Traditional profile management faces the issue of "last write wins," meaning the
NTUSER.DAT file stores system settings modified during each session and overwrites
the version of the file on the network. With multiple active sessions, the
NTUSER.DAT file saves settings for the last session to end, overwriting changes made
during the previous sessions. Active write back addresses this by merging changes
across all sessions and writing once to the NTUSER.DAT file.
If enabled, the system stores end-user settings on the Store. The path can be relative to
the home directory, a UNC path to a server share, or not configured. If disabled, the
system stores settings in the Windows subdirectory of the home directory.
Profile Streaming
Reduce logon times by enabling this setting to stream files and folders only when
accessed by the end user.
By default, Profile Management excludes some Microsoft system folders and roaming
folders from syncing. You can configure this setting to exclude more folders or
individual files from synchronizing with the end user's Store.
By default, Profile Management syncs folders and files within the end user's profile.
With this setting enabled, Profile Management synchronizes the folders you've
specified with a location on the end-user Store. Add folders outside the end user's
profile or on the excluded folders list.
53
For more information about including and excluding files and folders from synchronization, see
http://support.citrix.com/proddocs/topic/user-profile-manager-sou/upm-include-task-den.html.
Redirecting Folders
Folder redirection is fundamental to any successful profile strategy. If storage space on the network is scarce, you may want to
store only essential files on the network. End users can store Downloads, Pictures, Favorites, and personal files locally, while
you might redirect Documents to a network location. A redirected folder is a persisting folder, because data is preserved after
the end user session is over.
To Redirect a Folder
1.
2.
3.
Open Studio.
Click the Policies node.
Click Close in the Citrix Policies Welcome screen if it appears.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
54
Troubleshooting Policies
There may be many policies applied at multiple levels, such as site, domain controller, and organizational unit. The
combination of Citrix and Microsoft policy settings creates a complex scenario. Conflicts can arise and often times it is
because of the policy precedence and the order in which the session processes these settings.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Open Studio.
Click the Policies node.
Select Modelling tab.
Click Launch Modeling Wizard.
Click Next at the Welcome screen.
Select the domain and domain controller to perform the Modeling Wizard on and click Next.
a.
b.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15. Scroll the results to check for policy conflicts. Document your findings.
Discussion Question
What policies can you view in the Citrix Studio Modeling Report? How can the administrator use this tool for
troubleshooting?
Copyright 2016 Citrix Systems, Inc.
55
An HR representative is having difficulties accessing a virtual desktop at certain times of the day, particularly when two other
co-workers are also signed onto a desktop. The HR representative requests that you investigate the issue.
Approximate time to complete: 30 minutes.
To complete your objective:
56
Module 4
58
Printing Concepts
In a virtualized environment, XenDesktop redirects print jobs through the network print server or end-user device to the
printing device. When an end user prints, XenDesktop:
Determines what printers to provide to the end user. This is known as printer provisioning.
Restores the end user's printing preferences.
Determines which printer is the default for the session.
The following concepts are crucial to understanding how printing in a virtualized environment works:
Printer
Print Server
A computer on the network dedicated to managing printers on the network. The print
server can be any computer on the network. Responsibilities include spooling, despooling, and managing and prioritizing print jobs.
Printer Driver
A program designed to allow other programs to work with a particular printer without
involving the specifics of the printer's hardware and internal language.
Print Spooler
The Windows service and collection of dynamic link libraries (DLLs) that accepts a
document sent to a printer by an application, then stores it on disk or in memory
until the printer is available to process the job. This software receives, processes,
schedules, and distributes documents for printing.
Spooling
Print Queue
A server that provides universal printing support for network printers. The Universal
Print Server uses the Universal Printer Driver, which enables you to use a single driver
to allow network printing from any device.
A single driver installed and configured on the server to which an administrator can
assign all auto-created client printers.
59
For more information about Windows and Citrix printing concepts, see Citrix article CTX111967 at
http://support.citrix.com.
Printer Types
In a Windows environment, there are two types of printers: local printers and network printers. With XenDesktop there is
also the redirected client printer. The type of printer determines where the print metafile containing the print job is spooled.
Understanding where the job is spooled can be useful should an issue arise.
Local (Client and Server)
Local printers are connected to an end-user device or server. By default, the local OS
directly spools the print job to a Windows end-user device or server.
Network printers are connected to a print server and the server OS directly spools the
print job to the print server.
Redirected Client
Printers are connected to the end-user device using an UNC path or a cable. The
server OS spools the print job to the end-user device.
Discussion Question
Which type of printing do you use within your organization and why?
60
Printing Policies
When end users access printers from published applications, you can configure Citrix policies to specify:
You can have different printing configurations for different end-user devices, end users, or any other objects on which
policies are filtered. Configuring Citrix Printing policies will allow you to manage most printing functions. Printing settings
follow standard policy behavior.
By default, the system stores printer properties on the hard disk or in the end-user profile. When an end user changes printer
properties during a session, the profile on the machine updates and saves those changes. The next time the end user logs on
or reconnects, the end-user device inherits those retained settings. That is, printer property changes on the end-user device do
not impact the current session until the end user logs off and then logs on again.
61
Log on to the Controller machine that hs Citrix Studio installed. PLEASE USE THE REMOTE DESKTOP MANAGER
TOOL TO ACCESS VMs WITHIN EACH LAB
Log on to the XDC-001 machine using the TRAINING\Administrator and Password1 credentials.
2.
3.
Open Studio.
Select the Policies node.
Click Close if the Citrix Policies Welcome screen appears.
4.
5.
Discussion Question
When should you use the Citrix Universal printer driver in a XenDesktop environment?
Provisioning Printers
The process by which XenDesktop makes printers available in a session is known as provisioning. Printer provisioning for
XenDesktop is typically handled dynamically. Virtual machines will not store the printers that appear in a session. Instead,
policies assemble the printers as the session is built during log on and reconnection. As a result, the printers can change
according to policy, end-user location, and network changes. This means that end users who roam to a different location
might see changes to their workspace.
62
XenDesktop also monitors client-side printers and dynamically adjusts in-session auto-created printers based on additions,
deletions, and changes to the client-side printers. This dynamic printer discovery benefits mobile end users as they connect
from various devices.
The sections below provide configuration information for the different XenDesktop printer provisioning methods.
A generic printer created at the beginning of sessions that is not tied to a printing
device. The Citrix Universal Printer does not need to enumerate the available client
printers during logon, thereby reducing resource utilization and decreasing logon
times.
2.
3.
Open Studio.
Select the Policies node.
Click Close if the Citrix Policies Welcome screen appears.
63
4.
5.
6.
7.
Select the value that you would like to apply in your environment.
Select Auto-create the client's default printer only from the Value drop-down menu.
8. Click OK.
9. Click Next.
10. Determine whether you want to assign the policy based on user and machine objects or if it will apply to all objects in a
site.
Verify that Assign to selected user and machine objects is selected and then click Assign next to Delivery Group.
11. Select the Delivery Group to which you would like to apply the policy and then click OK.
Select Acct User Desktops - Win81 from the Delivery Group drop-down menu.
12. Click Next.
13. Enter a name for the policy and verify that Enable policy is selected.
Enter Auto-create client default printer only - Acct in the Policy name field and verify that Enable
policy is selected.
14. Click Finish.
Session Printers
By default, XenDesktop automatically creates network printers on the end-user device at the beginning of a session. By
specifying the network printers you want to create for each session, XenDesktop allows you to reduce the number of
enumerated and mapped printers. These specified printers are called session printers.
You can filter session printer policies by IP address to provide proximity printing. Proximity printing enables end users
within a specified IP address range to automatically access the network printing devices that exist within that same range.
Citrix Universal Print Server provides proximity printing.
64
2.
3.
Open Studio.
Select the Policies node.
Click Close if the Citrix Policies Welcome screen appears.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9. Click Next.
10. Click Assign next to Delivery Group.
11. Select the Delivery Group to which you would like to apply the policy and click OK.
Select Acct User Desktops - Win81 from the Delivery Group drop-down menu.
12. Click Next.
13. Enter a name for the policy and verify that Enable policy is selected.
Enter Session Printer - Acct in the Policy name field and verify that Enable policy is selected.
14. Click Finish.
Auto-Retained Printers
Auto-retained printers are those in which end users add through user self-provisioning. Auto-retained printers are created
again (or remembered) at the start of the next session and route print jobs along the client printing pathway.
Auto-retained printers appear in the session on the end-user device until deletion of the client printer within the session is
done manually. This will remove the remembered printer connection from the properties store of the end-user device. An
auto-retained printer will show the notation "Auto Retained" in the Comment field of the printer properties.
You can prohibit auto-retained printers from auto-creating at the beginning of a session using the Retained and restored
client printers policy rule in the policies node of Studio or the Citrix policies node of the Group Policy Management Console.
Printer Drivers
You must install the respective print driver in order to print on a print device. If the print device is changed, then you must
install a new or updated driver. In large organizations with hundreds of printers, managing printer drivers can become an
intensive management task.
65
Citrix recommends that you never update a printer driver. Always uninstall a driver, restart the print server, and
then install the replacement driver. This helps ensure consistency and decreases the chance that issues with
existing drivers are transferred to the updated drivers.
66
Client component
The client component of the Universal printer driver is part of the Citrix Receiver
installation. It receives the incoming print stream for the virtual desktop and forwards
it to the local printing subsystem to render the print job using the device-specific
printer driver.
It is important that if you support standard drivers in addition to the Citrix Universal printer driver, you should determine:
If the Citrix Universal printer driver is not an option in your environment, you can map printer drivers to minimize the
amount of drivers installed on the machines. In addition, mapping printer drivers enables you to:
Allow specified printers to use only the Citrix Universal printer driver.
Allow or prevent printers to be created with a specified driver.
Substitute good printer drivers for outdated or corrupted drivers.
Substitute a driver that is available on a Windows server for a client driver name.
67
Log on to the controller machine that has Citrix Studio installed using domain administrator credentials.
Log on to the XDC-001 virtual machine using the TRAINING\Administrator and Password1 credentials.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Click OK.
Click Next.
Verify that Assign to selected user and machine objects is selected and then click Assign next to Delivery Group.
Select the Delivery Group to which you would like to apply the policy.
Select Acct User Desktops - Win8 from the Delivery Group drop-down menu.
Discussion Question
In which situations would you change the default value of "0" in the Universal Print Server print stream bandwidth limit
(kpbs)?
68
You will likely need to ask several questions before you can begin to narrow the list of possible issues that are the root cause
of any printing problem. The graphic shows some of the typical questions you may need to ask and how to proceed with your
investigation . If during your investigation you realize that you need additional information that an end user cannot provide,
for example, if you need to find out which printer drivers are in use, you can use a tool like Citrix Print Detective.
Enumerates all local printer drivers or those from remote systems from the specified Windows system.
69
Log on to the Helpdesk-PC machine that has Citrix Print Detective on the desktop.
Log on to the Helpdesk-PC machine using the TRAINING\Administrator and Password1 credentials.
2.
3.
70
Resolution
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
1.
2.
Verify that the printer driver name for the client is the
same as the printer driver name for the server. If not,
map the driver names.
Remove the incompatible printer driver, restart the
Citrix Print Manager services and use the Citrix
Universal printer driver instead.
Restarting the Citrix Print Manager services will
discard all current print jobs in the session.
1.
2.
3.
Session appears to stop responding at startup when end users Verify that network printers are attempting to auto-create for
are disconnected from the network.
the end user and then set the Auto-create client printers
policy rule to Auto-create local (non-network) client printers
only for mobile end users.
The Universal Print Server does not appear.
1.
2.
1.
2.
71
Check the printing policies in Studio to ensure that the appropriate policies are in place.
Make note of any issues you find with the policies as currently configured.
As you investigate, remember to follow the troubleshooting methodology and document your findings during this exercise.
Based on the results of the investigation, ensure that relevant policies are in place and correctly configured so that members of
TRAINING's HR team always have the Canon InkJet E600 as their default printer.
Verify the that the Canon 9500 Accounting printer is not available within application sessions.
Review policies to see how the administrator restricted the automatic installation of printer drivers in the environment.
Ensure that end users on the Accounting teams can print to their local printers.
Following the troubleshooting methodology, investigate any reported errors or events.
Based on the results of the investigation, ensure that relevant policies are in place and configured correctly.
72
Module 5
74
Citrix Director
Director is a Web-based tool that enables IT Support and Helpdesk teams to monitor a XenDesktop environment,
troubleshoot issues before they become system critical, and perform support tasks for end users.
Director allows you to search for end users and display their activity, such as:
Director also provides additional administrator features and provides an overview of the key aspects of a deployment, such as
the status of connections, sessions, and the site infrastructure. The dashboard displays meaningful performance metrics and
graphs, together with information about the health of the hypervisors and controllers. Director updates information every
minute. If issues occur, details appear automatically about the number and type of failures. You can view more detailed
information. For example, you can display all the end users affected and the associated machines.
To prepare for this module, log on as an end user and begin a session so that you can use Director to monitor that session
in subsequent procedures. PLEASE USE THE REMOTE DESKTOP MANAGER TOOL TO ACCESS VMs WITHIN
EACH LAB
1. Log on to the HR-PC.
2. Click Desktop and then click the Internet Explorer icon.
3. Type https://storefront.TRAINING.lab/Citrix/MiamiStoreWeb and press Enter.
4. Log on to Citrix Receiver using the TRAINING\HR1 and Password1 credentials.
5. Click HR User Desktops -Win81 desktop(TRAINING\XDW-HR-01) .
6. Minimize the HR User Desktops - Win81- Desktop Viewer window once the desktop launch is complete..
7. Click Apps in Receiver.
8. Click Calculator to launch the application.
9. Click WordPad to launch the application.
Citrix Receiver: It may be necessary to install the Citrix Receiver on the Receiver on the HR-PC machine.
75
2.
3.
4.
Click Desktop.
Open Internet Explorer from the taskbar.
Browse to the Director URL (https://server/Director).
Open a browser and type https://stf-001.TRAINING.lab/Director.
5.
Type your username, password, and domain then click Log on.
a.
b.
c.
d.
6.
Type the name of the end user you would like to search for and press Enter.
Type TRAINING\HR1 and press Enter.
Activity Manager
This pane allows you to view applications and processes that are currently running on the virtual desktop. You can end
processes or applications from this pane if you have an understanding of the issue.
2.
3.
Type the name of the end user you would like to search for into the Search field and press Enter.
Type HR1 and press Enter.
4.
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Scroll to the right-hand side of the page, and click Details button.
Machine Details
The Machine Details pane displays information about the virtual machine the end user is currently signed onto. The machine
name whose information is displayed is on the top portion of the screen. If end users have multiple desktops assigned to them
or have application sessions, you can choose the particular session that you would like to review by clicking the monitor icon
besides the computer name. When end users state that they are having challenges with their virtual desktop, the Machine
Details pane gives you a good understanding of other information that is displayed, including:
Site name
Registration State
Delivery Group
Machine Catalog
Operating System Type
Allocation Type
Machine IP Address
Organization Unit
VDA Version
Host
Server
VM Name
Resource Allocation (vCPUs, Memory, and Hard Disk)
Average Disk Sec/Transfer
Current Disk Queue Length
Session Details
The Session Details pane displays information about the end-user's session, allows you to interact with the end user, and
allows you to control the session. Information in this pane includes:
Logon Duration
Below the Activity Manager, Machine Details, and Session Details pane, is the Logon Duration panel. This chart displays the
logon times for the current session, the average logon for this end user, and the Delivery Group as a whole.
Personalization
Below the Logon Duration panel is the Personalization panel, which helps you determine information about the end user's
profile. If profile management and folder redirection have been set up, you have the ability to reset the end user's profile here.
Also, if end users are allocated Personal vDisks, you can reset that as well.
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HDX Panel
Monitor the status of the HDX channels within the end-user session in the HDX panel of the User Details page. The HDX
channels monitor allows you to view the status and current configuration of end-users' specific HDX channels within their
session, greatly assisting in the diagnostic of connections and performance concerns. You can gather detailed information
around numerous HDX parameters including Audio and Media Stream, Thinwire, USB utilities, and Flash.
Discussion Question
If an end user waits a long time for the desktop to load, where would you look within Director to find the problem? What
could be possible causes?
2.
3.
Search for an end user who you would like to send a message to.
Type HR1 in the Search users field and press Enter.
4.
5.
Ensure that the appropriate desktop or application connection for the end user is displayed.
Click Session (Computer display icon) at the top of the Details page and then select the HR User Desktops -Win81
desktop(TRAINING\XDW-HR-01) desktop from the drop-down menu.
The session icon is only available when the selected end user has multiple sessions running.
6.
78
Scroll the page to the right to view the Session Details pane.
Module 5: Resolving Issues Using Citrix Director
7.
8.
9.
Click Send and then verify that the message was successfully sent.
a.
b.
c.
d.
Click Send.
Switch to the HR-PC virtual machine.
Click OK on the message to close it.
Switch back to the HelpdeskPC virtual machine.
The selected end user must have an active session running in order to receive the message. If the end user
disconnects or the session times out, the message will not reach the recipient.
2.
3.
Search for an end user who you would like to send a message.
Type HR1 in the Search users field, press Enter.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Scroll the page to the right to view the Session Details pane.
Click the Shadow button.
Click Open in the Opening Invite.msrcincident dialog box and wait for the end user to accept your invitation.
Switch to the HR-PC machine and click Yes in the "Would you like to allow Helpdesk Admin to connect to your
computer" message.
If the end user does not respond within 120 seconds, the connection will fail. In such cases, click OK in the
Windows Remote Assistance message on the system accessing Director, to end the shadowing request.
79
8.
Click Request control at the top of the Windows Remote Assistance window.
a.
b.
c.
d.
9.
Click Request control from the Windows Remote Assistance window on the system running Director.
Switch to the HR-PC virtual machine.
Click Yes on the Windows Remote Assistance screen to allow Helpdesk Admin to share control.
Switch back to the HelpdeskPC virtual machine.
Assist the end user from the system running Director and then close the Windows Remote Assistance window to end the
shadowing session.
Click the X in the small or full screen Windows Remote Assistance window.
The end user could also end the shadowing session by clicking the X in the Windows Remote Assistance
window displayed on the endpoint. If you end the shadowing session by closing the small Windows Remote
Assistance window, you must close the full screen Windows Remote Assistance window separately.
2.
3.
Search for an end user who you would like to send a message to.
Type HR1 in the Search users field, press Enter.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
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Scroll the Details page down until you reach the Personalization panel.
Click Reset Profile in the Personalization panel of the Details page.
Click Reset on the Reset Profile Confirmation screen.
Module 5: Resolving Issues Using Citrix Director
2.
3.
Search for an end user who you would like to send a message to.
Type HR1 in the Search users field, press Enter.
4.
5.
6.
Ending Applications
You can monitor end-user applications by performing the following tasks:
To End Applications
1.
2.
3.
4.
Click Activity Manager below the Search users field to view the Activity Manager.
If Details is displayed below the Search users field, then the Activity Manager screen is already displayed. The
Activity Manager screen is white and the Details screen is black.
81
5.
6.
Click the Applications tab menu in the Activity Manager to view a list of the applications and hosted applications being
run by the selected end user.
Select the process to be stopped, click End Application;click Yes if prompted to confirm the action.
Select Calculator and click End Application.
7.
With Server OS machines, end users can connect to existing sessions but cannot start new sessions.
With Desktop OS and Remote PC Access machines, end users cannot connect or reconnect, once the machine is in
maintenance mode. End users will stay connected until they either disconnect or log off.
Machines are available for end-user connections when you take them out of maintenance mode.
You can only search for existing end-user sessions when using the Helpdesk Administrator role to access Director.
If there is a particular machine you would like to place in maintenance mode, you must sign into Studio or access
Director with administrator credentials.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Select the session that is using the machine you would like to put into maintenance mode.
Click the session icon (Computer display icon) at the top of the Details page and then select HR User Desktops (XDW-HR-01).
6.
Click the Maintenance Mode button under Machine Details to change the mode.
Ensure that maintenance mode is set to Off before continuing.
It is important to be aware of which machine you place into maintenance mode and how it will affect end
users.
82
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
2.
83
3.
4.
5.
Ensure that the appropriate desktop or application connection for the user is displayed.
Click the session icon (Computer display icon) at the top of the Activity Manager page and then select the
TRAINING Applications resource from the drop-down menu.
The session icon is only available when the selected end user has multiple sessions running.
6.
7.
8.
Scroll the Details page to the right and then click Session Control.
Click Disconnect to disconnect the selected session.
Verify that the state of the session has changed to Disconnected.
Switch to the HR-PC and click WordPad to relaunch the session and verify that the text still appears.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Select the appropriate desktop or application connection for the end user.
Click the session icon (Computer display icon) at the top of the Activity Manager page and then select the WordPad
resource from the drop-down menu.
The session icon is only available when the selected end user has multiple sessions running.
6.
7.
84
Scroll the Details page to the right and then click Session Control.
Click Log Off to log the end user off the session.
Wait for the log off process to complete. Do not click Log Off again. Doing so will result in an error message.
Afterward, the session details will disappear from the Details pane.
Discussion Question
Can you recover unsaved work if an end-user's session stops? How would you troubleshoot the issue?
Infrastructure
Sessions Connected
Average Logon Duration
Monitoring Infrastructure
From the Infrastructure panel in Director, you can monitor the health status of your XenDesktop site components and view
performance alerts. This panel lists all servers with alerts in alphabetical order.
The columns list different states for each server. A green check represents that everything is working properly. An alert or
error represents a warning or failure of an infrastructure component. The panel lets you monitor the status of the following
entities:
Hosts
Delivery Controllers
Services
Database
License Server
Configuration Logging Database
Monitoring Database
2.
85
3.
4.
Ensure that no alerts exist. If a performance alert appears, click the alert in the Infrastructure panel for more information.
2.
3.
4.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Scroll the Dashboard to view the Average Logon Duration panel in Director.
Point your cursor at the chart and view the logon duration and logon information at the same time.
Click Trends at the top of the Director screen to view logon performance data across a site beyond the last 60 minutes.
Select the Delivery Group that you want to view logon trend information about.
Select All in the Delivery Group field.
7.
Select a time period for which you want to view logon trend information.
Select Last 7 days in the Time period field.
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8.
9.
Click Apply to view the logon data for the Delivery Groups and time period selected.
Click Dashboard at the top of the Director window to return to the Dashboard.
2.
3.
Click the User Connection Failures link at the top of the Dashboard to view information about connection failures.
The number of end-user connection failures is listed to the right of the link. If the link is green, there are no
failures identified.
4.
Click the Failed Desktop OS Machines link at the top of the Dashboard to view information about failed Desktop OS
machine connections.
The number of failed Desktop OS connections is listed to the right of the link. If the link is green, there are no
failures identified.
5.
Click the Failed Server OS Machines link at the top of the Dashboard to view information about failed Server OS
machine connections.
The number of failed Server OS connections is listed to the right of the link. If the link is green, there are no
failures identified.
6.
7.
Click View Historical Trend below any of the graphs to view additional information.
Click Dashboard at the top of the Director window to return to the Dashboard.
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Each graph shows trend data for a specified period of time (the default is the previous 24 hours) and for specified Delivery
Groups (default: all groups). You can also view data for a single point in time by pointing your cursor to that location. Click
the refresh icon at any time to update the data.
You can save the graph to a PDF file or save the data to a CSV file so that you can reuse the data in other applications. When
the data is exported, you can view more detailed information that was not visible within the graph, assisting with the analysis
of historical trends.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Select specific filters to view only important information that is relative to your analysis.
a.
b.
6.
7.
Click Apply.
Review the information for specific trends.
Discussion Question
How do historical trends assist you with troubleshooting an issue?
Resolution
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Issue
Resolution
You receive a call from AcctUser1, whose accounting application is not responding. After receiving this call, several end users
from the Accounting department report that, although their sessions are responsive, their applications are running slowly.
To complete your objective:
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You'll receive a fresh set of labs, giving you the opportunity to recreate and master
each step in the lab exercises.
25 days of access
Get unlimited access to the labs for 25 days after you launch, giving you plenty of time
to sharpen your skills.
Get ready for your Citrix certification exam by practicing test materials covered by lab
exercises.
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Appendix A
Reinforcement Exercise
Solutions
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Provides end users with quick, secure, self-service access to documents, applications, and desktops from any end-user
device. (A. Citrix Receiver)
A Web-based tool that enabled IT support to monitor a XenDesktop environment, troubleshoot issues, and perform
support tasks for end users. (D. Citrix Director)
A management console that enables you to configure and manage your XenDesktop implementation. (H. Citrix Studio)
A thin layer of software that allows you to share physical resources of a device amongst several virtual machines. (C.
Hypervisor)
Enables virtual machines to register with a Delivery Controller. (G. Virtual Delivery Agent)
Communicates with the hypervisor to distribute applications and desktops, authenticates and manages end-user access,
and brokers connections between end users and their virtual desktops and applications. (F. Delivery Controller)
A self-service, Windows application store that provides a single aggregation point for all IT user services. (E. Citrix
StoreFront)
Functions as an application accelerator and also provides advanced management using load balancing, content switching,
and application security. (B. Citrix NetScaler)
Define the issue: End User is unable to open the HR application within Receiver.
Gather detailed information: End user has Receiver installed and can successfully log on. The HR application is available
to click, yet upon doing so, an error appears that the application is unavailable.
Consider possible causes: The end user does not have Receiver installed and must do so in order to successfully open the
ICA file.
Create an action plan: Guide the end user through the installation of Receiver.
Implement action plan: NA
Observe results of the action plan: Upon installing Receiver, the end user successfully launched the HR application.
Document Changes: The end user installed Receiver.
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12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
Click Edit.
Select XD-001.Training.lab in the list and click Edit.
Correct the FQDN to XDC-001.Training.lab.
Click OK three times.
Switch to the Acct-PC.
Click the refresh icon. If user is logged off, log on using TRAINING\AcctUser1 and Password1 credentials.
Verify that applications and desktops are now available.
Log on to the XDC-001 virtual machine using TRAINING\Administrator and Password1 credentials.
Open Studio.
Click Delivery Groups node.
Verify that there are sufficient resources available for the 3 end users to sign on at once.
Escalate to the Citrix Administrator and request an additional machine added to this Delivery Group.
If this is an advanced helpdesk class and a host connection has been created, have them resolve the issue by creating a new
machine catalog using the TRAINING Master resource with one additional machine. They can then add this machine to the
Delivery Group. If you need to make up for lost time, start this process at step 14 and have the students utilize the HR2Win8-01 machine created in the machine catalog task.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
Log on to the XDC-001 virtual machine using TRAINING\Administrator and Password1 credentials.
Open Studio.
Click the Machine Catalogs node.
Click Create Machine Catalog.
Click Next three times.
Select I want users to connect to a new (random) desktop each time they log on and click Next
Select TRAINING Master as the resource.
Select Win81-MCS-MSTR.
Click Next twice
Expand the XenDesktop OU and select Desktops.
Type HR-Random-##.
Click Next.
Type "Additional HR Win81 Desktops" as the machine catalog name and click Finish.
Click the Delivery Groups node upon completion of the machine catalog creation.
Select HR User Desktops .
Click Add Machines and verify that "Additional HR Win81 Desktops" is selected.
Click the + to add one machine and then click Next.
Click Finish.
Open Studio.
Click the Policy node and then Create Policy.
Select Folder Redirection in the All Settings drop-down menu.
Click Select next to the Downloads path policy.
Click Enabled and type \\TRAINING\TRAININGUsers$\ as the location to redirect the end-user's downloaded files.
Click OK.
Click Select next to Redirection settings for Downloads.
Click OK and then click Next.
Appendix A: Reinforcement Exercise Solutions
9. Assign the policy to the HR Users (User or group setting) and click Next.
10. Type HR User Download Folder Redirection for the policy name and click Finish.
2.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
If the printer is not available, the policies may not have updated on the XDW-apps-01 machine.
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4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
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