Getting Started with Citrix XenApp 6.5

Book description

"

Design and implement Citrix farms based on XenApp 6.5 with this book and ebook.

  • Use Citrix management tools to publish applications and resources on client devices with this book and eBook
  • Deploy and optimize XenApp 6.5 on Citrix XenServer, VMware ESX, and Microsoft Hyper-V virtual machines and physical servers
  • Understand new features included in XenApp 6.5 including a brand new chapter on advanced XenApp deployment covering topics such as unattended install of XenApp 6.5, using dynamic data center provisioning, and more
  • Clear, easy-to-follow steps and screenshots to carry out each task

In Detail

XenApp is the leader in application hosting and virtualization delivery, allowing users from different platforms such Windows, Mac, Linux, and mobile devices to connect to their business applications. Using XenApp, you can deploy secure applications quickly to thousands of users.

XenApp 6.5 brings with it exciting new features such as a brand new management console, Instant App access, Multi-stream ICA, Single Sign-on and SmartAuditor enhancements, and more.

Getting Started with Citrix XenApp 6.5 provides comprehensive details on how to design, implement, and maintain Citrix farms based on XenApp 6.5. Additionally, you will learn to use management tools and scripts for daily tasks such as managing servers, published resources, printers, and connections.

Getting Started with Citrix XenApp 6.5 starts by introducing the basics and new features of the brand new version such as installing servers and configuring components, and then teaches you how to publish applications and resources on the client device before moving on to configuring content redirection.

Author Guillermo Musumeci includes a use case throughout the book to explain advanced topics like creating management scripts and deploying and optimizing XenApp for Citrix XenServer, VMware ESX, and Microsoft Hyper-V virtual machines. It will guide you through an unattended installation of XenApp and components on physical servers.

By the end of this book you will have enough knowledge to successfully design and manage your own XenApp 6.5 Farms.

Table of contents

  1. Getting Started with Citrix XenApp 6.5
    1. Table of Contents
    2. Getting Started with Citrix XenApp 6.5
    3. Credits
    4. About the Author
    5. Acknowledgement
    6. About the Reviewers
    7. Acknowledgement
    8. www.PacktPub.com
      1. Support files, eBooks, discount offers and more
        1. Why Subscribe?
        2. Free Access for Packt account holders
        3. Instant Updates on New Packt Books
    9. Preface
      1. What this book covers
      2. What you need for this book
      3. Who this book is for
      4. Conventions
      5. Reader feedback
      6. Customer support
        1. Downloading the example code
        2. Errata
        3. Piracy
        4. Questions
    10. 1. Getting Started with Citrix XenApp 6.5
      1. Introducing XenApp 6.5
      2. XenApp feature overview
      3. System requirements
        1. Data store databases
        2. Citrix AppCenter console
        3. License server
        4. Clients
      4. Summary
    11. 2. Designing a XenApp 6.5 Farm
      1. Case study: Brick Unit Constructions
      2. Farm terminology and concepts
        1. Infrastructure servers
          1. Virtualization infrastructure
          2. Access Infrastructure
      3. Designing a basic XenApp architecture
      4. The pilot plan
        1. Designing Active Directory integration
        2. Building a small test farm
        3. Creating a list of applications to publish in our XenApp farm
        4. Testing the list of applications
          1. Microsoft Office applications
          2. Java
      5. Summary
    12. 3. Installing XenApp 6.5
      1. Installing and configuring XenApp 6.5
      2. Configuring Windows components
        1. Configuring Windows Firewall
        2. Configure IE ESC (Enhanced Security Configuration)
      3. Installing XenApp using the Wizard-Based Server Role Manager
      4. Installing License Server and Web Interface roles in server BRICKXA65-01
      5. Configuring Citrix License Server
      6. Installing Citrix Licenses
      7. Configuring XenApp Using the Wizard-based Server Configuration Tool
        1. Configuring the first XenApp server of the farm
        2. Installing Data Stores
          1. Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Express Database Server
          2. Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Database Server
          3. Oracle Database Server
          4. Configuring XenApp
        3. Installing and configuring XenApp 6.5 on BRICKXA65-03
      8. Configuring Citrix Web Interface server
        1. Creating a XenApp Web Site
        2. Creating a XenApp Services Site
      9. Configure Remote Desktop Licenses
        1. Configuring Remote Desktop licensing mode by using Group Policy
      10. Managing XenApp Farms
      11. Summary
    13. 4. Advanced XenApp Deployment
      1. Unattended install of XenApp 6.5
        1. Unattended install of XenApp Components
      2. Customizing Citrix Web Interface Server
        1. Changing the header section color
        2. Changing the header Citrix logo
        3. Changing horizontal page upper section color
        4. Changing the product name image
        5. Changing devices image
        6. Changing horizontal page lower section color
        7. Changing the tagline text
        8. Changing the footer Citrix logo
        9. Changing the HDX logo
        10. Changing the Footer section
      3. Summary
    14. 5. Using Management Tools
      1. Management Consoles
        1. Citrix AppCenter Console
        2. License Administration Console
        3. Citrix Web Interface Management Console
      2. Other Administration Tools
        1. Citrix SSL Relay Configuration Tool
        2. Shadow Taskbar
        3. SpeedScreen Latency Reduction Manager
      3. Managing Citrix Administrators
        1. Adding a Citrix administrator
        2. Disabling a Citrix administrator
        3. Modifying Administrator properties
      4. Summary
    15. 6. Application Publishing
      1. Publishing applications
        1. Choosing the best method to deliver applications
        2. Publishing a hosted application using the Publish Application wizard
        3. Publishing a streaming application using the Publish Application wizard
        4. Publishing content using the Publish Application wizard
        5. Publishing a server desktop using the Publish Application wizard
        6. Configuring content redirection
          1. Enabling content redirection from server to client
          2. Configuring content redirection from client to server
        7. Associating published applications with file types
        8. Updating file type associations
        9. Enabling or disabling content redirection
      2. Summary
    16. 7. Application Streaming
      1. Application streaming
      2. System requirements for application streaming
      3. Components for application streaming
      4. Choosing which plug-in to use for application streaming
      5. Profiling Microsoft Office 2010
        1. Installing a profiler workstation
        2. Customizing the Office 2010 installation
        3. Profiling Microsoft Office 2010
        4. Publishing Office 2010 on the farm
        5. Specifying trusted servers for streamed services and profiles
      6. Summary
    17. 8. Managing XenApp Policies
      1. Understanding XenApp policies
        1. Working with XenApp policies
        2. Best practices for creating XenApp policies
        3. Guidelines for working with policies
      2. Working with management consoles
        1. Using the Group Policy Management Console
        2. Using the AppCenter Console
        3. Using the Local Group Policy Editor
      3. Creating XenApp policies
        1. Creating a policy using consoles
      4. Applying policies to sessions
        1. Unfiltered policies
        2. Using multiple policies
      5. Using Citrix policies templates
        1. Creating a new Citrix Policy template
        2. Importing and exporting policy templates
      6. Using Worker Groups to assign policies
        1. Creating Worker Groups
      7. Troubleshooting policies
        1. Using the Citrix Policy Modeling Wizard
        2. Simulating connection scenarios with XenApp policies
        3. Citrix settings precedence over Windows settings
        4. Searching policies and settings
        5. Importing and migrating existing policies
      8. Summary
    18. 9. Printing in XenApp Environments
      1. Windows printing concepts
        1. Print job spooling
      2. Printing on Citrix XenApp
        1. Printing pathway
        2. Client local printing
        3. Client network printing
        4. Server network printing
        5. Assigning network printers to users
          1. Adding session printers settings to a Citrix policy
          2. Setting a default printer for a session
          3. Modifying settings of session printers
        6. Server local printers
          1. Configuring server local printers
      3. Managing printer drivers
        1. Controlling printer driver automatic installation
          1. Modifying the printer driver compatibility list
        2. Replicating print drivers in XenApp
      4. Using the Citrix Universal Printer
        1. Setting up an auto-create generic universal printer
        2. Setting up universal driver preference
        3. Configuring the Universal printer driver usage on sessions
        4. Setting up universal printing preview preference
        5. Universal printing EMF processing mode
        6. Universal printing image compression limit
        7. Universal printing optimization defaults
        8. Universal printing print quality limit
        9. Changing the default settings on the Universal Printer
      5. Implementing Printers
        1. Auto-creation
          1. Auto-creating client machine printers
          2. Auto-creating network printers
        2. Configuring printer auto-creation settings
        3. Configuring legacy client printer support
        4. User provisioning
        5. Publishing the Windows Add Printer wizard
        6. Publishing the ICA Client Printer Configuration tool
        7. Storing users' printer properties
        8. General locations of printing preferences
      6. Printing for mobile users
        1. Smooth Roaming
        2. Proximity printing
        3. Configuring printers for mobile users
        4. Improving printing performance
          1. Limit printing bandwidth
      7. Third-party printing solutions
      8. Summary
    19. 10. Multimedia Content in XenApp
      1. Description of Citrix HDX technologies
      2. Using HDX 3D technologies to improve image display
        1. Using HDX 3D Image Acceleration to reduce bandwidth
        2. Using HDX 3D Progressive Display to improve the display of images
        3. Reducing CPU usage by moving processing to GPU
      3. Using HDX Broadcast Display settings
      4. Using HDX MediaStream Multimedia Acceleration
        1. Using Citrix policies to configure multimedia settings (HDX MediaStream)
        2. Configuring echo cancellation
      5. Using HDX MediaStream for Flash to optimize Flash content
        1. System requirements for HDX MediaStream for Flash
        2. Enabling HDX MediaStream at server side
        3. Configuring HDX MediaStream for Flash settings
        4. Setting up Flash Acceleration
        5. Setting up Flash background color list
        6. Setting up Flash backwards compatibility
        7. Enable Flash event logging
        8. Setting up Flash intelligent fallback
        9. Setting up Flash latency threshold
        10. Setting up Flash server-side content fetching URL list
        11. Setting up Flash URL Blacklist
        12. Setting up Flash URL compatibility list
        13. Configuring HDX MediaStream for Flash on the client machine
        14. Install/uninstall HDX MediaStream for Flash
      6. Configuring audio using policies
        1. Enabling Audio Plug N Play
        2. Setting up audio quality
        3. Setting up Client audio redirection
        4. Setting up Client microphone redirection
      7. Bandwidth policy settings
        1. Setting up Audio redirection bandwidth limit
        2. Setting up Audio redirection bandwidth limit percent
        3. Setting up HDX MediaStream Multimedia Acceleration bandwidth limit
        4. Setting up HDX MediaStream Multimedia Acceleration bandwidth limit percent
      8. Configuring audio for user sessions
      9. HDX Experience Monitor for XenApp
      10. Summary
    20. 11. Managing Sessions
      1. Understanding sessions
      2. Monitoring XenApp sessions
      3. Managing XenApp sessions
        1. Disconnecting, resetting, and logging off sessions
        2. Terminating processes in a user session
        3. Sending messages to users
      4. Viewing XenApp sessions
        1. Viewing sessions using the Shadow Taskbar
          1. Starting the Shadow Taskbar
          2. Initiating shadowing
          3. Ending a shadowing session
        2. Enabling logging for shadowing
        3. Enabling user-to-user shadowing
          1. Creating a shadowing policy
      5. Maintaining session activity
        1. Configuring Session Reliability
        2. Configuring automatic client reconnection
        3. Configuring ICA Keep-Alive
      6. Customizing user environments in XenApp
        1. Controlling the appearance of user logons
        2. Controlling access to devices and ports
        3. Mapping drives
        4. Redirecting COM ports and audio
      7. Limiting concurrent connections
        1. Limiting the number of sessions per server
        2. Limiting application instances
        3. Logging connection denial events
        4. Sharing sessions and connections
        5. Preventing user connections during farm maintenance
      8. Optimizing user sessions for XenApp
        1. Mouse click feedback
        2. Local text echo
        3. Configuring SpeedScreen Latency Reduction
      9. Redirection of Local Special Folders in sessions
        1. Enabling Special Folder Redirection in the Web Interface
        2. Enabling Special Folder Redirection for the Citrix Receiver or Citrix Online Plug-In
        3. Using Group Policy to redirect Special Folders
      10. Summary
    21. 12. Scripting Programming
      1. MFCOM and PowerShell
      2. Installing XenApp Commands on XenApp Servers
        1. Installing Citrix XenApp 6.5 PowerShell SDK
        2. Installing PowerShell XenApp Commands
      3. Using PowerShell for basic administrative tasks
        1. Installing Citrix XenApp Commands snap-in
        2. Using PowerShell for farm management
      4. Using PowerShell Commands from .NET applications
        1. Creating a sample VB.NET application
          1. Adding references
          2. Creating and opening a runspace
          3. Running a cmdlet
          4. Displaying results
          5. Passing parameters to cmdlets
        2. Creating a sample C#.NET application
          1. Adding references
          2. Creating and opening a runspace
          3. Running a cmdlet
          4. Displaying results
          5. Passing parameters to cmdlets
      5. Using MFCOM on XenApp
      6. Convert MFCOM scripts to PowerShell
      7. Summary
    22. 13. Receiver and Plug-Ins Management
      1. Introduction to Citrix Receiver
        1. Citrix Receiver features
        2. Citrix Receiver Plug-In compatibility
        3. Citrix Receiver system requirements and compatibility
          1. Citrix Receiver for Windows
          2. Citrix Receiver for Macintosh
      2. Setting up Citrix Merchandising Server 2.2
        1. Installing Merchandising Server software
        2. Merchandising Server System requirements
        3. Importing the virtual appliance into VMware vSphere
        4. Importing the virtual appliance into Citrix XenServer
        5. Setting up Merchandising Server
        6. Configuring administrator users
        7. Installing Plug-Ins
        8. Creating recipient rules
        9. Creating deliveries
        10. Configuring SSL certificates
        11. Creating a self-signed SSL certificate
        12. Creating a Certificate Signing Request
        13. Importing SSL certificates
        14. Creating a signing request for Microsoft certificate services
        15. Installing SSL certificates on client machines
      3. Installing Citrix Receiver
        1. Deploying Citrix Receiver for internal users with administrative rights
        2. Installing Citrix Receiver for Windows
        3. Installing Citrix Receiver on XenApp servers
        4. Installing Citrix Receiver for Macintosh
        5. Deploying Citrix Receiver for internal Windows users without administrative rights
      4. Summary
    23. 14. Virtualizing XenApp Farms
      1. Deploying XenApp 6.5 in a virtualized environment
        1. Virtual machine performance and host scalability
      2. Choosing the right virtualization platform
      3. Deploying XenApp 6.5 on Citrix XenServer
        1. Creating a new XenApp 6.5 VM in XenServer
      4. Deploying XenApp 6.5 on Microsoft Hyper-V
        1. Creating a new XenApp 6.5 VM in Hyper-V
      5. Deploying XenApp 6.5 on VMware vSphere
        1. Creating a new XenApp 6.5 VM in VMware vSphere
      6. Virtual machines optimizations
      7. Cloning XenApp 6.5 virtual machines
      8. Summary
    24. Index

Product information

  • Title: Getting Started with Citrix XenApp 6.5
  • Author(s): Guillermo Musumeci
  • Release date: July 2012
  • Publisher(s): Packt Publishing
  • ISBN: 9781849686662