Attention Boston area users and administrators…
Just a reminder that the next Boston Citrix User Group Meeting will be held at the Citrix offices in Bedford tomorrow, February 16th!
Date: Feb. 16, 2011 (Wednesday)
Time: 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM EST
Register Now
The goal of a User Group is simple: To foster dialogue and an exchange of ideas within the Citrix community, allowing users and administrators to share information and best practices, hear from the experts, and grow their body of knowledge and expertise.
Agenda:
During this meeting, you will:
- Find out about the architecture and design of XenDesktop
- Hear customer stories
- Hear from a technology partner, WYSE
- Collaborate with top Citrix consultants and peers
You are the key to a successful Citrix User Group community! So come out for some technology collaboration and fun with the Citrix experts.
Attend and you’ll have the chance to win some great prizes!
Location:
Citrix Offices
14 Crosby Drive
Bedford, MA 01730
(781) 301-8000
If you’ll be in or around Bedford tomorrow, I hope you can attend! Stay tuned to the Citrix User Group Community site for news and information about upcoming Citrix User Group meetings and activities.
Laura Whalen
Citrix Systems, Inc.
Follow me on Twitter
Attention Pittsburgh area users and administrators…
Just a reminder that the next Pittsburgh Citrix User Group Meeting will be held tomorrow, February 15th!
Date: Feb. 15, 2011 (Tuesday)
Time: 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM ET
The goal of a User Group is simple: To foster dialogue and an exchange of ideas within the Citrix community, allowing users and administrators to share information and best practices, hear from the experts, and grow their body of knowledge and expertise.
Agenda:
During this meeting, you will:
- Find out about the architecture and design of XenDesktop
- Hear customer stories
- Hear from a technology partner, WYSE
- Collaborate with top Citrix consultants and peers
You are the key to a successful Citrix User Group community! So come out for some technology collaboration and fun with the Citrix experts.
Attend and you’ll have the chance to win some great prizes!
Location:
Rivers Casino
777 Casino Drive
Pittsburgh, PA 15212
(412) 231-7777
If you’ll be in or around Pittsburgh tomorrow, I hope you can attend! Stay tuned to the Citrix User Group Community site for news and information about upcoming Citrix User Group meetings and activities.
Laura Whalen
Citrix Systems, Inc.
Follow me on Twitter
Don’t worry we can help you! Just get your new Citrix and Microsoft marketing templates on the Citrix Marketing Concierge Demand Gen site. In this seminar in a box you’ll find: email invitations, email reminders, scripted power points, welcome letters, surveys and much more. You just need to customize the materials with your information and send it out to your customers and propects. Putting an event together has never been easier… It’s ready to go and it’s Free! Check it out.
At Citrix, we have been advocating virtual computing as a simple and easy, and effective and efficient way to enable “workshifting” – moving work to the most optimal place, time and device.
There was a time when most of us were anchored to the office (place), tethered to the physical workstation or PC (device) and bound to the 9-5 office hours (time). The boundaries were clearly – but rigidly – drawn around where we work, when we work and what devices we use to perform our work. Fast forward to 2011: A recent Citrix survey underscores that working anywhere and everywhere is the new normal:
- 87% of organizations allow working outside of your office
- 79% of you work outside the office one or more days a week
- 98% are “much more” or “just as” productive working outside of the office
- 64% use three or more devices on a daily basis.
As we choose to perform our jobs at the time and location and on a device of our choice, we are becoming the “Everywhere Employee”. Working remotely is no longer something just a few of us do… it’s become part of everyday life for MOST employees. An insurance agent will work at his optimal place – closer to her customer. An executive may respond to his CEO’s request using her Android or iPhone without leaving her kids’ soccer game. A consultancy firm will setup a temporary office closer to client’s location, enabling consultants to access their apps, desktop and data at the new location faster than they put up the tents and cubes! A mining company or an offshore drilling firm will allow their employees access their apps, desktops and data in hostile, unfriendly locations… certainly not your typical IT cubicle. A multinational corporation will set up branch offices closer to where resources and skills are available, markets are growing faster and cost structures are friendlier.
With over 60% of employees working outside the traditional headquarters, these everywhere employees are no longer chained to a place, device or time. They want to feel right at home whatever place they work from, on any network they connect to, on whatever device at a time of their choice. This certainly drives increased productivity, employee work-life balance and customer experience.
To make the everywhere employee “feel” right at home everywhere, she needs a virtual desktop that looks, feels, acts and performs like her physical PC, even over a wide-area network (WAN). Desktop, app and network performance all become critical to deliver a delightful experience for such employees.
Virtual computing makes all of this possible. It encompasses a broad gamut of computing paradigms: virtual meetings, virtual desktops and apps, virtual servers, virtual networks, virtual storage and the uber virtual infrastructure… the cloud.
Today, Citrix is taking another major step toward making these “everywhere employees” feel right at home… even when they are working miles from headquarters over a wide area network. To make this a reality, Citrix today announced an updated XenDesktop Platinum Edition that now includes HDX WAN optimization, powered by the breakthrough Citrix Branch Repeater VPX technologies. For millions of employees who increasingly depend on the WAN to get things done, this is very good news indeed.
Sai
Related blogs:
In the world of desktop virtualization, user experience is everything… it is what makes or breaks a successful desktop virtualization strategy. Today, Citrix raised the bar again, announcing a new addition to its popular Citrix XenDesktop that promises to juice performance even further for employees accessing their virtual desktops, apps and data over a wide area network (WAN).
Starting today, any customer who buys the Platinum Edition of XenDesktop gets a powerful new WAN optimization virtual appliance at no additional charge that can be deployed quickly and easily in any branch office to boost XenDesktop performance for branch users. The new solution, powered by the breakthrough Citrix Branch Repeater VPX virtual appliance, is specifically architected for accelerating and optimizing the delivery of virtual desktops, apps and data for end users, while reducing bandwidth utilization for IT administrators. 
The March 2010 launch of Citrix Branch Repeater VPX captured the imagination and interest of networking customers around the world by delivering the power of WAN optimization with the flexibility and agility of a software-based virtual appliance. Citrix customers were further intrigued by the fact that Branch Repeater went beyond the kind of WAN optimization offered by the likes of Riverbed to offer specific optimizations for the ICA protocol that plays such a big role in the HDX technologies that have placed XenDesktop at the head of the virtual desktop market. The fact that thousands of XenDesktop customers downloaded Branch Repeater VPX in 2010 to try it out for themselves, prompted us to make HDX WAN optimization a standard feature for our most strategic XenDesktop customers.
Adding this capability to XenDesktop Platinum Edition seemed like the obvious answer. More than 70% of our XenDesktop customers already choose our Platinum Edition to deliver a wide mix of different virtual desktop technologies to a diverse range of employees – from task workers and office employees, to road warriors and contractors. And increasingly, these large XenDesktop customers have been turning to Branch Repeater to enhance performance over the WAN. Gartner1, in fact, credits Branch Repeater’s top three market share position in the advanced-platform WAN Optimization controller market to the strong acceptance of XenDesktop.
We think these early adopters are on to something ─ Citrix XenDesktop, combined with the HDX WAN Optimization technology from Branch Repeater – accelerates the delivery of virtual desktops and provides a high definition experience to branch office workers (See 3rd Party Performance Report: XenDesktop vs View with and without WAN Optimization). They have led the transformation of desktop virtualization and WAN optimization markets with innovative and integrated use of these technologies.
That’s why we’re moving aggressively to accelerate this adoption even further – making it easy for ALL strategic XenDesktop customers to deliver any type of virtual desktop and app to any user with the best, high-def experience. Specifics of today’s announcement include:
- Effective February 14, 2011, XenDesktop Platinum will include the new HDX WAN optimization feature, powered by Branch Repeater VPX – at no additional charge. You can deploy the new HDX WAN Optimization virtual appliances in unlimited number of branch offices with WAN links up to 45Mbps, if you buy XenDesktop Platinum, are current on XenDesktop Platinum SA or trade up to XenDesktop Platinum. This will allow XenDesktop Platinum customers to accelerate and optimize, on WAN links of up to 45Mbps bandwidth, delivery of virtual desktops and virtual apps, as well as native apps such as Microsoft Exchange, Outlook, SharePoint, and other data or application traffic.
- The new HDX WAN Optimization feature runs as a virtual appliance on either Citrix XenServer of VMware vSphere. In related news, the standalone Citrix Branch Repeater VPX virtual appliance is also now available for both XenServer and VMware hypervisors.
While this is great news for XenDesktop customers, it doesn’t mean the rest of the world can’t enjoy the benefits of Branch Repeater to get more out of their wide-area networks. Branch Repeater hardware and software appliances will both continue to be available for standalone purchases to ANY customer who wants blazing fast WAN performance and lower bandwidth costs from the vendor who brings virtualization, networking and cloud computing together.
For more information, please read Customer FAQ: Updated XenDesktop Platinum includes HDX WAN Optimization, powered by Branch Repeater VPX.
Try putting the pedal to the XenDesktop on wild wide-area networks… and feel the exhilarating XenDeskop ride!
Sai
1 Market Share Analysis: Application Acceleration Equipment, Worldwide, 3Q10 ( Dec 15th, 2010)
Related info:
Citrix Makes the “Everywhere Employee” Feel Right At Home…Even Over the WAN
3rd Party Performance Report: XenDesktop vs View with and without WAN Optimization
If you’ve administered a XenApp or XenDesktop, you’ve had to go through the applications or desktops at some point and make manual modifications or check settings. However, you may never need to do that again – if you learn how to use PowerShell.
XenApp and XenDesktop now both support PowerShell, which replaces the aging MFCOM scripting that previously allowed control of Citrix farms. This allows you to manage almost any component that can be managed via the consoles.
Haven’t done PowerShell, or not comfortable with it yet? Check out my upcoming Ask The Architect webinar on XenApp & XenDesktop with Powershell.
Register for this webinar on Thursday, 15:00 GMT (10:00 AM EST) at https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/156454064.
Want to start learning now? Here are some great resources to get you started:
Check the new BYO or “Bring Your Own” device program templates on the Citrix Marketing Concierge Demand Gen site*. It’s time for your customers to think beyond the Desktop. You will find an email template which you’ll be able to customize with your own information and have it ready to blast in a second to your customers and prospects. Could it be easier than this? What are you waiting for?!
*This site is only available to partners in the Americas
The Motorola ATRIX equipped with Citrix Receiver is the first smartphone to live up to the promise of the NirvanaPhone and it’s a reality now! As a killer consumer smartphone, the Atrix has awesome specs: Nvidia 1 Ghz Tegra 2 dual-core CPU, 1G RAM, 4 inch screen, Android 2.2, HDMI out, etc. This device tops any specs available on today’s smartphones; however, the best new feature is called webtop, because it transforms the high-end smartphone into a NirvanaPhone when docked. Instantly Webtop is launched and displays the video output at resolutions up to 1280×1024 on a standard PC display or TV. There is also a optional laptop dock that converts the smartphone into a real laptop alternative. Running inside the Webtop environment is a full function Firefox browser AND Citrix Receiver! The Firefox browser provides native web access including Flash and HTML5 as well as a window into the local Android apps including the phone and text functions. You can even use the full-size keyboard for texting.
The real magic happens when you launch Citrix Receiver. Go to your company logon page and sign in (two-factor security like RSA is fully functional) and you’re presented with your Web Interface list of Windows work applications from XenApp, or a full Windows 7 Virtual Desktop provided by XenDesktop. The apps run just as if it were a local PC, and often faster. If someone calls your presented with the option to answer or ignore and you can speak though the speakerphone or Bluetooth headset while working in your Citrix session.
We have been talking about this NirvanaPhone vision for years, the basic spec is to provide high resolution video-out, full function keyboard and mouse/trackpad, and access to a virtual desktop. This is the dream of millions of laptop luggers who may need to work from anywhere but would love to leave the laptop behind. It always seemed possible, but not quite practical or complete with previous smartphones. I can tell you that I have been using this setup for months and it really works, it’s not just demoware. I’ve used it at work with the dock, at home with various TVs and displays, in hotel rooms with the LCD TV, in guest cubicles with PC monitors, and with meeting room projectors. There are a few remaining limitations, but nothing to keep this setup from making any road warrior or knowledge worker more mobile and productive immediately. Most companies provide cubicles/offices for their employees, contractors, and guests, and many come equipped with a PC display – it would be great if they all did to speed adoption. Plus, although a popup virtual keyboard is available in webtop trackpad mode, adding a dock & a USB or Bluetooth keyboard would satisfy the desire for a physical keyboard. In the past, Bluetooth keyboards have been expensive, but the Microsoft keyboard shown is only $43, so providing a generic solution is not prohibitive. Finding TVs with HDMI is easy, but legacy VGA-only connectors for PC displays and projectors is still prevalent, so expect to need an HDMI to VGA adapter for the cable bag. The Atrix uses industry standard micro USB and mini HDMI, so the cables are readily available and cheap vs. proprietary alternatives. Of course, now there is also another option to bring along the laptop dock and use it like a laptop.
For the Citrix sessions, the performance is excellent. Audio is currently not supported and not all of the HDX features are available, however, it’s easy to multitask and minimize the Citrix session and run YouTube and audio with the native Firefox browser, or even take phone calls. In “windowed” mode (vs. full screen) the webtop environment can display Citrix hosted apps alongside native Firefox windows, plus an Android window making a phone call at the same time.
This really is a NirvanaPhone… the future has arrived!
Full Demo with the HD Docking Station (3 min)
Demo with Trackpad feature and Bluetooth Keyboard (2 min)
Short Demo (55 sec)
Stay tuned for more demos…
This document will help Citrix Ready Partners understand How to Activate License code and download the Citrix Ready Demo Licenses they are entitled to.
Please follow the steps below to download the License.
Step1: Login into MyCitrix – Choose a Toolbox – Select Partner Use License
Step2: From the Current Tool, Choose Partner Demo Licenses and click on Get Software
Step3: Choose the appropriate Citrix Product to download the Demo License.
Step4: For example choose XenDesktop, copy the Serial Number (License Access Code)
FYI -XenDesktop Platinum Edition includes XenApp Platinum/Enterprise Edition Demo License
Step5: Click on Choose a Toolbox – Activate System/Manage Assets
Step6: From the drop down, select Activate/Allocate and the paste the License Access Code and click on Continue
Step7: Select I Cannot find my reseller and click on continue.
Step8: Choose your contact information and click on submit.
Step9: Verify your contact information and click on Submit.
Step10: Click on Continue.
Step11: Enter the Quantity and enter the Hostname of the License Server and click Allocate.
Please refer FAQ for more information
Please refer to the Citrix Ready Program Benefits under the number of licenses allocated for all 3 Levels under Citrix Ready Program.
Step12: Confirm the allocation and click on Confirm.
Step13: Click to download the license file.
If you need any more information, Please don’t hesitate to write to citrixready@citrix.com
I wrote two articles recently on introducing App Streaming scripts and describing how environment variables are set to assist the scripts manipulation of the isolation space. These were “warm up” for the real goal of writing today’s article on implementing “global” scripts.
In the introduction, I covered that a script is anything executable by windows and that all scripts are treated as binary, even .CMD files. Scripts can run before sandbox create, during sandbox tear down and they can be run outside or inside of isolation. There can be an “unlimited” number of scripts and finally, scripts can exist at the profile layer or the target layer. If that’s an ear full, read the full post on the intro.
Scripts in App Streaming are a very powerful animal! But – something’s missing.
Global scripts
I would like to define a single set of scripts which will apply to “ALL” profiles. This would centralize maintenance of a common set of scripts to a single place and any time you maintain “one”, it is better than maintaining “many”. Unfortunately, the streaming system doesn’t define a concept of global scripts. Hum.
Can it be simulated? Answer, yes and the rest of this post talks about how.
Network review
On your network, you have a bunch of file servers. One of them is a network server that holds the application streaming profiles, we title this one the App Hub. This could be a web server, but for today, let’s go with the UNC access method.
On the App Hub, there is “top” directory and below that directory are a whole bunch of subdirectories, one for each application streaming profile. The streaming profiler insists on this format by forcing the profile save dialog to always create a subdir for the saved profile, and then putting the profile into that directory.
Generally speaking, we let the streaming profiler store the stuff on this server, but we could add a subdirectory there. I’ll title it “GlobalScripts”. Notice there are no spaces in the subdirectory name, just because spaces create headaches.
The App Hub looks something like this 
Add a new subdirectory, GlobalScripts
Inside that directory, place 4 script files. Each of these COULD be executable code or could be .CMD files, or .VBS. For this example, I’ve made them all .CMD.
Why 4?
Answer: Full matrix of PRE/POST and INSIDE/OUTSIDE of isolation.
Also in this directory, I added a couple extra files to assist with the identification of the isolation GUID that identifies the sandbox. Note, in global scripts outside of isolation, this environment variable is our KEY to knowing which sandbox we might want to adjust before it starts. If we are inside of isolation, this isn’t as key as the script in the sandbox can adjust what it believes to be the real machine, without hurting the real machine. It will land in per-user space.
If you peek inside these scripts, you will see really pretty stuff like:
echo Global PostExit script (isolated)
Hopefully your version will have more important contents, such as the pre-launch/post-exist out of isolation scripts that I’m hacking with for a larger project. Notice, a full 887 bytes!
Okay – we have global scripts. That’s great. How do we get all of the profiles to call them? Excellent question – the streaming system won’t exactly help you.
Streaming Profiler
You can use the streaming profiler GUI to open each profile, right mouse button, properties/scripts, add the 4 scripts to the profile, correctly set each of the checkboxes to select pre/post and isolated/not and then all is happy and grand.
For 100 profiles, when you’re done with this, you’ll have zero confidence that you didn’t fat finger at least 40 of them and you’ll be screaming for a programmatic solution. Save that for a separate day.
Profile scripts to call global scripts
You need to add scripts to the streaming profiles that the streaming system WILL CALL when it runs applications. Here, we have another set of 4 scripts. By convention, I’ve taken a liberty to say that the admin will have defined an environment variable called APPHUB to point to the network server that holds profiles. While it is POSSIBLE for App Streaming solutions to utilize numerous application hubs for profile storage, this is rare and most people have “1″. 
Each of these are TINY! They are intended to never be maintained. All the maintenance should occur in the single location for GlobalScripts.
Here’s an example contents. 
Observe that it is mostly comments. The only line of importance is the one at the end that calls the program or script stored in the GlobalScripts directory on the App Hub. Lather, rinse and repeat for the other 3 scripts that get added to all profiles.
When you get done updating all 100 of your profiles to have them call the single set of global scripts, you will have a single set of 4 “GlobalScripts” maintained in a single spot.
Sequence
One of the configuration items in the profiler is the SEQUENCE that scripts are run. In my example, I’ve implemented this as
- Pre-Launch not isolated
- Pre-Launch isolated
- ( Sandbox exists here – application runs )
- Post-Exit isolated
- Post-Exit not isolated
The other thing to make this more elegant is to replace the .CMD files with actual programs. All that screen flashing when the .CMD batch processor runs will not be ideal and converting this to .EXEs that don’t show anything would clear up the screen.
Add it all up and you CAN implement global scripts. Yes, life would be better if the streaming system automated most of this.
Joe Nord
Citrix Systems Product Architect
Application Streaming, Profile Manager
