XenApp 6.5 in the cloud

Build Your Own XenApp 6.5 in the Cloud

I previously posted how to create a XenApp 6.0 server in Amazon EC2. Now that XenApp 6.5 is released, some folks might want to build XA 6.5 in the cloud. We have already built a “ready to use” XenApp server in Amazon EC2. You can Just search for the AMI ID ami-6b994802 and launch it.

The following are the instructions to create your own XenApp 6.5 server in the cloud. The instructions are for the Amazon EC2 Cloud, although they could be adapted for use with any cloud provider.

Creating a XenApp 6.5 Server in the cloud (Amazon EC2 for example):

Windows Prep

• Sign in to the Amazon Web Services Console
• Select the Amazon EC2 Tab
• Select Images –> AMIs
• View Amazon Images
• Search for WIndows Platforms –> 2008R2
  • XenApp 6.5 runs on Windows 2008R2
• Launch the AMI
  • Make sure you launch it in the same Availability Zone as your other AMI’s and volumes
• Right-Click to Get Administrator Password
• RDP to the instance (command prompt, mstsc /admin)
• Change password (Administrative Tools –> Computer Management –> Users –> <user> right click –> Set Password.
• Set Ec2Config Service Settings. Program Files –> Amazon –> Ec2ConfigSetup –> Ec2ConfigServiceSettings.exe.
  • Uncheck (disable) Set Computer Name.
  • Uncheck (disable) Initialize Drives
  • Uncheck (disable) Set Password, both random and feature after sysprep.
• Set Computer Name. My Computer –> right click –> Properties –> Computer Name –> Change –> <new computer name>.
  • You will use this hostname to apply for a XenApp license, so make note of it.
• Restart.

XenApp 6.5 Install

• Download the XenApp 6.5 ISO Image from the Citrix download site
  • XenApp 6.5 for W2K8R2 can be downloaded from here
• Mount the XenApp 6.5 ISO Image using Virtual Clone Drive
• Install XenApp Server from the XenApp 6.5 ISO image
• Add server roles
  • License Server
  • XenApp
  • Web Interface
  • XML Service IIS Integration
• Copy your license file to C:\Program Files (x86)\Citrix\Licensing\MyFiles

Re-register XML service on port 8081

• Open a Windows Command prompt in Administrator mode
• ctxxmlss /u
• ctxxmlss /r8081
• iisreset

Launch XenApp AppCenter (formerly Delivery Services Console)

• This program can be found under Administrative Tools
• Publish Notepad, IE and Desktop
  • Citrix AppCenter -> Citrix Resources -> XenApp -> <farm name> -> Applications -> Publish application.
• Set Policies
  • Citrix AppCenter -> Citrix Resources -> XenApp -> <farm name> -> Policies.
  • Computer -> Settings.
  • Licensing -> Hostname (set this to the license server hostname, or localhost)
  • Licensing -> Server Port (Use default value)
  • XML Service -> Trust XML requests = Enabled.
  • XML Service -> XML service port = 8081
  • Open a Windows Command prompt as Administrator and run:
    • Gpupdate /force

Launch XenApp Web Interface Console

• Change XML port to 8081
  • Citrix Web Interface -> XenApp Web Sites -> Server Farms -> Edit … change the XML port to 8081.
  • Repeat the process for other XenApp Web Sites and XenApp Services Sites.
• Auto populate the Domain
  • Citrix Web Interface -> XenApp Web Sites -> <site name> -> Authentication methods -> Explicit -> Properties -> Authentication Type -> Settings -> Display Domain Box – Prepopulated.
  • Hide Domain Box.

• Set Client Secure Access mode to “Alternate” for EC2 Images only (not VPC images)
• Upload SetAltAddressService.exe to c:\drive
• Install SetAltAddressService.exe
  • From command prompt: c:\windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v2.0.*\installutil.exe c:\setAltAddressService.exe
  • Username/password: <domain or localhost>\Administrator, <password>
  • Set the service to start Automatically.

Clone the Server

• From the Amazon Web Services Console select Instances under navigation
• Highlight the server you just created
• Right-Click “Create Image (EBS AMI)”

Make it public

• When the building of the AMI (cloning) is finished, set permissions to public so others can launch it (unless you want to keep it hidden).

Note: To change the name of the server to eliminate duplicate hostnames & licensing

• If this is a single server farm you can just rename the server and get a new license file. Removing the server from the farm would have no effect as it’s the only host in the farm

Source: http://blogs.citrix.com/2012/01/26/xenapp-6-5-in-the-cloud/