Pipo e2H - Advanced ICT Solutions Jose Luis Gomez Ferrer de Couto - CEC, ACE, VSP, VTSP

Installing Citrix XenDesktop 4

XenDesktop 4 is the new product from Citrix focused on VDI (virtual desktop infrastructure). Combined with a virtualization solution such as Citrix XenServer or VMware vSphere, we can deploy custom desktops to our users without any effort.

This solution is interesting for the use of client terminals, accounting for a large cost savings in hardware, energy and maintenance. Also from anywhere in the world, we can access your desktop without experiencing delays due to high ICA protocol.

The article is based on a facility which already has a Citrix license server and a Microsoft SQL Server . If you do not have either of these services can be installed during the installation process for Citrix XenDesktop four or follow the specific articles of this blog by clicking on each one of the links above.

The installation was going to perform on a Windows Server 2003 x64 which is running in a virtualized environment with Citrix XenServer 5.5. The procedure for conducting the laboratory are:

1. Create a database in Microsoft SQL Server XenDesktop.
2. Install Citrix XenDesktop 4.
3. Citrix XenDesktop Setup 4.
4. Installing Agent XenDesktop.
5. Testing the installation.

Create a database in Microsoft SQL Server XenDesktop

To create the database for our XenDesktop can continue the item is at our blog called Creating a database in Microsoft SQL Server for every Citrix product .

Install Citrix XenDesktop 4

The first step is to introduce our xd4 disk and select the option Install Server Components.

We accept the licensing terms and you click the Next button.

Uncheck the Citrix License Server and you click the Next button.

We leave marked the option to create a new farm and in our case we introduce the name e2H Pipo, we click the Next button.

In our case we mark the Platinum license, because we are using a trial version 60 days. We click the Next button.

In the next step, we mark the two options, because as we said at the beginning of the article, have a dedicated server for Citrix licenses and other databases dedicated Microsoft SQL Server. Once marked we click the Next button.

Then we can see the settings for connecting to the database, you click the Configure button.

Enter a description and deploy the Server option and choose the existing SQL server. Once these steps we click the Next button.

We left the default authentication option that appears and you click the Next button.

We make the choice to change the default database and choose the database you created earlier XenDesktop. We click the Next button.

We leave the options as they appear by default and you click the Finish button.

To verify that the settings are correct, we click on the button Test Data Source. If the test is successful we accept both windows by clicking the OK button.

Once configured fields appears we click the Next button.

Introduce user credentials to connect to our database and we click the Next button. We can use the user, but for safety we have created a user in our Active Directory called ctx-sql which we use.

We introduce the name of our Citrix license server and you click the Next button.

He reports that will begin the installation process once we click the Next button.

After the installation of pre-and IIS components needed to access the web interface, we are prompted to restart the server, you click on the Yes button. After restarting the server, log in and continue the installation.

Then we listed a few warning messages about print drivers that you must install XenDesktop, we will accept all these messages always appear by clicking the Continue button Anyway.

After installing the hotfixes again asks us a reboot, you click the Yes button.

Once the system displays the configuration process based on our XenDesktop, which gives us the option of setting up an organizational unit to accommodate the necessary objects and configure the license server. In our case, as the license server located on a dedicated server, unchecked that option, since it is only if the license server installed in combination with our XenDesktop. We click on the Finish button.

We see the setup wizard for the OU, we click the Next button.

We click on the Browse button to select your domain in our case we will create an OU in the root. We set the domain name and you click the OK button. Then we check the option to create an organizational unit and introduce the name XenDesktop. To follow we click the Next button.

To complete the wizard we click the Finish button, you see the process of creating the OU and register in our SQL, once you click the Close button.

Here we see the option of starting the management console, you click the YES button.

Configuring Citrix XenDesktop 4

We see the wizard to run the discovery process, which will help the management console to make contact with the components installed, you click the Next button.

We stopped by default components that are marked and you click the Next button.

We add in the search the local machine, for this we click on the Add button on Local Computer, and then the Next button.

To begin the discovery we click the Next button.

Once the discovery, we click the Finish button.

If everything went smoothly, the farm appears as Pipo e2H OK.

Then we create a group of desks, for it is necessary to have a virtualization environment, either XenServer or vSphere, in our case we will use XenServer.

To perform this step we right-click on the name of the farm Pipo e2H and select the option Create desktop group.

In the Welcome screen you click the Next button.

In the type of assignment desks group we choose Pooled, which randomly assigned desks to each customer who requests one. When you check the option you click the Next button.

We chose our infrastructure virtualization, XenServer, and as we said we click the Next button.

Enter the IP address of our server XenServer, credentials and access to, we click the Next button.

Once validated access to our XenServer, customers ask us to add the group to be given to requests. There must be some in our XenServer virtual machine to be used by customers for this purpose we click on the Add button. We are virtual machines available on our XenServer, we scored again and we click the OK button and then click the Next button. The selected virtual machine has to be our Active Directory, if not we can create the account and associate it with the wizard.

Now choose which users will access available to this group of desks, for this lab we will choose all domain users. To do this we click on the Add button, choose the desired group and we click the OK button. After choosing the group you click the Next button.

We assign a name to the group, we introduce the name Demo and you click the Next button.

We choose the icon that appears in the publication and you click the Next button. We leave the default.

Finally we click the Finish button and we wish that the group is activated at the end and we will not set any advanced options.

To check which is published desktop, you open a browser and takes you to the web address of the server, in our case http://sti-xdi-svr1. Introducing our credentials and accept the installation of necessary component in order to use remote desktops.

Installing Agent XenDesktop

To install the agent can follow the article of this blog called Installing Agent XenDesktop at a desk .

Installation Testing

The following video shows what has been the result of the whole installation process.

About José Luis Gómez Ferrer de Couto

ICT Manager Solutions Soltel