Installing & Configure Citrix Virtual Apps & Desktops 7.12 on Windows Server 2016

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Install XenDesktop/XenApp 7.12 on Windows Server 2016 (Standard – Desktop Experience)

PreRequisites: 

  • Hypervisor (In this Lab Hosted on XenServer 7.0 (HF27))
  • 1 VM (DDC,Director,Studio, License Server)
  • 1 VM (StoreFront Server)
  • 1 VM (Master Image)
  • 1 VM (WorkLoad Server- Deployed via MCS)
  • Netscaler Configured with Netscaler Gateway Feature
  • SQL Server available for Citrix Database to be placed.

Installing XenDesktop Core Components:

Step 1: Download the Citrix 7.12 ISO from the Citrix Downloads (XenApp_and_XenDesktop_7_12.iso)

Step 2: Create Virtual Machine

  • Computername:           LAB-DDC1
  • Domain Name:               LAB.LOCAL (Windows 2016)
  • OS:                                    Windows Server 2016 Standard (Desktop Experience)
  • VM Settings:                  4GB RAM – 2 vCPU – 60 GB Harddisk
  • Other settings:             Allow RDP / XenServer tools applied, Attach XenApp_and_XenDesktop_7_12.iso

This Virtual Machine will have multi-role function: Delivery Controller, Citrix Studio, Directory ,License Server for the purpose of this Article/Lab.

NOTE: Storefront will be installed on a separate VM

Step 3: Open ISO Image (D:\ drive as per below)image4

Step 4: Click on the Start button, next to XenApp

image5

Step 5: Choose for the Get Started – Delivery Controller optionimage6

Step 6: Accept the terms and license agreement, click on Next

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Step 7:  Untick Storefront, as this will be installed on a separate Server. Click Nextimage8.png

Step 8: Untick Install Microsoft SQL Server 2014 SP2 Express (DB’s will be installed onto separate SQL Server image9.png

Step 9: Leave configuration at “Automatically”, Click Next

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Step 10: At Summary screen, confirm everything is correct, Click Installimage11

Step 11: Prerequisites and Components will now be installed.image12

Step 12: At Call Home, Select i do not want to participate in Call Homeimage13

Step 13: After Installation has finished. Click Finish which will Launch Studio

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Step 14:  Click on the — Deliver applications and desktops to your users — optionimage15

Step 15: Select a Fully Configured site and give it a name (my example is CTXLABSITE)
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Step 16: Select Create and set up databases from Studio , Add the SQL Server under Location
NOTE: To create database you must have sysadmin rights on the SQL database, so the account running the installation must have the rights or you must provide after clicking Next
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Step 17: Enter the SQL Server credentials to create the databases and
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Step 18: Leave as localhost:27000, but specify the License server if you separated this role, if you have a separate license file, click browse
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Step 19: Select the License File
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Step 20: Confirm license file successfully added to server
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Step 21: Select XenDesktop Platinum , User/Device Model. Click next
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Step 22: Add XenServer Hypervisor Host  , Select Studio tools for Create Virtual Machines
Type:                                    Citrix XenServer
Connection Address:      http://[hypervisor management ip]
Username:                          root (or admin user with root access)
Password:                           password for root
Connection Name:          LAB-XENHOST
image23
Step 23: Choose Use Storage local to Hypervisor, click Next
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Step 24: Select Local Storage on XenServer Host (CTXLAB-XENHOST), OS/Personal vDisk and Temporary all Tickedimage25
Step 25: Enter LabStorage as resource name, Ensure Network is ticked, Click nextimage26
Step 26: At additional feature, leave all untickedimage27
Step 27: At Summary Screen, Click Finishimage28
Citrix databases will be created.
image29
Step 24: Site has been setup correctly. A green tick will confirm
image30.png

Configuring XenDesktop 7.12 – Create Master Image

Step 1: Download the Citrix 7.12 ISO from the Citrix Downloads (XenApp_and_XenDesktop_7_12.iso)

Step 2: Create Virtual Machine

  • Computername:           LAB-W2K16-HSD-MST
  • Domain Name:               LAB.LOCAL (Windows 2016)
  • OS:                                    Windows Server 2016 Standard (Desktop Experience)
  • VM Settings:                  4GB RAM – 2 vCPU – 60 GB Harddisk
  • Other settings:             Allow RDP / XenServer tools applied, Attach XenApp_and_XenDesktop_7_12.iso

This Virtual Machine will be the Hosted Shared Desktop(HSD) Work Load Servers

Step 3: Open ISO Image (D:\ drive as per below)image4

Step 4: Click on the Start button, next to XenApp

image5

Step 5: Under Prepare Machine and Images , select Virtual Delivery Agent for Windows Server OS

master-image1

Step 6: At environment, select Create a master image, click next

master-image2

Step 7: At Core Components, leave settings as default and click nextmaster-image3

 

Step 8: Under Delivery Controller,  Select Do it manually

master-image6

Step 9: Add Lab-ddc1.lab.local to controller address and click Test Connection

Master-Image7.pngStep 10: Click Add

master-image8

Step 11: Select Optimise Performance and Use Windows Remote Assistance, click next

master-image5

Step 12: At firewall, leave at automatically and click nextmaster-image6

Step 13: At Summary, Click Install

Master-Image9.png

Step 14: Virtual Desktop Agent & Citrix Receiver

master-image10

Step 15: At Call Home, select I don not want to participate in Call Homemaster-image11

Step 16: At Successful Installation, Click Finish to reboot the server

master-image12

Configuring XenDesktop 7.12 – Setup Machine Catalog

Step 1:At Site Setup, Select Step 2 – Machine Catalogs

image30.png
Enter a caption

Step 2: At Introduction, Click Next

mc-image1

Step 3: Select Server OS at Operating System, Click next

mc-image2

Step 4: At Machine Management, Machine Catalog will use Machine that are power managed, Deploy machines using Citrix Machine Creation Services (MCS)

mc-image3

Step 5: At Master Image, Select LAB-W2K16-HSD-MST, Click next

mc-image4

Step 6: Leave screen setting all default, Click next

mc-image5Step 7: At Active Directory Computer Accounts, Select Create new Active Directory accounts. Select LAB.LOCAL\LAB Servers\VCS\WorkLoad\HSD as OU location.

Account Naming:  LAB-W2k16-## , Click next

mc-image6

Step 8: At Summary screen , Select a Machine Catalog & Description for administrators. Click Finish

mc-image7

Step 9: A Snapshot/Image will not be captured.mc-image8

Step 10: After Image/Snapshot is captured, the Machine Catlog LAB-W2K16-MCG will appear in the Machine Catalog section. Also reviewing the Hypervisor you’ll see the First Machine has been created (LAB-W2K16-01)

mc-image9

Configuring XenDesktop 7.12 – Setup Delivery Group

Step 1: At Getting Started, Click next

dg-image1

Step 2: At Machines, Select LAB-W2K16-MCG, Leaving number of Machines for delivery group at 1

dg-image2

Step 3: At User, Select Restrict use of this delivery group to the following users. Adding Group LAB\grp-ctx-w2k16-hsd. Click Next

dg-image4

Step 4: At Applications, Click Next

dg-image5

Step 5: At Desktops, Click Add

dg-image8

Step 6 : Enter the following information, Click Ok

  • Display Name:   Windows 10
  • Description: Windows 10 Hosted Shared Desktop (Windows Server 2016)
  • Allow Everyone with access to this Delivery Group to use a desktop
  • Enable Desktop : ticked

dg-image9

Step 7: Confirm Desktop has been added. Click next

dg-image10

Step 8: At Summary , Confirm all details are correct. Enter the following and then click Finish

  • Delivery Group Name: Windows 10 – Shared Desktop
  • Delivery Group Description: Windows 10 – Shared Desktopdg-image11

Step 9: Citrix Studio common tasks will show the delivery group created.dg-image12

Installing  StoreFront

Step 1: Download the Citrix 7.12 ISO from the Citrix Downloads (XenApp_and_XenDesktop_7_12.iso)

Step 2: Create Virtual Machine

  • Computername:           LAB-SF1
  • Domain Name:               LAB.LOCAL (Windows 2016)
  • OS:                                    Windows Server 2016 Standard (Desktop Experience)
  • VM Settings:                  4GB RAM – 2 vCPU – 60 GB Harddisk
  • Other settings:             Allow RDP / XenServer tools applied, Attach XenApp_and_XenDesktop_7_12.iso

Step 3: Open ISO Image (D:\ drive as per below)image4

Step 4: Click on the Start button, next to XenApp

image5

Step 5: Choose for the Citrix Storefront option

sf-image1

Step 6: At Software License Agreement Select , i have read , understand, and accept the terms of the license agreement. Click next

sf-image2

Step 7: At Core Components , click nextsf-image3

Step 8: At Firewall, Select Automatically. Click nextsf-image4

Step 9: At Summary, click installsf-image5

Step 10: Installing prerequisites and components will commence and begin the installingsf-image6Step 11: At Call Home, click i do not want to participate in call home. Click nextsf-image7Step 12: At Finish Installation , leave Open the storefront management console and click finishsf-image8

Configuring StoreFront

Step 1: At Welcome to Storefront, click Create a new deploymentsf-image9

Step 2: Enter base URL [http://lab-sf1] , Click next

sf-image10
Step 3: Creating deployment , please wait… will appear for a brief time.sf-image11
Step 4: At Getting Started, Click nextsf-image12
Step 5: Enter Store Name:  LABSTORE , and Tick Set this receiver for Web site as IIS default
sf-image13
Step 6: At Delivery Controllers, Click Add
sf-image14
Step 7: At Add Delivery Controller , enter the following information
  • Display Name:  LAB_DCC
  • Type:  XenDesktop (7.0 or Higher)/XenApp (7.5 or Higher)
sf-image15
Step 8: Choose Transport type : HTTP, Click Add under Servers
sf-image16
Step 9: Enter LAB-DDC1.LAB.LOCAL. Click OK
sf-image17
Step 10: Click OK again
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Step 11: At Delivery Controllers, Click Next
sf-image19
Step 12: Tick Enable Remote Access, Click Add
NOTE: Installing & Configuring Netscaler & Netscaler Gateway must be completed. This is documented here
sf-image20
Step 13: At General Settings, enter the following
  • Display Name: LAB-NSG1
  • Netscaler Gateway URL: https://192.168.0.95
  • Usage or Role: Authentication and HDX Routingsf-image21
Step 14: At Secure Ticket Authority (STA) , Click Addsf-image22
Step 15: Enter http://lab-ddc1.lab.local, Click Ok
sf-image23
Step 16: Click Next
sf-image24
Step 17: At Authentication settings,enter the following and then click Create
  • Version: 10.0
  • VServer IP: 192.168.0.95
  • Logon Type: Domain
  • Callback URL: https://192.168.0.95
sf-image25
Step 18: At Summary , Click Finish
sf-image26
Step 19: Click next , ensuring Netscaler Gateway has been added & selected as default appliance
sf-image27
Step 20: At Configure Authenticaiton Methods. Tick User name and password and Pass-through from Netscaler Gateway. Click next
sf-image28
Step 21: At Configure XenApp Services URL, ensure both setting as ticked, Click Create
sf-image29
Step 22: Creating Store ,please wait… will appear for a short time
sf-image30

Testing Access & Lab Environment just setup:

StoreFront Internal Access

Step 1: Launch the storefront URL http://lab-sf1

capture1

Step 2:Enter Domain\Username & Password. Ctxuser1 has been created and added to group that is assigned to Windows 10 Shared Desktop Delivery Group.

capture2

Step 3: After login the Windows 10 Desktop will appear.

capture3

Step 4: Launch Windows 10

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Step 5: Citrix Session will begin connecting …capture5

Step 6: The Windows 10 Shared Desktop (Based on Windows 2016 Server) is now launched.capture6

External Access:-

NOTE: Reliant on Netscaler being setup which is document here

Step 1: Launch the storefront URL https://citrix.wilkyit.com

capture1

Step 2:Enter Domain\Username & Password. Ctxuser1 has been created and added to group that is assigned to Windows 10 Shared Desktop Delivery Group.

capture2

Step 3: After login the Windows 10 Desktop will appear.capture3

Step 4: Launch Windows 10

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Step 5: Citrix Session will begin connecting …

capture5

Step 6: The Windows 10 Shared Desktop (Based on Windows 2016 Server) is now launched.

capture6

One comment

  1. Pingback: Load Balance Storefront with Netscaler 11.x | Wilky.IT - Desktop Virtualisation Blog

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