XenApp: Installation and Configuration Experience
Good day, Habrovchane.
XenApp (read "ZenAp") was invented by Citrix for virtualization and application delivery through a thin client using its own CIA protocol. I must say that the idea is good in itself, because in theory it eliminates many of the buzzheads, such as buying licensed software from the Evil Empire and other slightly less greedy vendors. Of course, this is interesting only if you rent applications, because licenses for XenApp are quite expensive. It should be noted that XenApp works only under Windows.
I do not know, unfortunately or fortunately, but all the largest producers of the most consumed software now have their own full-featured products, accessible either through the web interface or through a thin client, so it seems to me that XenApp, as a separate product, will very soon become uninteresting to the final consumer, and will remain in sight of the companies that are themselves engaged in rental applications. Just for the rental of applications made my company a bet.
And after I was puzzled by this interesting idea, I realized that Google does not give out anything intelligible in Russian about XenApp, and all that you can smoke is an extensive manual on Citrix.com in English. But is this a problem for us?
Guided by the feeling of “helping my neighbor,” I decided to describe the installation and configuration process for XenApp, which I had to pick open myself using an English-language manual and a new acquaintance who is a licensed Citrix specialist.
ATTENTION!
For normal operation, XenApp requires official licenses from Citrix.
You can get them by contacting any official representative of Citirx and telling that we want to try the product, with the goal of becoming a partner, and provide application rental services. So you can get a lot of licenses for a period of ninety days, or a hundred licenses for a period of 1 year.
MORE IMPORTANT REMEMBER:
Licenses are issued for the COMPUTER NAME, so use them carefully. In general, about licensing is likely to have to write a separate article, because it is not as trivial as it may seem.
')
If you believe the officially declared System Requirement Company Citrix, then to install XenApp, we need something like the following:
64-bit architecture with Intel Pentium Xeon family with Intel Extended Memory 64 Technology
AMD Opteron family AMD Athlon 64 family Compatible processor
And:
Memory: 512MB RAM (minimum) Disk space: 32GB (minimum) TROLLFACE
In Russian, I was able to translate only synonyms:
- The processor is 64-bit, necessarily with support for virtualization technologies (Intel VT or Amd-V), so at least two cores.
- In memory of at least two gigabytes, and all six is ​​better, of course.
- HDD at least 60 gigabytes, SATA.
- Network card, Intel Pro-series, gigabit.
From the software we need:
- Windows Server 2008 R2 x64 DCE, although Enterprise would be fine with the latest updates installed.
- The distribution kit XenApp 6.5 Platinum Edition (for downloading from the Citrix site registration is required).
- Microsoft NetFramework 3.5 (in our case you don’t need to download, XenApp will enable it itself in the role of IIS on Win2k8R2)
- Distributions of delivered applications (for example, MS Office or 1C).
Also, the XenApp distribution will install a lot of software for us, like this:
- Microsoft Visual C ++ 2008 SP1 Redistributable (x64)
- Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Express R2
- Microsoft Primary Interoperability Assemblies 2005
- Etc., we should not be worried until there are problems :)
And raise the role:
- Web Server (IIS)
- Microsoft Terminal Services
Further, I recommend to be very attentive, because the incorrect installation sequence of the Windows components can very easily lead to the fact that nothing will work, and Windows will have to be demolished and re-installed, having spent a lot of time on it.
IMPORTANT!
After installing and configuring Windows, installing the latest updates, it is very desirable to make the image of the system an acronym, or another similar program, so that in case of unsuccessful actions you can easily roll back the clean system and proceed with the installation again. In my case, this is a cloud, so I stupidly created a template from a fully prepared system.
It is also very important to assign the necessary name to the server in advance, before starting the installation of XenApp.
By default, Citrix assumes that XenApp is deployed on a server entered into a Windows domain. Those. It is assumed that there is a domain in the controller network But in fact, XenApp is easily installed without a controler, and works in a workgroup no worse than on a network with AD. This decision is highly dependent on your final needs.
It is also assumed that the server with XenApp is behind NAT, which has some specific external IP address issued by the provider. You can pre-write this ip-address on a piece of paper, it is still useful to us.
By trial and error, as well as reading the manual with a hangover and even in Pindo, a clear sequence of actions was determined, which guarantees 100% that the XenApp on your server will definitely rise and allow itself to be customized. We are still silent about production, we still need to get to that. So, the secret sequence is:
First of all, we install and update Windows Server 2008 R2. Then we download Microsoft NetFramework 4, install, and update the system again. Then go to the folder with the XenApp distribution (it is assumed that the ISO image is already unarchived in a separate folder on the screw), and run the file called autorun.exe :).
After that, the installer will offer us to install NetFramework 3.5 with the first service pack. We agree (click OK).
Next, you need to install the role. This is done by pressing the button with the obvious Add server roles.
We click on this button, specify the Platinum Edition, accept the License Agryment, and select the following roles:
License server
Xenapp
Web interface
Click "next" on the next tab, select
XML Service IIS Integration (mandatory component!).
Nothing more to choose!
Click Next, Install twice and wait, what will end. You can drink some coffee and smoke.
After a short installation, XenApp will display a window with a bunch of exclamation marks and a “Finish” button.
There is nothing wrong with that, just need a reboot. Close all windows and reboot the server. After the reboot, setup will resume its work automatically, you need to select “Resume install”, and wait, when at last everything will be done.
ATTENTION! All components must be installed without errors!
Those. All items must be marked with a green check mark! Otherwise, you have to demolish and install the system again!
As a result of all gestures, we should have an installer window with a list of installed components, next to each of which the word “configure” will appear.
So, XenApp is installed and offers us to configure it. In the program window we see:
XenApp - Specify Licensing
Web Interface - Configure
License Server - Configure
You need to start with the License Server - Configure.
The default is assumed to be Citrix XenApp Platinum Edition licenses. Click Configure. He offers to configure ports:
License Server Port: 2700
Vendor Daemon Port: 7279
Management Console Web Port: 8082
Ports should not be changed!
Set the admin password and click OK. License Server is marked with a green check mark and switched to the Configured state.
After that you need to add the license to the licensing server. To do this, go to Start - All Programs - Citrix - Management Consoles - License Administration Console.
In the opened Web-interface, in the right corner click on Administration, and enter the admin password that we specified earlier. Then, at the bottom left, go to the Vendor Daemon Configuration section, and click the Import License button. Select our license file, set the Overwrite License File checkbox (after all, we only have this license), and click Import License. Next, click OK, in the list of licenses, select our license, and click the Reread License button.
This completes the license setup. Close the web interface and go back to the installer.
In the installer, we need to click Specify Licensing so that XenApp sees the license server and working licenses.
Enter the name of the computer (the one on which we make the installation), click Test Connection, and click Next.
If XenApp recognizes licenses, then nothing needs to be changed, it will indicate the parameters automatically. If you do not recognize, then all the previous steps need to be done anew. Click Apply and see that the Specify Licensing has passed to the Configured state and is marked with a green check mark. Now configure the XenApp server itself by clicking on Configure.
Because this is the only and new XenApp server in our network, we select the item Create a new server farm, i.e. Create a new XenApp server farm.
Specify the name of the farm, the remaining parameters on this tab are left as default. Next, the installer offers a choice: Create a new database or use an existing one. Because it is assumed that we have no bases, we press New Database.
After that, we enter the username and password of the server administrator (only local, even if the server is in the domain!), Click Next all the time, leaving the default settings, and after clicking Apply, we see the database configuration process. Click Finish and Reboot.
After the reboot, we see that we have only the Web Interface left unconfigured. Before configuring it MUST do the following:
Minimize the installer and run:
Start - All Programs - Administration - Citrix - Management Consoles - CitrixApp Center
In the window that opens, select:
Disable Authenticode Signature Checking
The XenApp farm settings window will open, click Next, uncheck the box from Single Sign-On, click Next, click Add Local Computer - here we add the servers where XenApp is installed.
In our case, this is a local computer, and add it.
Then all the time further, the installer discovery network and server for compliance with all the specified parameters, and if everything suits him, then offers to click Apply. We press, and here we are in the XenApp management console.
In general, the configuration of the XenApp itself is complete.
More articles are being prepared on how to prepare, publish and deliver applications to customers. Also separately will be considered the delivery of 1C v8.1.6. with HASP USB key.
Preamble
XenApp (read "ZenAp") was invented by Citrix for virtualization and application delivery through a thin client using its own CIA protocol. I must say that the idea is good in itself, because in theory it eliminates many of the buzzheads, such as buying licensed software from the Evil Empire and other slightly less greedy vendors. Of course, this is interesting only if you rent applications, because licenses for XenApp are quite expensive. It should be noted that XenApp works only under Windows.
I do not know, unfortunately or fortunately, but all the largest producers of the most consumed software now have their own full-featured products, accessible either through the web interface or through a thin client, so it seems to me that XenApp, as a separate product, will very soon become uninteresting to the final consumer, and will remain in sight of the companies that are themselves engaged in rental applications. Just for the rental of applications made my company a bet.
And after I was puzzled by this interesting idea, I realized that Google does not give out anything intelligible in Russian about XenApp, and all that you can smoke is an extensive manual on Citrix.com in English. But is this a problem for us?
Guided by the feeling of “helping my neighbor,” I decided to describe the installation and configuration process for XenApp, which I had to pick open myself using an English-language manual and a new acquaintance who is a licensed Citrix specialist.
ATTENTION!
For normal operation, XenApp requires official licenses from Citrix.
You can get them by contacting any official representative of Citirx and telling that we want to try the product, with the goal of becoming a partner, and provide application rental services. So you can get a lot of licenses for a period of ninety days, or a hundred licenses for a period of 1 year.
MORE IMPORTANT REMEMBER:
Licenses are issued for the COMPUTER NAME, so use them carefully. In general, about licensing is likely to have to write a separate article, because it is not as trivial as it may seem.
')
Iron requirements
If you believe the officially declared System Requirement Company Citrix, then to install XenApp, we need something like the following:
64-bit architecture with Intel Pentium Xeon family with Intel Extended Memory 64 Technology
AMD Opteron family AMD Athlon 64 family Compatible processor
And:
Memory: 512MB RAM (minimum) Disk space: 32GB (minimum) TROLLFACE
In Russian, I was able to translate only synonyms:
- The processor is 64-bit, necessarily with support for virtualization technologies (Intel VT or Amd-V), so at least two cores.
- In memory of at least two gigabytes, and all six is ​​better, of course.
- HDD at least 60 gigabytes, SATA.
- Network card, Intel Pro-series, gigabit.
Software Requirements
From the software we need:
- Windows Server 2008 R2 x64 DCE, although Enterprise would be fine with the latest updates installed.
- The distribution kit XenApp 6.5 Platinum Edition (for downloading from the Citrix site registration is required).
- Microsoft NetFramework 3.5 (in our case you don’t need to download, XenApp will enable it itself in the role of IIS on Win2k8R2)
- Distributions of delivered applications (for example, MS Office or 1C).
Also, the XenApp distribution will install a lot of software for us, like this:
- Microsoft Visual C ++ 2008 SP1 Redistributable (x64)
- Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Express R2
- Microsoft Primary Interoperability Assemblies 2005
- Etc., we should not be worried until there are problems :)
And raise the role:
- Web Server (IIS)
- Microsoft Terminal Services
Further, I recommend to be very attentive, because the incorrect installation sequence of the Windows components can very easily lead to the fact that nothing will work, and Windows will have to be demolished and re-installed, having spent a lot of time on it.
IMPORTANT!
After installing and configuring Windows, installing the latest updates, it is very desirable to make the image of the system an acronym, or another similar program, so that in case of unsuccessful actions you can easily roll back the clean system and proceed with the installation again. In my case, this is a cloud, so I stupidly created a template from a fully prepared system.
It is also very important to assign the necessary name to the server in advance, before starting the installation of XenApp.
By default, Citrix assumes that XenApp is deployed on a server entered into a Windows domain. Those. It is assumed that there is a domain in the controller network But in fact, XenApp is easily installed without a controler, and works in a workgroup no worse than on a network with AD. This decision is highly dependent on your final needs.
It is also assumed that the server with XenApp is behind NAT, which has some specific external IP address issued by the provider. You can pre-write this ip-address on a piece of paper, it is still useful to us.
Installation
By trial and error, as well as reading the manual with a hangover and even in Pindo, a clear sequence of actions was determined, which guarantees 100% that the XenApp on your server will definitely rise and allow itself to be customized. We are still silent about production, we still need to get to that. So, the secret sequence is:
First of all, we install and update Windows Server 2008 R2. Then we download Microsoft NetFramework 4, install, and update the system again. Then go to the folder with the XenApp distribution (it is assumed that the ISO image is already unarchived in a separate folder on the screw), and run the file called autorun.exe :).
After that, the installer will offer us to install NetFramework 3.5 with the first service pack. We agree (click OK).
Next, you need to install the role. This is done by pressing the button with the obvious Add server roles.
We click on this button, specify the Platinum Edition, accept the License Agryment, and select the following roles:
License server
Xenapp
Web interface
Click "next" on the next tab, select
XML Service IIS Integration (mandatory component!).
Nothing more to choose!
Click Next, Install twice and wait, what will end. You can drink some coffee and smoke.
After a short installation, XenApp will display a window with a bunch of exclamation marks and a “Finish” button.
There is nothing wrong with that, just need a reboot. Close all windows and reboot the server. After the reboot, setup will resume its work automatically, you need to select “Resume install”, and wait, when at last everything will be done.
ATTENTION! All components must be installed without errors!
Those. All items must be marked with a green check mark! Otherwise, you have to demolish and install the system again!
As a result of all gestures, we should have an installer window with a list of installed components, next to each of which the word “configure” will appear.
Customization
So, XenApp is installed and offers us to configure it. In the program window we see:
XenApp - Specify Licensing
Web Interface - Configure
License Server - Configure
You need to start with the License Server - Configure.
The default is assumed to be Citrix XenApp Platinum Edition licenses. Click Configure. He offers to configure ports:
License Server Port: 2700
Vendor Daemon Port: 7279
Management Console Web Port: 8082
Ports should not be changed!
Set the admin password and click OK. License Server is marked with a green check mark and switched to the Configured state.
After that you need to add the license to the licensing server. To do this, go to Start - All Programs - Citrix - Management Consoles - License Administration Console.
In the opened Web-interface, in the right corner click on Administration, and enter the admin password that we specified earlier. Then, at the bottom left, go to the Vendor Daemon Configuration section, and click the Import License button. Select our license file, set the Overwrite License File checkbox (after all, we only have this license), and click Import License. Next, click OK, in the list of licenses, select our license, and click the Reread License button.
This completes the license setup. Close the web interface and go back to the installer.
In the installer, we need to click Specify Licensing so that XenApp sees the license server and working licenses.
Enter the name of the computer (the one on which we make the installation), click Test Connection, and click Next.
If XenApp recognizes licenses, then nothing needs to be changed, it will indicate the parameters automatically. If you do not recognize, then all the previous steps need to be done anew. Click Apply and see that the Specify Licensing has passed to the Configured state and is marked with a green check mark. Now configure the XenApp server itself by clicking on Configure.
Because this is the only and new XenApp server in our network, we select the item Create a new server farm, i.e. Create a new XenApp server farm.
Specify the name of the farm, the remaining parameters on this tab are left as default. Next, the installer offers a choice: Create a new database or use an existing one. Because it is assumed that we have no bases, we press New Database.
After that, we enter the username and password of the server administrator (only local, even if the server is in the domain!), Click Next all the time, leaving the default settings, and after clicking Apply, we see the database configuration process. Click Finish and Reboot.
After the reboot, we see that we have only the Web Interface left unconfigured. Before configuring it MUST do the following:
cmd: altaddr /SET __Minimize the installer and run:
Start - All Programs - Administration - Citrix - Management Consoles - CitrixApp Center
In the window that opens, select:
Disable Authenticode Signature Checking
The XenApp farm settings window will open, click Next, uncheck the box from Single Sign-On, click Next, click Add Local Computer - here we add the servers where XenApp is installed.
In our case, this is a local computer, and add it.
Then all the time further, the installer discovery network and server for compliance with all the specified parameters, and if everything suits him, then offers to click Apply. We press, and here we are in the XenApp management console.
In general, the configuration of the XenApp itself is complete.
More articles are being prepared on how to prepare, publish and deliver applications to customers. Also separately will be considered the delivery of 1C v8.1.6. with HASP USB key.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/134334/
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