1. Project Avalon Excalibur Kimberly Ferrie – Worldwide Support Readiness
April 9, 2013
Directions for Setting this File Up as a Template
(For these directions a template is defined as: a PowerPoint file that has the file extension .potx. When double clicked on it makes a COPY of itself leaving the original untouched. It also can be set up as an automatic template choice when opening a new file. The purpose of a template is to give you a fully functional PowerPoint presentation with the correct look and feel.)
To set up a template as a choice when creating a new presentation:
Open the file named: SymmTemplateFinal.potx
Save As/Save As Type/PowerPoint Template (note that the destination folder automatically changes to Templates and this is where you want the template to reside)
Click SAVE
Now when you open a new presentation: New/My Templates + click OK
Notice that the title is just “Presentation X” and you simply save (no need to Save As). It will automatically save as .pptx (PowerPoint file) Select a filename you will remember, otherwise PPT will pick the presenter’s name on the title slide to be the filename.
On subsequent “New” openings, this template will be offered automatically in the “Blank and Recent” dialog box.
You may also choose to save this template to your desktop or to a folder, so that all you have to do is double click and it opens a copy of itself.
Save As/Save As Type/PowerPoint Template (note that the destination folder automatically changes to Templates so overwrite this with your choice of destination)
Double click on the icon to get a copy of the template..
Just save. It will automatically save as .pptx (PowerPoint file)

2. Agenda Project Avalon Overview What’s new? Architecture
Installation and configuration
Application support
Migration
Supportability

3. Project Avalon
XenDesktop 7

4. Project Avalon Announced at Synergy San Francisco 2012 Two releases
Windows for the mobile-cloud era
Windows-as-a-Service
Windows applications or desktops as a cloud service
Two releases
Excalibur
RTW – June 12, 2013
Simplicity and mobility
Unified architecture for XenApp and XenDesktop
Merlin
Automation and cloud
Self service
Avalon:
Project Avalon delivers on the industry’s need for the next phase in cloud services – transforming any Windows application or desktop into a cloud service that can be seamlessly delivered across any network, to any device.  Project Avalon enables those using private cloud solutions to create the following scenarios currently enjoyed via public cloud offerings today.
Excalibur:
The Excalibur release is “all about simplicity and mobility”, said Templeton, and sports a number of technical features to help it achieve that goal, including FlexCast 2.0 desktop virtualisation and performance management offering EdgeSight.
Merlin:
This version of Avalon will run on CloudStack, Citrix’s open source framework, and will allow the functions of Excalibur to be automated and operate on a self service basis.

5. Excalibur
Overview

6. What is Project Avalon – Excalibur?
1st release of Avalon
A single delivery infrastructure for delivering applications & desktop
Unified components
Citrix Receiver. Receiver provides users with self-service access to resources published on
XenApp or XenDesktop servers. Receiver combines ease of deployment and use, and offers
quick, secure access to hosted applications, desktops, and data. Receiver also provides ondemand access to Windows, Web, and Software as a Service (SaaS) applications.
 Citrix StoreFront. StoreFront authenticates users to Excalibur sites and manages stores of
desktops and applications that users access using Citrix Receiver.
 Citrix Studio. Studio enables you to configure and manage your XenDesktop deployment. Studio
provides various wizards to guide you through the process of setting up your environment,
creating your desktops, and assigning desktops to users.
 Delivery Controller. The Delivery Controller is responsible for distributing applications and
desktops, managing user access, and optimizing connections to applications. Each site has one
or more delivery controllers.
 Server OS Machines. VMs or physical machines based on Windows Server operating system
used for delivering applications or hosted shared desktops to users.
 Desktop OS Machines. VMs or physical machines based on Windows Desktop operating system
used for delivering personalized desktops to users or applications from desktop operating
systems.
 Virtual Delivery Agent. The Virtual Delivery Agent has to be installed on the virtual or physical
machines (server or desktop OS’es) to which your users will be connecting for applications and
desktops. It enables the machines to register with the Delivery Controllers and manages the HDX
connection between the machines and Citrix Receiver.

7. Excalibur Overview: In a word…SimplificationOS
Preferences
Apps
Data
FlexCast management unification
Predictive global monitoring
Intelligent
configuration
Personalization layer controls
Extend next-generation platforms
VDI and RDS desktops and apps
Customizable delegated administration
Cloud Ready
User experience instrumentation
Predictive analytics
EdgeSight.next
Tools as a Service
Cloud Ready
SmartConfig wizards
Dynamic configuration testing and logging
Cloud Ready
Automate desktop creation:
-Storefront Svcs.
-Profile Mgmt.
-Folder Redirection
-ShareFile on-demand
-Personal vDisk
Cloud Ready
Windows Server 2012 / Windows 8
Cross platform
Any device
HDX vGPU
Cloud scale

8. Excalibur Customer BenefitsOS
Preferences
Apps
Data
FlexCast management unification
Predictive global monitoring
Intelligent
configuration
Personalization layer controls
Extend next-generation platforms
Unified apps and desktops
Dramatic simplification
Strict regulatory enforcement
Reduced infrastructure and administrative costs
Assure SLA performance and availability through predictive data analysis
Close support tickets with minimal escalations
Allows Citrix to analyze customer deployments for proactive support
Speed deployment time
Eliminate mis-configuration for improved performance, availability and security
Export configuration logs for compliance and Data Center Automation Tools
Enables cloud-scale automation
Dramatic simplification of personalized desktop deployment
Get the immediate benefit of powerful FlexCast layering technology
Permits cloud-scale automation
Flexible migration across multiple Server and Desktops OS
Access new apps and desktops from any device
Improved server density through new HDX optimizations

9. Major new features Delegated Administration RemotePC v2
Configuration Logging
RemotePC v2
Publishing
Applications
Local App
Access
These are just a few of the new notable features in this release

10. XenDesktop 7 on “Avalon”
XenDesktop Roadmap
With an On-ramp for XenApp
Version Upgrade
XenDesktop 7 on “Avalon”
Theme: “XA feature parity”
+App Orchestration
+TaaS
“Merging Lane”
2014
XenDesktop 5.6
Excalibur
XenDesktop 7
Merlin
XenDesktop 7.x
“Avalon .3”
“Avalon .4”
Avalon
XenApp 6.5 FP3
XenApp 6.5
XenApp 6.5 FP2
End Mainstream Maintenance Feb 2016
(+ 6 months)
XenDesktop 7 is the first release as part of Project Avalon.

11. XenDesktop 7 Editions Platinum Edition App Edition Enterprise Edition
VDI Edition
Single FlexCast type
4 Editions
RDS / VMHA Only
Full FlexCast
Full FlexCast + Cloud

12. Platinum update: App Expansion
Exclusive features
HDX LocalApp
AppDNA
Special offers
XenPlayer promo for Platinum (under consideration for XenPlayer TG3)
Transition Windows PwM & SmartAuditor users
(GTM with Citrix Ready partners)
Improvements
EdgeSight
Built-in, easy to use
SmartAccess
OPSWAT (endpoint analysis standard)
CloudBridge VPX – new WAN Op enhancements, “Avalon-ready”
Exact details being work

13. XenDesktop 7 Feature Matrix
Platinum
Enterprise
Apps
VDI
EVAL (time bomb)
FlexCast
Dktps/apps, Remote PC, XC
RDS only dktp/apps, VMHA
VDI only
VDI/RDS only dktp/apps, Remote PC
Advanced Troubleshooting (Director)
Automated Provisioning (MCS)
Enterprise App Store (StoreFront)
Any Device (Receiver)
Personal App Layering (PvD)
N/A to RDS
Profile Management (UPM)
Custom Delegated Admin/Config Log
No custom D/A -
Mobile Device Experience (Mobility Pack)
3D graphics (HDX3D/Pro)
VoIP Optimization (Lync/VoIP SDK)
Advanced Image Management (PVS)
(also for XA IMA use)
Local App Integration (HDX LocalApp)
EdgeSight Network Inspector
EdgeSight Performance Management
WanOp / QoS Management
Additional product rights
XD/XA Platinum
XD/XA Enterprise
XA Enterprise
XD VDI
N/A
PLAT & ENT FlexCast includes; Server-hosted desktops and apps, Desktops-hosted desktops (VDI) and apps (VMHA), RemotePC, XenClient
APPS edition includes server-hosted desktops and apps only.
VDI edition includes desktop-based VDI’s only
Blue = EULA enforced

14. App Edition Citrix Studio replaces Delivery Services Console
No IMA data store
SQL Server database stores configuration and session information
MS Access and Oracle not supported
Terminal Services (RDS) no longer required on servers running the controller
No more zone master
High availability needs to be considered
Delegated Administration
No Shadow Taskbar
Sites replace Farms
Click
In Excalibur, you use Studio to
configure your environments and provide users with access to applications and
desktops.
No IMA data
-Excalibur does not use the IMA data store as the central database…it uses a Microsoft
SQL Server database as the data store for both configuration and session information.
This means:
• Database requirements are different: Microsoft Access and Oracle are no longer
supported databases.
Terminal Services (Remote Desktop Services) is no longer required on servers
running the controller.
• There is no dedicated zone master. In XenApp, there is a zone master or data
collector responsible for user connection requests and communication with
hypervisors. In this release, this function is distributed evenly across all
controllers in the site.
• If you require high availability or disaster recovery for Microsoft SQL Server you
can configure clustering or mirroring,
In XenApp, you can create custom administrators and
assign them permissions based on folders and objects. In this release, you can
create custom administrators whose permissions are based on role and scope pairs.
A role represents a job function and has defined permissions associated with it. A
scope represents a collection of objects. You use scope to group objects in a way
that is relevant to your organization (for example, the set of desktop groups used by
the Sales team). This release also offers several built-in administrator roles (other
than the full administrator role), such as help desk, applications, hosting, and
catalog. Each of these built-in roles includes specific management permissions.

15. XenApp features that are not available
Why was it removed?
What can I do?
Single global XenApp farm support
Trending away from one big farm
Merlin for multi-site/farm mgmt
Local host cache
Not an enterprise best practice for HA
Use SQL Server HA configuration
SmartAuditor
Customer req’ts beyond our capabilities
GTM with partner, build a “switch kit”
XenApp-ICA Shadowing
Feature missing in XA6.5 Director
Use MS Remote Assistance – works well
Application Streaming
Low adoption, significant cost to update
App-V is the industry leader and we provide excellent integration
Web Interface
StoreFront is the strategic direction and has improved dramatically
Transition to StoreFront, now supports multiple versions and has near-parity with WI
Web SSO
CloudGateway functionality
Transition to CloudGateway
Oracle DB support
Customers use multiple DB HA solutions; MS SQL is common
Use MS SQL
**This slide is best consumed by students that have existing XenApp knowledge.**

16. Notable changes in XenDesktop
Quick deploy
Virtual Desktop Agent
Delivery
Web Interface
**This slide is best consumed by students that have existing XenDesktop knowledge.**
The acronym VDA has been changed from Virtual Desktop Agent to Virtual Delivery Agent. The VDA is the piece of software that is installed on the physical or virtual system that users will connect to. The change was made to reflect the fact that we can now deliver desktops and applications from VDAs with both desktop and server operating systems.
The Quick Deploy option has been removed. Quick deploy was an initial setup wizard that was run through the Citrix Studio console and did everything required to bring up an environment with provisioned desktops within a few minutes. The problem was that all components needed to be installed on the same system and there were limited configuration options so it wasn’t often used.
Storefront is now the official standard platform for accessing resources in a XenDesktop environment. It replaces Web Interface which will be end-of-life by Using Web Interface with this release is not supported.
There are no longer any device drivers on the controller. Previously there was a driver for diagnostic tracing; however, this code has been moved to user space. Now when upgrading from a previous version a reboot is not required. In addition, this improves system stability.
Storefront
Controller

17. XenDesktop core components
Virtual Delivery Agents
Dynamic and Static Site Details
Database
Connection to Desktops and Apps
Controller
User
Enumeration of Resources
This diagram represents the core XenDesktop components at a high-level.
Further details, including requirements and high-availability, the connection process, administration, etc. will be discussed later on.
Storefront

18. Typical deployment
if you already have experience with a XenDesktop or XenApp environment, it will be helpful to you to identify the components introduced in this release and learn how they work and communicate with each other.
Under the new architecture, XenDesktop and XenApp are unified, including management and delivery components, to give administrators a unified management experience.
This figure shows the key components in a typical deployment.

19. What’s new? The breakdown… FlexCast Management Architecture (FMA)
Must be in a domain to deploy a site
IE: to install the servers, your account must have local administrator privileges
Be Domain Administrator in the Active Directory.Machine
Catalog Desktop and Applications
Desktops
Applications
Graphics and 3D Pro
HDX 3D Pro
Server-rendered Rich Graphics and Video
Improved Flash Redirection
Desktops — Deliver managed desktops to multiple, simultaneously connected remote users.
Server OS Machine and Desktop OS Machine desktops provide features such as session reliability, and Desktop Viewer.
This release introduces Windows Server OS Machine catalogs and desktops
This release also provides Remote PC desktops that let users access resources on their office PCs remotely, from any device running Citrix Receiver.
Applications — Integrate XenApp publishing capabilities within a deployment.
Delivers shared hosted applications to multiple, simultaneously-connected remote users.

20. What’s new? (cont…) HDX enhancements Configuration Logging
Windows Server 2012 and Windows 8 support
Desktop composition redirection
Windows Media client-side content fetching
Multicast support
Real-time multimedia transcoding
UDP audio for Windows Server Machines
Webcam video compression
Configuration Logging
New Installer
Director
Windows Server 2012 and Windows 8 support —
Desktop Composition Redirection — Extends the Aero Redirection feature introduced in XenDesktop 5.5 to provide users with a more fluid desktop experience by leveragin the GPU on supported Windows clients.
This feature delivers rich multimedia applications to clients, while maintaining high scalability on the server.
Windows Media client-side content fetching — Enables a client device to stream multimedia files directly from the source provider on the Internet or Intranet. This of course greatly improves network utilization and server scalability.
Multicast support — Reduce bandwidth consumption when streaming live video to branch offices.
Multicast support enables a single Windows Media source transmission to support multiple users.
Real-time multimedia transcoding — Enable audio and video streaming to mobile devices, improving the way that Windows Media content is delivered. To improve server scalability, if the Virtual Delivery Agent has a supported graphics processing unit (GPU) for hardware acceleration, transcoding is done in the GPU.
User Datagram Protocol (UDP) audio for Windows Server Machines — Extends support for audio delivery over UDP/RTP to Server OS Machines.
This feature delivers superior audio quality for real-time apps like video conferencing and streaming media
Webcam video compression — Reduces bandwidth consumption to improve performance when using supported video conferencing applications.
Click
Configuration Logging — Capture Site configuration changes and administrative activities to a Configuration Logging Database.
You can view the log in Studio using a variety of filters and generate HTML and CSV reports.
New installer — Use a single installer to guide you through installing the core components (Delivery Controller, Studio, Director, StoreFront, and License Server) and Virtual Delivery Agents.
Director — Monitor and troubleshoot deployments using Director's redesigned user interface and integrated EdgeSight functionality

21. What’s new? (cont…) Delegated administration
StoreFront (replaces Web Interface)
Delivery Controller auto-update
IPv6 support
Personal vDisk
MCS support for KMS activation
Support for group policies created with Citrix Mobility Pack
Remote PC Access
Support for Fast User Switching using RDP connections
Delegated Administration — Group objects into administrative scopes. This feature provides an enterprise-class administration model with role-based access control, custom roles with configurable permissions, and fine-grained, object-based control.
StoreFront replaces Web Interface — Create centralized enterprise stores to deliver desktops, applications, and other resources to users on any device. The feature provides authentication and resource delivery services for Citrix Receiver.
Delivery Controller auto-update — Automatically notify Virtual Delivery Agents (VDAs) when Controllers are added to and removed from the Site. This feature helps prevent VDA rejection of sessions that are launched by unknown Controllers, and VDA startup delays or errors caused by invalid Controller information.
IPv6 support — Connect to clients and core components on IPv4, IPv6, or dual-stack (IPv4/IPv6) environments.
Personal vDisk — Personalize your virtual desktops. In addition, a dedicated storage disk is created, before logon, so that users can store their data on the desktop, including any applications they install.
Machine Creation Services (MCS) support for Microsoft Key Management System (KMS) activation — Each virtual machine (VM) created with MCS provides a unique activation for the Windows operating system and Office 2010, which enables the KMS system to record each VM as a separate machine.
Support for group policies configured in Citrix Mobility Pack — These policies for Citrix Receiver for mobile devices include Start menu redirection and removing common programs from the Start menu.
Remote PC Access 
Support for Fast User Switching using RDP connections — This Microsoft Windows feature makes it possible for multiple users to share a desktop without closing programs or logging off existing users

22. Retired features Shadowing Smart Auditor Application streaming
MS Remote Assistance via Director is available
Smart Auditor
Observe-IT
Application streaming
App-V
SCOM 2007 management packs
Smart Auditor: With Excalibur, development for Smart Auditor has been dropped. Customers with monitoring and auditing requirements should use a Citrix Ready partner like Observe-IT, which is a Citrix-Ready validated product offering session recording and playback capability. Observe-IR also supports VDI session recording, granular search (including keyword search), and integrates with 3rd party SIEM (Security Information and Event Management).
Application Streaming: App-V is the preferred application virtualization technology in Excalibur because Citrix Application Streaming is not supported on Windows 8 or Server Excalibur integrates with the App-V 5.0 publishing system, allowing administrators to publish applications from App-V through Excalibur workers direct to end-users.
SCOM 2007 Management Packs: The Citrix Management Pack for System Center Operations Manager 2007 is not supported with Excalibur. Customers wishing to monitor their environment with System Center should evaluate the full suite of Citrix management packs available from ComTrade.

23. Missing features Provisioning Services Trust XML requests
set-BrokerSite -TrustRequestsSentToTheXmlServicePort $true
XA connector for SCCM
Application folders
Session Pre-Launch
Session Linger
SSO
HMR
Custom ICA files
PVS:
Unlike Machine Creation Services, Provisioning Services has not been integrated into Excalibur. Target devices must still be created, deleted and configured within the Provisioning Services console.
Trust XML Requests: Unlike XenApp 6.5, there is no checkbox in Excalibur to trust XML Requests. Instead, the following PowerShell command should be executed: set-BrokerSite -TrustRequestsSentToTheXmlServicePort $true.
XenApp Connector for Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM): The XenApp Connector is not supported with Excalibur. This includes using Systems Center to automate application and server updates.
Application Folders: XenApp 6.5 allows administrators to organize applications in folders.
In Excalibur, Delivery Groups supersede the concept of Application Folders.
Session Pre-Launch: Starts up a pre-defined application on the server at a specific event (either the user has logged in to Receiver, or at a scheduled time). Session pre-launch is not available in Excalibur.
 Session Linger: Session Linger is not available in Excalibur.
Citrix Password Manager (SSO): Citrix Password Manager is supported on Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows 7, XP and Vista. Password Manager for Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012 is not available at this time.
Health Monitoring & Recovery (HMR): HMR us not available in Excalibur. However, Citrix Director offers a centralized view of system health by presenting monitoring and alerting information for core infrastructure components.
Note: It is not possible to generate alerts or SNAP traps based on Director alerts in Excalibur. This functionality is planned for the Merlin release.
Custom ICA files: Custom ICA files are used to enable direct connection from endpoint devices (with the ICA file) to a specific machine. In Excalibur, this feature is disabled by default, but can be enabled

24. XenDesktop 7 terminology

25. Terminology – Installation phase
Current Terms
Purpose
Delivery controller
A server-side component responsible for distributing desktops and applications to users, managing user access through policies, power managing desktops, and reboot cycles for servers.
Deprecated Terms: DDC, XD Broker, XA Controller, Data Collector, XML Broker, Legacy Broker (IMA), Flexcast Broker, XenDesktop Controller
Delivery agent
The software agent that is installed on the virtual or physical machine (RemotePC) and provides the virtual desktop or application to the user. It enables the machines to register with delivery controllers and manage the HDX connection between the machines and the user devices.
Deprecated terms: Virtual desktop agent
New features
The vast majority of changes to Desktop Studio for the Jasper release of XenDesktop involve providing an administrative interface to the new features provided by Jasper.

26. Terminology - Installation phase (cont...)
Current Terms
Purpose
Citrix Studio
Management console that allows administrators to create and manage infrastructure and resources to deliver desktops and applications.
Deprecated terms: Desktop Studio
Citrix Director
Monitoring console that provides detailed trend and diagnostic information on applications and desktops, and providing a detailed and intuitive overview of Excalibur environments. Support and helpdesk teams can use it to quickly identify and resolve problems affecting users. Administrators can monitor and troubleshoot at the system level with performance, session usage data and configuration changes.
Deprecated terms: Desktop Director
New features
The vast majority of changes to Desktop Studio for the Jasper release of XenDesktop involve providing an administrative interface to the new features provided by Jasper.

27. Terminology – Infrastructure configuration phase (cont…)
Current Terms
Purpose
Site
The core Excalibur environment consisting of the Delivery Controller and Database. The closest equivalent in a XenApp deployment is a Zone. Please note that there are some differences, and these should be called out for XenApp administrators.
Deprecated terms: Branch, Grid, Production Farm, Design Validation Farm, Pilot Farm
XenApp Web Site, XenApp Services Site, Zone
Connection
This term refers to the connection between the Delivery Controller and the provider of the resources, the resources are available through a XS Server pool, Hypervisor Management Server vCenter or SCVMM, or a cloud provider AWS or CloudStack
Deprecated terms: Virtualization Settings, Host, Host Connection
Resources
Compute (in case of vSphere or SCVMM), Storage and networking resources for hosting and delivering applications and desktops.
Deprecated terms: Virtualization Settings
This section covers the infrastructure components that are created and configured by the administrator after the software has been installed. The infrastructure elements include hypervisors, databases, storage, and user accounts.

28. Terminology – Infrastructure configuration phase (cont…)
Current Terms
Purpose
Database*
collective name for the three databases: Monitoring Database,
Configuration Logging Database,
Site Configuration Database
Stores all the configuration, session, logging, and monitoring information for a Site.
Deprecated terms: IMA Datastore (XA), FMA Database (XD), Default Database
Existing Database, Logging Database, Data Store, Site Database
Machine
Physical or virtual machine that’s used to deliver applications and desktops to the end user. It is the machine to which the user connects.
Deprecated terms: Session Host, Worker, Server, Workload Machine, Single-session Machines, Multi-session Machines, VDI Machine , RDS Machine,
Does Not Replace: Server, Virtual Machine, Physical Machine
This section covers the infrastructure components that are created and configured by the administrator after the software has been installed. The infrastructure elements include hypervisors, databases, storage, and user accounts.

29. Terminology – Resource configuration phase
Current Terms
Purpose
Master Image
This is an installed instance of server or desktop operating system, including all the applications installed, and the VDA (optional). The master image can be duplicated using a provisioning technology to create machines that can host applications and desktops to end users.
Deprecated Terms: Golden Image, Base Image, Master VM, Image
Does Not Replace: Operating System, Virtual Machine, Image, Template, Snapshot
Machine catalog
It is a collection of machines. These machines could have been created from the same master image; the provisioning technology and process must ensure that each machine has a unique identity (in Active Directory and on the Network.) The machine catalog can be used to create applications and desktop for users.
Deprecated terms: Assignment, Application Desktop Group, Assignments (Same as Desktop Groups), Pool, Collection, Desktop Catalog, Workload Catalog, Workload, Workload Group, Bundle, Service Offering, Service, Plan, Service Catalog, Silo, Application Silo, Distribution Group, User Group
This section covers the infrastructure components that are created and configured by the administrator after the software has been installed. The infrastructure elements include hypervisors, databases, storage, and user accounts.

30. Terminology – Resource configuration phase (cont…)
Current Terms
Purpose
Machine Creation Services
A service that runs on Delivery Controller and uses a master image to create a server or desktop machine(s) with a unique identity on the network and in Active Directory Acronym: MCS
Provisioning Services
A service that allows the administrator to create virtual or physical instances of desktop or server machines.
Acronym: PVS
Deprecated terms: Citrix Provisioning Service
Desktop
The instance of an operating system delivered to the end-user’s device and that the end-user interacts with.
Deprecated terms: Server (XA), Worker (XA), Machine (XD), Workload Machine, Session host
Does Not Replace: Operating System, Virtual Machine, Master Image
This section covers the infrastructure components that are created and configured by the administrator after the software has been installed. The infrastructure elements include hypervisors, databases, storage, and user accounts.

31. Terminology – Resource configuration phase (cont…)
Current Terms
Purpose
Machine
Any physical or virtual machine managed by Excalibur.
Deprecated terms: Session Host, Worker, Server, Workload Machine
Does Not Replace: Operating System, Virtual Machine or VM, Master Image
This section covers the infrastructure components that are created and configured by the administrator after the software has been installed. The infrastructure elements include hypervisors, databases, storage, and user accounts.

32. Terminology – Resource assignment phase
Current Terms
Purpose
Delivery group
The machine or machines used to deliver applications and/or desktops to a specific group of users.
Deprecated terms: Desktop Groups
Application
The instance of a software application that runs on the end user’s client device or virtual desktop.
*Use these terms only when there’s a special need to define the application’s delivery characteristics. Streamed Application, Hosted Application, Client-hosted Application
Policy
A feature for controlling connection, security, and bandwidth settings.
Deprecated terms: HDX Policy, Citrix Policy
This section covers the infrastructure components that are created and configured by the administrator after the software has been installed. The infrastructure elements include hypervisors, databases, storage, and user accounts.

33. Licensing
XenDesktop 7

34. Licensing models
Sales sells the CCU definition for both XenApp and XenDesktop
BUT…
XenDesktop licenses concurrency differently than XenApp !!!
A XenApp customer can connect to any number of apps from one endpoint, consuming one license (CCU)
A XenDesktop customer can connect to any number of desktops from one endpoint, but will consume that number of licenses! (CCD)

35. Bottom-line: Complicated and confusing
Where are we today?
With two “Concurrent” licensing models:
Customers don’t know why they are consuming more licenses than they expect
Customers then have to get more licenses and feel cheated
Citrix Sales teams unintentionally selling customers something they can’t have
Possible double charging for licenses when using XD and XA together
XA uses endpoint ID for license checkout while XD uses virtual desktop ID
Bottom-line: Complicated and confusing

36. Bottom-line: Simple and clear
Proposal
Move to single definition of “Concurrent” based on the XenApp model
One XenDesktop 7 “concurrent license” will allow unlimited connections to Apps and Desktops for that endpoint
80%+ of existing installed base understand this model
Simpler licensing model and easier for customers to understand
Simpler for Citrix to build, monitor and track with no double charging in product
User/Device licenses unchanged
No impact to Sales since we don’t actively sell on the difference in concurrency!
Make the product work to match how we sell it!
Bottom-line: Simple and clear

37. Licensing 11.11.1 What’s new? Citrix Simple License Service
Enables allocation and installation of license files on a license server using a web page interface
Connect with the Start menu shortcut or remotely with URL
Citrix Web Services for Licensing
Replaces the Citrix Licensing Configuration Service
IPv6 and IPv4
Supports pure IPv4, pure IPv6
Dual-stack deployments that use overlapping IPv4 and IPv6 networks
Citrix Simple License Service - Enables allocation and installation of license files on a license server using a web page interface. Connect to the Simple License Service locally with the Start menu shortcut or remotely with the Simple License Service URL.
Citrix Web Services for Licensing - Replaces the Citrix Licensing Configuration Service. The enhanced Citrix Web Services for Licensing provides similar functionality for newer product consoles, as well as additional functionality.
IPv6 and IPv4 - This release supports pure IPv4, pure IPv6, and dual-stack deployments that use overlapping IPv4 and IPv6 networks.

38. License server requirements
Operating Systems
Windows Server 2008 Family
Windows Server 2008 R2 Family
Windows Server 2012 Family
Windows 7, 32-bit and 64-bit editions
Windows 8, 32-bit and 64-bit editions
Disk Space
50 MB for the licensing components
2 GB for User/Device licensing
Microsoft .Net Framework
Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 is required.
Browsers
Internet Explorer Version 8 and 9 in compatibility mode
Mozilla Firefox Version 14.0 and 15.0
Chrome Version 14.0 and 15.0
Safari Version 5.1

39. Managing You can use Studio to manage and track licensing
Configuration node
Dashboard may be configured with a password
You must be a full license administrator to carry out the tasks

40. Known Issues - Windows
If Citrix Licensing is installed in a clustered environment and Windows Firewall is enabled (the default configuration for Windows 2008), connections can fail
At the end of installation, the "License Server Configuration" tool is presented. If you choose to cancel on this page, the license server does not start. You must reopen the License Server Configuration tool and finish the settings before the license server can start
During installation, localized characters in the installation path can cause the installation to fail
Accept the default installation path
When configuring the product-side setting for the license server name, do not use localhost.
You can use the host name, IP address, or FQDN…Citrix recommends you use the FQDN. 
If Citrix Licensing is installed in a clustered environment and Windows Firewall is enabled (the default configuration for Windows 2008), connections can fail. Connecting remotely to the console or checking out licenses works until failover occurs in the cluster. Exception rules for CITRIX.exe and lmadmin.exe are created during installation of Licensing and Simple License Service, but do not work after a cluster failover. To work around this issue, create exceptions for Licensing components on the Exceptions tab of the Windows Firewall panel. Create an exception for each of the following ports: Console Web Server port (default port is 8082); License Server Manager port (default port is 27000); Simple License Service port (default port is 8083); and Vendor Daemon port (default port is 7279). This issue occurs with Windows Server 2008 (32-bit and 64-bit) and Windows Server 2008 R2. For more information, seehttp://support.microsoft.com/kb/ [#232365]
At the end of installation, the "License Server Configuration" tool is presented. If you choose to cancel on this page, the license server does not start. You must reopen the License Server Configuration tool and finish the settings before the license server can start. You can open the tool from: C:\Program Files\Citrix\Licensing\LS\resource\LSPostConfigTool.exe. If the License Server Configuration tools fails for any reason, uninstall and reinstall the license server.
During installation, localized characters in the installation path can cause the installation to fail. Accept the default installation path or enter only ASCII alphabetic letter characters for the installation directory. [#229456]
When configuring the product-side setting for the license server name, do not use localhost. Though you can use the host name, IP address, or FQDN instead, Citrix recommends you use the FQDN. [#165986]
When you have the Citrix License Server installed and then install XenDesktop 5.6, the 30-day free trial license is the only license available to you. Workaround: Accept the trial license and complete the installation. Use Desktop Studio to change the product edition and license model settings after the installation. [#388512]

41. Known Issues – Simple License Service
When you start the Simple License Service from the Start menu shortcut, the Chrome browser might become unresponsive
Workaround: Type the Simple License Service URL directly into the Chrome browser
If the License Administration Console is disabled in your XenDesktop installation, only administrators can use the Simple License Service
Set-LicLACEnabledState PowerShell cmdlet, and then configure the users
If you configure the Simple License Service with a port that Firefox or Chrome blocks, you must add an exception to the browser settings
If you start the Simple License Service from the Start menu shortcut and you have the exception set, Chrome ignores it
The firewall rule is not removed if you uninstall the Simple License Service after uninstalling the License Server

42. Known Issues – License files
Certain license types are not covered by Subscription Advantage and appear in alerts in the Dashboard of the License Administration Console indicating that the Subscription Advantage date is expired
You can verify the status of any license for which you receive an alert by clicking the license on the Dashboard
License Files with multiple lines referencing HOSTNAME= are ignored by the license server
Licenses in these files cannot be checked out
Error messages include:
Event ID: 724 Description: (2196) Invalid license key.
Event ID: 764 (2196) Wrong hostid on SERVER line in license file.
License Administration Console displays: "…Error List Returned…Unknown Host."
CTX110909 

43. Architecture
XenDesktop 7

44. XenDesktop 7 architecture
High level

45. Components
 Under the new architecture, XenDesktop and XenApp application delivery are unified, including management and delivery components, to give administrators a unified management experience.
Director — Director is a web-based tool that enables IT support and help desk teams to monitor an environment, troubleshoot issues before they become system-critical, and perform support tasks for end users. You can also view and interact with a user's sessions using Microsoft Remote Assistance.
Receiver — Installed on user devices, Citrix Receiver provides users with quick, secure, self-service access to documents, applications, and desktops from any of the user's devices including smartphones, tablets, and PCs. Receiver provides on-demand access to Windows, Web, and Software as a Service (SaaS) applications.
StoreFront — StoreFront authenticates users to sites hosting resources and manages stores of desktops and applications that users access.
Studio — Studio is the management console that enables you to configure and manage your deployment, eliminating the need for separate management consoles for managing delivery of applications and desktops. Studio provides various wizards to guide you through the process of setting up your environment, creating your workloads to host applications and desktops, and assigning applications and desktops to users.
Delivery Controller — Installed on servers in the data center, the Delivery Controller consists of services that communicate with the hypervisor to distribute applications and desktops, authenticate and manage user access, and broker connections between 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. In some editions, the controller allows you to install Profile management to manage user personalization settings in virtualized or physical Windows environments. Each site has one or more delivery controllers.
XenServer — XenServer is an enterprise-class virtual machine infrastructure solution that creates the foundation for delivering virtual desktops and offers advanced management features. Multiple VMs can run on XenServer, which takes advantage of the advanced virtualization features of the latest virtualization-enabled processors from Intel and AMD. For more information about XenServer, see the XenServer documentation in eDocs.
Delivery Agent (VDA) — Installed on server or workstation operating systems, the VDA enables connections for desktops and apps. For Remote PC access, install the VDA on the office PC.
Machine Creation Services — A collection of services that work together to create virtual desktops from a master desktop image on demand, optimizing storage utilization and providing a pristine virtual desktop to users every time they log on.
Windows Server OS Machines — VMs or physical machines based on Windows Server operating system used for delivering applications or hosted shared desktops to users.
Desktop OS Machines — VMs or physical machines based on Windows Desktop operating system used for delivering personalized desktops to users, or applications from desktop operating systems.
Remote PC Access — User devices that are included on a whitelist, enabling users to access resources on their office PCs remotely, from any device running Citrix Receiver.
Additional components provide the following features:
Secure delivery — When users connect from outside the corporate firewall, this release can use Citrix NetScaler Gateway (formerly Access Gateway) technology to secure these connections with SSL. NetScaler Gateway or NetScaler VPX virtual appliance is an SSL VPN appliance that is deployed in the demilitarized zone (DMZ) to provide a single secure point of access through the corporate firewall.
WAN optimization — In deployments where virtual desktops are delivered to users at remote locations such as branch offices, Citrix NetScaler Cloudbridge (formerly Citrix Branch Repeater or WANScaler) technology can be employed to optimize performance. Repeaters accelerate performance across wide-area networks, so with Repeaters in the network, users in the branch office experience LAN-like performance over the WAN. NetScaler CloudBridge can prioritize different parts of the user experience so that, for example, the user experience does not degrade in the branch location when a large file or print job is sent over the network. HDX WAN Optimization with NetScaler CloudBridge provides tokenized compression and data deduplication, dramatically reducing bandwidth requirements and improving performance. For more information, see your Citrix NetScaler CloudBridge documentation.

46. StoreFront Included with install media
StoreFront server must reside in same AD forest as XD deployment
Multiple StoreFront servers recommended for high availability
More on this component later in the presentation…
Notice: The external load balancer for fail over between the servers to ensure users have uninterrupted access to their applications and desktops.

47. Unified components of XenDesktop 7
Receiver
StoreFront
replaces WI
Citrix Studio
replaces Desktop Studio/App Center
Delivery Controller (Broker)
Server OS Machines
Server Desktop Machines
Virtual Delivery Agent(s)

48. Components
Excalibur is comprised of several software components that work in tandem to deliver applications and desktops.
Some of these components are combined for better administration.
All components need to be installed and configured before Excalibur can be used.
Look at these up close…

49. Desktop components Here you see the….
Desktop Service – locates DDCs that are members of the service group that the virtual desktop is published from
PortICA – consists of all the services/drivers etc that implement the ICA remoting protocol stack
RDP Plug-in – part of the delivery agent package…notifies the desktop service of state changes etc…
Group Policy Processing (FullArmor support)
Machine Identity Agent -

50. Backend components
As illustrated in the diagram, back-end services communicate with each other via WCF-based web services…
rather than through the PowerShell SDK. 
{Need somewhere to link to in FMA Platform Architecture defining the rules for WCF interservice connecion?}
All XenDesktop backend components support deployment onto the Windows platform.
They can be deployed on machines that are not in an AD domain, but their runtime operation depends on the existence of an AD domain[1]. 
Let’s take a look at each of these ‘Common Services’

51. Hosted desktops and Apps

52. Planning a deployment
XenDesktop 7

53. System requirements Database:
Component
System details
Requirements
Delivery Controller
Supported OSes: Windows Server 2012, Windows Server 2008 R2 (Standard/Enterprise)
Disk space: 100 MB; Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 SP1; Microsoft .NET 4.0; Windows PoSH 2.0 or 3.0 ; ASP.NET 2.0 and Internet Information Services (IIS); Visual C SP1 Redistributable Package
Site database
Supported SQL Server: SQL Server 2012; SQL Server 2008 R2 SP1 (Express/Standard/Enterprise/Datacenter editions)
Studio
Supported OSes: Windows 8; Windows 7; Windows Server 2012; Windows Server 2008 R2
Disk space: 75 MB; Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 SP1; Microsoft Management Console 3.0; Windows PowerShell 2.0 or 3.0
Director
Disk space: 50 MB;Microsoft .NET Framework 4.0; Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS) and ASP.NET 2.0;
Browsers: Internet Explorer 8 and 9; Firefox 14 and 15
Database:
Databases are supported in standalone, clustered, and mirrored mode (except for the
Express Edition, which is supported in standalone mode only).

54. System requirements (cont…)
Component
System details
Requirements
Delivery Agent (DA)
Supported OSes: Windows Desktops (Windows 8, Windows 7 Enterprise/Professions Editions);
Windows Servers (Windows Server 2012, Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 Datacenter/Enterprise and Standard Editions)
Host
Supported hosts: XS 6.0.2; Vmware vSphere 5.0 (ESXi 5.0 and vCenter 5.0), VMWare vSphere 4.1 Update1; SCVMM 2012 Rollup 1
*Note: No support is provided for vSphere vCenter Linked Mode operation.
Database:
Databases are supported in standalone, clustered, and mirrored mode (except for the
Expr
Host
XenServer Check the Project Avalon Excalibur Technology Preview download
page for the latest information about compatibility with XenServer 6.1, including
details of any XenServer hotfixes.
w VMware vSphere 5.0 (ESXi 5.0 and vCenter 5.0) and VMware vSphere 4.1 Update 1.
No support is provided for vSphere vCenter Linked Mode operation. For vSphere
system requirements, see the VMware documentation.
w System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2012 Rollup 1. For System Center Virtual
Machine Manager system requirements, see the Microsoft documentationess Edition, which is supported in standalone mode only).

55. Simple Default Configuration
Note that this configuration forms a single point of failure for administration and
session brokering.

56. Distributed components configuration
You can distribute the components of your deployment among a greater number of
servers, or provide greater scalability and failover by increasing the number of Delivery
Controllers in your site. You can install the management consoles on separate

57. Security - Best Practices
Update security patches
Antivirus software
Firewalls
Manage user privileges
Managed vs Unmanaged User devices
Data storage
Click:
Keep all computers in your environment up to date with security patches. One
advantage of XenDesktop is that you can use thin clients as terminals, which simplifies
this task.
Click
Protect all computers in your environment with antivirus software.
Protect all computers in your environment with perimeter firewalls, including at
enclave boundaries as appropriate.
You should grant users only the capabilities they require. Microsoft Windows privileges
continue to be applied to desktops in the usual way: configure privileges through User
Rights Assignment and group memberships through Group Policy. One advantage of
XenDesktop is that it is possible to grant a user administrative rights to a desktop
without also granting physical control over the computer on which the desktop is stored.
Managed user devices
Managed user devices are under administrative control; they are either under your own
control, or the control of another organization that you trust. You may configure and
supply user devices directly to users; alternatively, you may provide terminals on which
a single desktop runs in full-screen-only mode (XenDesktop-ready thin clients). You
should follow the general security best practices described above for all managed user
devices. XenDesktop has the advantage that minimal software is required on a user
device.
A managed user device can be set up to be used in full-screen-only mode or in window
mode:
w If a user device is configured to be used in full-screen-only mode, users log on to it
with the usual Log On To Windows screen. The same user credentials are then used
to log on automatically to XenDesktop. If a user device is configured so that users see their desktop in a window, users first
log on to the user device, then log on to XenDesktop through the XenDesktop Web site supplied with XenDesktop.
Unmanaged user devices
User devices that are not managed and administered by a trusted organization cannot
be assumed to be under administrative control. For example, you might permit users to
obtain and configure their own devices, but users might not follow the general security
best practices described above. XenDesktop has the advantage that it is possible to
deliver desktops securely to unmanaged user devices. These devices should still have
basic antivirus protection that will defeat keylogger and similar input attacks.
Your desktop environment may consist of various types of desktops, such as pooled and
dedicated desktops. Users should never store data on desktops that are shared amongst users, such as
pooled desktops. If users store data on dedicated desktops, that data should be removed if the
desktop is later made available to other users.

59. Remote PC Access
Allows end user to log on remotely to physical Windows PC
VDA enables office PC to register with Delivery Controller
Manages HDX connection
Receiver provides access to all apps and data on office PC
Active Directory accounts required for users prior to configuration
More on this component later in the presentation…
If you modify AD after a machine has been added to a machine catalog, remote PC automatic administration does not reevaluate that assignment. You can manually reassign a machine to a different catalog, if needed.
If you move or delete Organizational Unit (OU) entries in AD, the OU entries used for remote PC access can become out of date. Virtual Delivery Agents (VDAs) might no longer be associated with the most appropriate machine catalog or Delivery Group, or with any machine catalog or Delivery Group.