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Mastering Citrix XenDesktop
Mastering Citrix XenDesktop

Mastering Citrix XenDesktop: Design and implement a high performance and efficient virtual desktop infrastructure using Citrix XenDesktop

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Profile Icon GUNNALA GOVARDHAN Profile Icon Daniele Tosatto
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Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon 5 (5 Ratings)
Paperback Jun 2015 484 pages 1st Edition
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Profile Icon GUNNALA GOVARDHAN Profile Icon Daniele Tosatto
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Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon 5 (5 Ratings)
Paperback Jun 2015 484 pages 1st Edition
eBook
€22.99 €32.99
Paperback
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eBook
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Mastering Citrix XenDesktop

Chapter 2. Understanding the XenDesktop® Architecture in Detail

In the previous chapter, we saw the evolution of XenDesktop from its early days to its latest versions. We discussed the various capabilities and features of XenDesktop across the different versions. We learned their core strengths and their technological details. In this chapter, we'll learn the key benefits of the XenDesktop architecture for enterprise businesses. We will also discuss its evolution, its components, and the XenDesktop architecture's workflow.

The architecture covers layers such as:

  • Site database
  • The client side receiver
  • Delivery controllers
  • NetScaler for networking
  • StoreFront for web services
  • Active Directory for authentication
  • XenDesktop editions for licensing
  • Hypervisors supporting the backend Virtual Machine (VM) instances

We'll discuss the XenDesktop internals in detail. In this chapter, the following topics will be covered:

  • Site
  • Store
  • Delivery groups
  • Machine catalogs
  • Machine creation services...

Key features of the XenDesktop® architecture for businesses

Before we explore the XenDesktop architecture in detail, let's discover the key features of the XenDesktop architecture that benefit enterprises and businesses. The following is a quick list of the features of the XenDesktop architecture that benefit enterprises and businesses:

Here are the business driven enterprise capabilities of the XenDesktop architecture:

  • FMA is developed from scratch for XenDesktop
  • No dependency on the Microsoft Terminal Services
  • Supports scalability and extensibility of the overall solution
  • Shared architecture for XenApp and XenDesktop
  • Simplified installer with guided quick deploy
  • Reduced management consoles
  • Configuration logging for change management
  • Delegated administration
  • Integration with Active Directory for MCS and AD Group Policies for managing XenDesktop policies
  • Real-time monitoring and reports generation
  • SDK for custom automations

The evolution of XenDesktop® architecture

XenDesktop has gone through a long journey, and it has passed through major architectural changes. Citrix introduced a new intuitive way for businesses to manage enterprise Windows applications through a centralized application delivery technology (the XenApp). Later, it was expanded to cover virtual desktops as well (the XenDesktop). Lately, Citrix has unified both of these technologies for delivering mobile users a complete workspace with support for Cloud infrastructures under Project Avalon. This sequence of high-level integrations has led to the dissection and convergence of both the XenApp and XenDesktop architectures.

What this means for businesses its going to be a faster step to adopt one of these technologies if they already own one. Say, if a company already has the XenApp technology in place, then it's a familiar step to adopt the XenDesktop technology, since both of the products use the same HDX protocols and other networking...

XenDesktop® 2.0 and Independent Management Architecture (IMA)

It's very important for the XenDesktop masters to know how XenDesktop worked in its previous versions and the pros and cons that led to the changes in its architectural design. We'll go through an overview of the IMA and discuss the data points on how it was before IMA, since it's closely related to XenApp.

In 2008, the initial version of XenDesktop 2.0 was built on Citrix's pre-existing flagship technologies, including the networking protocol and architecture. It featured the following:

  • The PortICA (now HDX) extended the ICA protocol for client to server communication. The ICA protocol for Windows was introduced in 1990. The PortICA allows only a single ICA session at a time whereas ICA protocol supports multiple concurrent ICA sessions to RDSH in XenApp.
  • The IMA was introduced with Citrix MetaFrame XP (now called XenApp) for internal server management in 2001.

Prior to IMA, in the versions before MetaFrame...

XenDesktop® 5.0 and FlexCast® Management Architecture

In 2010, Citrix released XenDesktop 5.0 designed with a completely revamped new framework architecture called FMA (FlexCast Management Architecture). FMA is primarily comprised of the delivery controller, the server side component, the virtual desktop agent, the client side component. This greatly simplified and the XenDesktop setup compared to the previous version of XenDesktop, which was based on IMA. We'll discuss the FMA components, including the delivery controller and the virtual desktop agent in the next section.

Here is how FMA addressed the scalability limitations with the previous IMA:

  • To overcome the IMA data store database scalability limitations, FMA has been designed and developed on the standard relational database featuring the Microsoft SQL. This has let the XenDesktop administrators leverage the enterprise capabilities of the SQL server, such as redundancy, backup, high availability, and scalability.
  • In...

XenDesktop® 7.0 with FMA - the unified architecture for XenDesktop® 7 and XenApp®

In 2013, Citrix released a new major version XenDesktop 7 as Project Excalibur featuring convergence of the XenApp product. Later in 2014, Citrix released XenApp again as a separate product based on FMA. This has lead to the sharing of the same FMA architecture by the XenDesktop and XenApp products. FMA is now going to be the future of both the product lines. This means that mastering FMA will get you to master the worlds of XenDesktop and the XenApp. However, in this context, we'll only see the comparisons and the benefits of FMA within the XenDesktop versions.

The basics of FMA - the XenDesktop® architecture

FMA is the first architecture from Citrix that has been designed for XenDesktop. Citrix has chosen to develop the new FMA version on the Microsoft .Net framework. Also, Citrix played an important role in choosing the relational database for storing the static configuration and the dynamic management information. Citrix FMA is fully based on the Microsoft SQL relational database and its built-in enterprise capabilities. This choice of Microsoft's native application development technologies has become the greatest strength for implementing a flexible and robust FMA. It has also made it easier to automate and integrate them through scripting for tasks, such as automation and reporting.

FMA also supports interoperability and modular management across the various Citrix technologies. FMA is a key player in the Project Avalon roadmap for supporting FlexCast, delivering models with open architecture, and supporting the Cloud infrastructures...

Key features of the XenDesktop® architecture for businesses


Before we explore the XenDesktop architecture in detail, let's discover the key features of the XenDesktop architecture that benefit enterprises and businesses. The following is a quick list of the features of the XenDesktop architecture that benefit enterprises and businesses:

Here are the business driven enterprise capabilities of the XenDesktop architecture:

  • FMA is developed from scratch for XenDesktop

  • No dependency on the Microsoft Terminal Services

  • Supports scalability and extensibility of the overall solution

  • Shared architecture for XenApp and XenDesktop

  • Simplified installer with guided quick deploy

  • Reduced management consoles

  • Configuration logging for change management

  • Delegated administration

  • Integration with Active Directory for MCS and AD Group Policies for managing XenDesktop policies

  • Real-time monitoring and reports generation

  • SDK for custom automations

The evolution of XenDesktop® architecture


XenDesktop has gone through a long journey, and it has passed through major architectural changes. Citrix introduced a new intuitive way for businesses to manage enterprise Windows applications through a centralized application delivery technology (the XenApp). Later, it was expanded to cover virtual desktops as well (the XenDesktop). Lately, Citrix has unified both of these technologies for delivering mobile users a complete workspace with support for Cloud infrastructures under Project Avalon. This sequence of high-level integrations has led to the dissection and convergence of both the XenApp and XenDesktop architectures.

What this means for businesses its going to be a faster step to adopt one of these technologies if they already own one. Say, if a company already has the XenApp technology in place, then it's a familiar step to adopt the XenDesktop technology, since both of the products use the same HDX protocols and other networking components...

XenDesktop® 2.0 and Independent Management Architecture (IMA)


It's very important for the XenDesktop masters to know how XenDesktop worked in its previous versions and the pros and cons that led to the changes in its architectural design. We'll go through an overview of the IMA and discuss the data points on how it was before IMA, since it's closely related to XenApp.

In 2008, the initial version of XenDesktop 2.0 was built on Citrix's pre-existing flagship technologies, including the networking protocol and architecture. It featured the following:

  • The PortICA (now HDX) extended the ICA protocol for client to server communication. The ICA protocol for Windows was introduced in 1990. The PortICA allows only a single ICA session at a time whereas ICA protocol supports multiple concurrent ICA sessions to RDSH in XenApp.

  • The IMA was introduced with Citrix MetaFrame XP (now called XenApp) for internal server management in 2001.

Prior to IMA, in the versions before MetaFrame XP, the server configuration...

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Description

This book is intended for IT administrators who want to use Citrix® as a desktop virtualization solution or for IT architects who want to learn how to design and implement highly available and scalable XenDesktop® environments. It is assumed that you have intermediate-level knowledge of virtualization concepts, Windows desktop operating systems, and Windows Server technologies. Citrix®, Citrix Systems®, XenApp®, XenDesktop®, and CloudPortal™ are trademarks of Citrix® Systems®, Inc. and/or one or more of its subsidiaries, and may be registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office and in other countries.

Who is this book for?

This book is intended for IT administrators who want to use Citrix® as a desktop virtualization solution or for IT architects who want to learn how to design and implement highly available and scalable XenDesktop® environments. It is assumed that you have intermediate-level knowledge of virtualization concepts, Windows desktop operating systems, and Windows Server technologies.

What you will learn

  • Understand the evolution and main components of XenDesktop architecture in detail Design and implement a XenDesktop environment with enterprise capabilities such as high availability, scalability, app orchestration, and integration with cloud infrastructures Configure Citrix XenDesktop for real-time advanced business use cases and optimize it for performance Understand and configure the various components of networking involved in both remote and intranet access to your XenDesktop environment Discover the usage and features of Citrix-provided tools for monitoring and troubleshooting XenDesktop environments Explore how the PowerShell SDK can help you to automate common tasks and administrative operations Discover how you can use Microsoft Application Virtualization to expand your virtual desktop infrastructure to deliver virtual applications to end users

Product Details

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Publication date, Length, Edition, Language, ISBN-13
Publication date : Jun 30, 2015
Length: 484 pages
Edition : 1st
Language : English
ISBN-13 : 9781784393977
Vendor :
Citrix

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Publication date : Jun 30, 2015
Length: 484 pages
Edition : 1st
Language : English
ISBN-13 : 9781784393977
Vendor :
Citrix

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Table of Contents

12 Chapters
1. Evolution and Core Strengths of XenDesktop® Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
2. Understanding the XenDesktop® Architecture in Detail Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
3. Designing XenDesktop® for Complex Environments Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
4. Implementing a XenDesktop® Environment Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
5. Delivering Virtual Desktops and Optimizing XenDesktop® Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
6. Configuring XenDesktop® for Advanced Use Cases Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
7. Networking for XenDesktop® Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
8. Monitoring and Troubleshooting XenDesktop® Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
9. XenDesktop® PowerShell SDK for Automation Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
10. XenDesktop® and App-V Integration Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
11. XenDesktop® Licensing Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Index Chevron down icon Chevron up icon

Customer reviews

Rating distribution
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon 5
(5 Ratings)
5 star 100%
4 star 0%
3 star 0%
2 star 0%
1 star 0%
Rajesh Puri Aug 04, 2015
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon 5
This book is one stop shop for everything related to Citrix Xendesktop. Not only Well structured but covers every aspects of designing and implementing Citrix VDI. Best part of the book is that it gives in depth knowledge on topics like Networking requirements for Citrix VDI, integeration of Citrix and App-v, setting up citrix for Advanced use cases. I will highly recommend of Architects/Administrators who are trying to master their skills in Citrix Xendesktop. Must have book for anyone who deals with Citrix VDI.
Amazon Verified review Amazon
Tortugas Aug 05, 2015
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon 5
This book is a really usefull guide for any IT Pro in charge of building a new Citrix XenDesktop 7.6 farm. This is what I'm doing now for a Cloud Provider and I always have this book on my desk. This book is an All-In-One of many Citrix Guides and it will learn you what you Must Know and must Do to build a real working Citrix infrastructure. Just follow the guide and you will have your Citrix XenDesktop set up like a pro. Really, tested and approved. So... What's missing ? Well I have to say that there is no much help on how to set up SSL communication for your StoreFront servers (would have been nice) and also a small guide on how to set up a mirrored database wich is a MUST DO for a serious architecture would have been also welcome. For the DB, it's in fact and actually quite easy to do but for a Master XenDesktop Book a few pages about SSL and DB Mirroring would have been great. Just that. Note that the book will cover HDX 3D Pro and Virtual GPU, and also App-V wich is a real good surprise.
Amazon Verified review Amazon
Rodrigo Chaves Aug 08, 2015
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon 5
Mastering XenDesktop is an excellent book. Complete it addresses several topics:First chapter begins talking about the evolution and main characteristics of Xendeskop.Then, well describes details what is the XenDesktop architecture, I found this the best chapter.I also learned to make a XenDesktop design for complex environments, which in my case was where most used in a practical way for my everyday life.The most difficult chapter for me was the part of networks, not the book explain the bad way, it is that this is my weak in it, but the book details very well how XenDesktop works all part of network.Monitoring and Troubleshooting focuses more on how to use correctly the Citrix Director, robust tool that allows the monitoring of the entire environment.Part of the integration with Microsoft App-V, is cool, the book explains well this part, although not a widely used product in the real world.Finally in Chapter 11, we entered on the licensing, where the book shows all the details of the various versions of XenDesktop.Anyway, for those who know the Mastering the PacktPub series, you know we're talking about a book detailed and easy to understand.I will Mastering the certification!
Amazon Verified review Amazon
Craig Gilbert Aug 10, 2015
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon 5
Mastering Citrix XenDesktop is an extremely comprehensive guide to Citrix XenDesktop. The book is targeted at the latest XenDesktop 7.x release but covers features and concepts for major versions right back to Citrix Desktop Server 1.0. If you are looking to implement a Citrix XenDesktop environment and need a learning aid or guide then look no further, this book has everything you need from start to finish. Even if you are a seasoned Citrix XenDesktop/XenApp veteran or simply looking for generic virtual desktop concepts you will learn a thing or two from this book.
Amazon Verified review Amazon
Sylvain Jan 05, 2019
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon 5
La Bible complète avec cela vous saurez tout sur Citrix de a à z. Je recommande fortement à tous ceux qui sont en quête d'amélioration de compétence.
Amazon Verified review Amazon
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