Author: Vikash Jhagroe

Provisioning Services

Basic setup Citrix Provisioning Services 7.6

- by Vikash Jhagroe - 2 Comments.
Reading Time: 6 minutes

So I got some free time now to continue setting up my homelab. I decided to start with a basic setup and configuration of Citrix Provisioning Services 7.6 (PVS). I will be needing this component to stream my desktops and servers. Citrix Provisioning Services (PVS) eliminates the need to manage, update and patch individual systems. Instead it allows us to use a master image to provision computers. This master image (vDisk) can be used simultaneously by multiple computers.

In this post I will show you how to:

  • Install PVS
  • Basic configuration using the PVS wizard
  • Creating a farm

My lab setup:

  • Host running Citrix XenServer 6.5 SP1
  • Windows 2012 R2 server with patches and updates which I will be using to install PVS
  • Downloaded PVS ISO from www.citrix.com
  • Service Account in Active Directory

Install Citrix Provisioning Services 7.6

Using XenCenter mount the ISO on the Windows 2012 Server VM and start the setup. The setup will start. Click on Server Installation.

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If there are additional items to be installed, you will be prompted for them. Click on Install.

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Click on YES.

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Click on Next.

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Accept the License Agreement and click on Next.

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Enter your customer information in the User Name field and the Organization field. Select the option you need for “Install this application for”. Click Next.

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Select the installation folder. In my case I left it default. Click Next.

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Then click on Install to begin the installation.

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Click on Finish the start the configuration wizard.

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You will get a warning about the PVS console not detected on your system. Just click on OK, we will deal with this later.

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The configuration wizards start, click on Next to begin configuration.

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Configure the DHCP options according to your infrastructure. I have selected the option “The service that runs on another server”. Select this option is you have a separate DHCP server installed. Click on Next.

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For the PXE services I have selected “The service that runs on another computer”. This is the scenario I see in most of the cases with customers running PVS. In many cases they have a seperate PXE server running for Thin-Clients. Select the option you see fit for your infrastructure. Click on Next.

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Now we have to create the PVS farm. In another post I will cover the “Join existing farm” option. For now let’s create a new one. Click on Next.

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Enter the information to setup the PVS database on the SQL server. Select the appropriate instance, otherwise leave blank. Click on Next.

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In the New Farm windows enter the information according to your company/infrastructure. It will already suggest the database name. You can change it, or select the appropriate database. I also added the Active Directory Administrators group. Click on Next.

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Enter the Store name and the path where you vDisks will be stored. Click on Next.

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Enter the hostname or ipadress of you licensen server. I also checked the option “Validate license server version and communication”.  Click on Next.

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Enter the service account you created in Active Directory to setup the Stream and Soap services. This service account will also be used to setup the database. Note that this user must have db_writer and db_reader access, so I made this account the owner of the PVS database. Click on Next.

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I use the default to update the computer password in the Active Directory. Click on Next.

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Select the network card for management and streaming, in my case there is only one. Check the communication ports. I left them default. Click on Next.

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I choose not to install TFTP server, as I will be booting using an ISO. This ISO tells my client device (target) where my PVS server is. I will cover this in a later post. Click on Next.

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Check the information on the overview screen. Click on Finish.

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You will get a notification about the firewall. Click on OK.

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Now wait for the wizard to complete the configuration. It should end with all the green checkmarks. Click on Done.

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Install Provisioning Services Management Console

Now we need to install the PVS Console for management purpose. This console can be installed on a remote server (like a management server). I choose to install this on my local PVS server.

Start the setup from the Provisioning Services installation ISO. Click on Console Installation.

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Click on Next in the Welcome screen.

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Accept the license agreement. Click on Next.

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Enter your customer information in the User Name field and the Organization field. Select the option you need for “Install this application for”. Click Next.

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Choose the installation folder. I left mine default. Click on Next.

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Select the setup type. Click on Next.

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We are now ready to install. Click on Install.

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Click on Finish.

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Start the PVS console and enter the information of the PVS server. Click on Connect.

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We now have a working Provisioning Services server. In another post I will show you how to create and configure master images using Provisioning Services.

You can also follow me on twitter or add the rss feed from the blog and you will be notified when I add new posts. If you have any questions feel free to contact me.

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XenDesktop

Basic setup Citrix XenDesktop 7.6

- by Vikash Jhagroe - Leave a Comment
Reading Time: 3 minutes

In this post I will show you how to do a basic installatoin of Citrix XenDesktop 7.6. I will be needing this to publish my desktops and applications. I will cover the configuration in another post, check back again for that. So for now let’s start the setup.

In this post I will show you how to:

  • Basic installation of XenDesktop 7.6

My lab setup:

  • Host running Citrix XenServer 6.5 SP1.
  • Windows 2012 R2 server with patches and updates which I will be using to install XenDesktop Delivery Controller.
  • Downloaded PVS ISO from www.citrix.com

Install Citrix XenDesktop 7.6

Using XenCenter mount the ISO on the Windows 2012 Server VM and start the setup. The setup will start. Click on Start in the XenDesktop option:

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Click on Delivery Controller to start the setup.

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Accept the License Agreement. Click on Next.

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Select the components you want to install. I already have my setup license server. I will setup a dedicated StoreFront server, covered in another post. Click on Next.

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I have a dedicated MS SQL Server running, so I won’t install SQL Express. Click on Next.

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Check the firewall port configuration. I left this default. Click on Next.

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Check the summary window. Click on Install.

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After the installation has finished you will get an overview. Click on Finish.

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Citrix Studio will launch and from here you can start by configuring your XenDesktop infrastructure. I will cover this in another post, so please check back soon.

You can also follow me on twitter or add the rss feed from the blog and you will be notified when I add new posts.

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Licensing Server

How to setup and configure Citrix Licensing Server 11.12.1

- by Vikash Jhagroe - 1 Comment
Reading Time: 4 minutes

Adding a Citrix License Server to your environment is important if you are going to setup and use Citrix products and solutions. So let me show you how to:

  • install the license server
  • configure the license server
  • add a license file to the license server

My environment for the installation:

  • downloaded the Citrix License Server 11.12.1 (Build 14100) for Windows (www.citrix.com)
  • Windows 2012 R2
  • domain name: VIKASH (vikash.nl)
  • account for setup: Administrator (VIKASH\Administrator)

Installing Citrix License Server 11.12.1

Unpack the .zip file and start the installer. You will be presented with the next screen. Accept the license agreement and click on Next:

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Accept (or change) the installation location and click on Next:

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Accept the defaults for the port configuration. If you change the port numbers here, make sure you enter them correctly in other Citrix product which will make use of this License Server (e.g. XenDesktop). Also note that the domain account which I am using for this setup is automatically added to manage the License Server. Click on Install:

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Wait for the installation to finish. I selected the option to send License Server Usage information. Citrix uses it to optimize Citrix License Server, so we all benefit from this. Of course you can opt-out if you wish. Click then in Finish:

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Configure Citrix License Server

If you search in the start menu you will notice 2 Citrix programs. The Citrix Simple License Service and the Citrix License Administration Console. The Simple console gives you a fast overview of you license status. You will need to enter your License Access Code. Obtain that from the Citrix License Portal using your MyCitrix account.

I use the Citrix License Administration Console:

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The Citrix License Administration console is a web-gui. When started you will be shown the Dashboard page, which gives you an overview of the License Server. Click on Administration on the top-right corner:

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You will be prompted to login. Use the same credentials used during setup (in my case Domain Administrator) to login:

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After successful login you will be presented with the System Information page:

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Let’s add the Domain Admins group for management. Click on User Configuration and then on New User:

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Select Domain Administrator Group in the drop-down menu. The fields will change automatically to accommodate this option. Then type in the Active Directory group name. The format is <DOMAIN>\GroupName. In my case it is VIKASH\Domain Admins. Click on Save:

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Check that the Domain Admins group is now added:

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Next I configure the default behavior of the license models displayed on the Dashboard page upon login. Click on Server Configuration and then User Interface. Select Both and then click on Save:

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Adding a license file

Obtain a Citrix License File using your MyCitrix account (www.citrix.com/account).

Click on Vendor Deamon Configuration and then on Import License:

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Browse to the license file and click on Import License:

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After the license file is successfully imported click on OK:

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Now at this point you can restart your server so the Citrix License Server reads the newly uploaded license file. In my case I am running the License Server on my domain controller, so I don’t want any downtime. So to get the license file active just restart the Citrix License Service using Windows Service Console:

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Now re-open the Citrix License Administration Console to check that the license file is being read correctly:

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That’s it. Citrix products can now use the License Server to allocate licenses.

You can also follow me on twitter or add the rss feed from the blog and you will be notified when I add new posts. If you have any questions feel free to contact me.

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XenServer

How to update XenServer 6.5 host with SP1

- by Vikash Jhagroe - Leave a Comment
Reading Time: 3 minutes

With Citrix XenServer Supplemental Pack 1 (SP1) just released by Citrix I thought it would be nice to have a little tutorial on how to update your Citrix XenServer 6.5 hosts with SP1 using Citrix XenCenter.

What’s new in SP1:

  • more vm’s per host
  • Intel GVT-d GPU pass-through for Windows virtual machines
  • nVIDIA GPU pass-through for Linux virtual machines
  • support for new guest OS (Windows 10 and CoreOs)
  • improved performance for nVIDIA GRID

Requirements for the update:

  • Citrix XenCenter 6.5 (minimum)
  • Host running Citrix XenServer 6.5
  • Download SP1 for Citrix XenServer 6.5 from www.citrix.com

Homelab setup

My homelab setup is not that complex. I have just one host running Citrix XenServer 6.5, so let’s get to it. The hostname is:

  • xs01.vikash.nl

Installing SP1

Start up Citrix XenCenter and connect to the host. Check Citrix XenServer version in General -> Version Details:

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In XenCenter click on Tools -> Install Update:

update XenServer 6.5 host with SP1

 

The Install Update wizard starts. Click on Next:

update XenServer 6.5 host with SP1

Remember to unpack the SP1 update. Then click on Add and browse to the update file (XS65ESP1.xsupdate). In the status column you will see Not. This means that this update is not yet applied to the selected host. Then click on Next:

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Select the server on which this update will be applied. Then click on Next:

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Citrix XenCenter will then start uploading the update file to the host. Wait for the upload to finish. Then click Next:

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Citrix XenCenter will run prechecks on the host before applying the update. Wait for it to finish. Then click Next:

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In the Update Mode screen leave the defaults. Then click on Install Update:

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The installation process will start. When it is finished it will reboot your host.  At this time you don’t have to do anything but wait patiently.

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Citrix XenCenter will monitor when the host is online again. It will run some checks. Then click on Finish:

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Check that SP1 is now in the list of applied updates.

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That’s it, you’re done. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

 

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