Mastering XenApp®

By Jha Sunny

Master the skills required to implement Citrix® XenApp® 7.6 to deploy a complete Citrix®-hosted application from scratch

About This Book

- Learn to implement and configure components of Citrix® XenApp® 7.6, which are XenServer®, XenApp®, Citrix® License server, PVS, Storefront, Citrix® Receiver, and Netscaler to secure WAN traffic
- Build the XenApp® 7.6 environment independently and perform tests to make sure the components are working as expected for internal and external traffic
- Implement advanced tools in Citrix® XenApp® to build and manage a cost effective, secure, and high-performing application delivery infrastructure with this comprehensive guide

Who This Book Is For

This is book is for administrators who are currently managing the implemented environment and want to learn how to deploy the Citrix® Hosted virtualization solution for the application in a windows server 2012 R2 environment. A reasonable knowledge and understanding of core XenApp® elements and concepts used during virtualizing applications are assumed.

What You Will Learn

- Understand how to set up Hypervisor, install the management console, configure the storage repository, and create a virtual machine on hypervisor
- Set up an Infrastructure component and explore ways to tune them up so that they can be used for Citrix® environment
- Set up a Domain controller, DHCP, Certificate authority, and SQL server for static database for Citrix® XenApp®
- Validate the Citrix® XenApp® 7.6 solution to make sure components are communicating properly
- Manage the essential Citrix® components – Director, Licensing, and Policies with the Help of Citrix® studio
- Optimize the behavior of an Application and share desktop via Policies
- Installing and configuring Citrix® Provisioning services to deliver Citrix® XenApp® 7.6 virtual machines
- Secure the external Delivery of an application and shared desktop via netscaler to enjoy mobility

In Detail

Citrix® XenApp® is one of the leading pieces of Application delivery software that delivers Windows compatible apps to users on any device, anywhere. Citrix® XenApp® also gives administrators the ability to manage and control the freedom of mobility by increasing the security and saving costs at the same time.
This book will provide you with all the knowledge required to successfully deploy and master a complete Citrix® hosted application. First, it will cover essential concepts of the architecture of XenApp®. You will then learn how to set up Hypervisor and how to set up Infrastructure components. Next you will learn how to Set up Citrix® Components, XenApp® resources, PVS, and Netscaler. We will further look at how to prepare the environment for Rollout. Additionally, you will learn how to configure the Citrix® components such as Citrix® Director. Moreover, you’ll learn about shared desktop for delivery to end users and the application of policies for effective and secure delivery. Finally, you will learn how to implement provisioning services for a Citrix® XenApp® 7.6 environment.

Style and approach

This book is based on a course outline and hence takes a very practical approach so you will understand how to implement the components of XenApp® in a production environment. Complemented with many best practices and troubleshooting concepts of XenApp®, this book will help you master XenApp® swiftly.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Packt Publishing
• Release date: Dec 11, 2015
• ISBN: 9781785283369

Book preview

Table of Contents

Mastering XenApp®

Notice

Credits

About the Author

About the Reviewer

www.PacktPub.com

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Preface

What this book covers

What you need for this book

Who this book is for

Conventions

Reader feedback

Customer support

Downloading the color images of this book

Errata

Piracy

Questions

1. Understanding the XenDesktop® and XenApp® Architecture

Core strength of XenApp® and XenDesktop® 7.6

Going mobile

HDX™ user experience

Cloud-ready

Any Windows, web, or SaaS application

Open, scalable, and proven

Different editions of XenApp® and XenDesktop®

Licensing of XenApp®

Licensing of XenDesktop®

FlexCast® architecture

Use cases

Task worker

Knowledge workers

Mobile worker

Shared workstation

Standard deployment Citrix® Component

Citrix® components

Citrix Receiver™

Citrix® Director

StoreFront™

Delivery Controller

Citrix® Studio

High-level concepts of designing the infrastructure

Summary

2. Initiating the Hypervisor

Virtualization

Components

Hypervisor for XenApp® and XenDesktop® 7.6

Why XenServer®

Installing the XenServer® host

Installing XenCenter®

Connecting XenCenter® to the XenServer® host

Configuration of storage repository

XenServer® hosts with shared NFS storage

Configuring NFS storage

Creating a virtual machine

Creating a virtual machine from a CD, ISO image

XenServer® Tools

Summary

3. Setting Up the Infrastructure Components

Overview

Setting up the domain controller

Configuring the domain controller

Setting up the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol

Setting up a certificate authority

Configuring the certificate authority

Setting up SQL server 2012

Setting up SQL mirroring

Summary

4. Setting Up the Citrix® Components

Setting up the Citrix® infrastructure components

Installing the Citrix® components

Configuring the Citrix® components

Configuring Delivery Controller

Configuring the secondary Delivery Controller

Configuring StoreFront™ server

Configuring Citrix Receiver™

Configuring Citrix Receiver™ for web

E-mail address discovery via Citrix Receiver™

Using HTML5 as a replacement client of Citrix Receiver™

Summary

5. Setting Up the XenApp® Resources

Preparing the master virtual machine

Setting up server OS for Master Image

Creating a Machine Catalog

Creating a delivery group

Summary

6. Configuring Policies

Setting up policies

Creating a policy

Creating a new policy template from Citrix® Studio console

Creating a new Citrix® policy using the Citrix® Studio console

Installing the group policy management feature

Creating and managing policies inside the group policy management console

Printing policies

Implementing Universal Print Server 7.6

Citrix® printing policies

Configuring remote assistance

Citrix® profile management

Summary

7. Setting Up Citrix Provisioning Services™

Citrix Provisioning Services™

The Citrix Provisioning Services™ architecture

Setting up a Citrix Provisioning Services™ server and configuring it

Installing the Citrix Provisioning Services™ console

Connecting the Citrix Provisioning Services™ console to the farm

Configuring the boot from network

Configuring the Bootstrap for high availability

Configuring Master Target Device

Creating a vDisk

Assigning a vDisk to a target device

Summary

8. Setting Up NetScaler®

An overview of NetScaler Gateway™

Types of NetScaler® appliance

Performing the initial configuration of NetScaler®

Installing the NetScaler® appliance on XenServer®

Configuring the networking address on NetScaler®

Using NSIP to configure — Subnet IP, Hostname, DNS, Time zone and licensing

Installing a license on Licenses

Configuring NTP

Configuring high availability for NetScaler®

Creating certificates for NetScaler®

Configuring NetScaler® for remote access

Modifying StoreFront™ to integrate with NetScaler®

Summary

Index

Mastering XenApp®

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Mastering XenApp®

Copyright © 2015 Packt Publishing

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embedded in critical articles or reviews.

Every effort has been made in the preparation of this book to ensure the accuracy of the information presented. However, the information contained in this book is sold without warranty, either express or implied. Neither the author, nor Packt Publishing, and its dealers and distributors will be held liable for any damages caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by this book.

Packt Publishing has endeavored to provide trademark information about all of the companies and products mentioned in this book by the appropriate use of capitals. However, Packt Publishing cannot guarantee the accuracy of this information.

First published: December 2015

Production reference: 1041215

Published by Packt Publishing Ltd.

Livery Place

35 Livery Street

Birmingham B3 2PB, UK.

ISBN 978-1-78528-486-1

www.packtpub.com

Notice

The statements made and opinions expressed herein belong exclusively to the author and reviewers of this publication, and are not shared by or represent the viewpoint of Citrix Systems®, Inc. This publication does not constitute an endorsement of any product, service, or point of view. Citrix® makes no representations, warranties, or assurances of any kind, express or implied, as to the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability, availability, or currency of the content contained in this publication or any material related to this publication. Any reliance you place on such content is strictly at your own risk. In no event shall Citrix®, its agents, officers, employees, licensees, or affiliates be liable for any damages whatsoever (including, without limitation, damages for loss of profits, business information, or loss of information) arising out of the information or statements contained in the publication, even if Citrix® has been advised of the possibility of such loss or damages.

Citrix®, Citrix Systems®, XenApp®, XenDesktop®, and HDX™, StoreFront™, NetScaler®, Citrix Provisioning Services™ are trademarks of Citrix Systems®, Inc. and/or one or more of its subsidiaries, and may be registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office and in other countries.

Some of the images in the chapters are taken from the Citrix® website and documentation.

Credits

Author

Sunny Jha

Reviewer

Akshay Poddar

Commissioning Editor

Veena Pagare

Acquisition Editor

Kevin Colaco

Content Development Editor

Adrian Raposo

Technical Editor

Jayesh Sonawane

Copy Editor

Swati Priya

Project Coordinator

Sanchita Mandal

Proofreader

Safis Editing

Indexer

Hemangini Bari

Graphics

Jason Monteiro

Production Coordinator

Conidon Miranda

Cover Work

Conidon Miranda

About the Author

Sunny Jha is a subject matter expert who specializes in Citrix® and virtualization with an experience of 5 years. He has a passion for learning and exploring new technologies, with Citrix® being his favorite. He started with supporting and then implementing solutions for enterprises using Citrix® and Windows.

He worked as a consultant and subject matter expert in medium-to-large Citrix® projects remotely from India with the projects' locations being the U.S., UK, and Australia. He currently lives in Delhi.

Special thanks goes to my mom and dad for supporting me during the writing of this book. Also, I'd like to thank my colleagues for helping me understand the Citrix XenApp® concepts.

About the Reviewer

Akshay Poddar has been working in the field of IT infrastructure for quite a long time, developing expertise in Citrix®, VMware, Windows, Linux, and web hosting. He has earned certifications and completed training in CCA-V, CCA-N, VCP 5, VCP-Cloud 5, MSCA, and CCNA, and is an expert in many technologies, whether it be IBM X series, HP, or Dell; Blade Centers, servers, or enterprise storage such as IBM v3700 or v70000; HP MSA series; Huawei Oceanstore Series. He is an expert in Citrix XenApp®, XenDesktop®, VMware ESX/ESXi, vCenter, Windows Server 2008/2012, Microsoft Active Directory, DNS, DHCP, and so on. He is also well-versed in backup solutions, such as Symantec Backup EXEC, VEEAM, and others.

After completing his BTech at the Rajasthan Technical University, Kota, he worked as a VMware and cloud computing trainer in Mumbai. He later moved to a core IT company, where he worked as a project engineer on many complex projects, including VMware SRM, DC-DR setup, Microsoft SCVMM, Citrix XenApp®, Citrix XenDesktop®, Citrix NetScaler®, networking, storage, SAN switch zoning, and others. He is currently working as a pre-sales and solution architect for one of the companies in Mumbai, India.

He has spent a lot of his time training people on Citrix®, VMware, and cloud computing (OpenStack), sharing his valuable experience with fresh talents in the field. He has also been a technical blogger (http://www.v4virtual.com) for many years.

I would like to thank my parents, family, and friends who have been a great encouragement. You have always supported me in every curve of life, and I just can't imagine what would I have done without you all.

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Preface

Citrix XenApp® need no introduction as it is one of the leading software application virtualization solutions these days. The advantage of using Citrix XenApp®