Remote Desktop Load Simulator

The Remote Desktop Load Simulation toolset is used for server capacity planning and performance/scalability analysis.

In a server-based computing environment, all application execution and data processing occur on the server. Therefore it is extremely interesting to test the scalability and capacity of servers to determine how many client sessions a server can typically support under a variety of different scenarios. One of the most reliable ways to find out the number or users a server can support for a particular scenario is to log on a large number of users on the server simultaneously. The Remote Desktop Load Simulation tools provide the functionality which makes it possible to generate the required user load on the server.

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=c3f5f040-ab7b-4ec6-9ed3-1698105510ad&displaylang=en

Windows 7, ESX 4, and Citrix XenDesktop

VMware currently does not officially support Windows 7 on ESX 4 (it's experimental). I've seen issues with VMware Tools on Windows 7 VMs.

Since VMware does not support it, Citrix does not support Windows 7 on ESX 4 either. I've experienced several issues related to Provisioning Server 5.1 SP1 and Windows 7 on ESX 4.

VMware will eventually release official support for Windows 7 on ESX 4 but Citrix won't support it immediately. I don't know how much testing time they require before they will eventually support it.

Windows 7 with PvS 5.1 SP1 is supported by Citrix on Hyper-V and XenServer.

Remote Desktop Connection 7.0 is now available

RDP Client 7.0 is now available for Windows XP and Windows Vista.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/969084

Hotfix PSE450R04W2K3035 - For Citrix Presentation Server 4.5 and XenApp 5.0 for Windows Server 2003 x86

This hotfix replaces several older XenApp hotfixes and includes new fixes related to custom administrators. The most important addition is increased reliability for license server connectivity issues.

Users might not be able to connect when there are communication problems between the server and the license server. After applying this fix, the connection to the license server is reinitialized when communication errors occur and the following message is written to the System Event log:

Source: MetaFrame
Event ID: 9031
Description: A Citrix licensing request has timed out. This might be an indication of communication problems between this server and the license server. As a result, the server has reinitialized its connection with the license server. All licenses checked out by this server have been checked back in and attempts will be made to check the licenses out again.

Reinitiating the connection to the license server works around temporary communication problems. However, if the event is logged repeatedly, Citrix recommends that you investigate your network health.

[From PSE450R04W2K3035][#209944]

32-bit = http://support.citrix.com/article/ctx123007
64-bit = http://support.citrix.com/article/ctx123008

EdgeSight for XenApp 5.2.1 and EdgeSight for Endpoints 5.2.1 NEW!

https://www.citrix.com/English/SS/downloads/details.asp?downloadId=1681164&productId=25119

LIMITED RELEASE - Hotfix XAE500W2K8X64032 - For Citrix XenApp 5.0 for Windows Server 2008 x64

There are several additional cpsvc (printer) fixes in this hotfix:

New Fixes in This Release

1. The ICA Listener setting "By default, connect only the client's main printer" is not honored on Windows Server 2008.

   [From XAE500W2K8X64032][#199378]

2. The Citrix Print Manager Service (cpsvc.exe) might exit unexpectedly and continue to exit after manually restarting it.

   [From XAE500W2K8X64032][#215074]

http://support.citrix.com/article/CTX122776

Introducing Windows Server 2008 R2 eBook Available as Free Download

http://download.microsoft.com/download/5/C/0/5C0BD0AB-040D-4C56-A60B-661001012DDA/Windows_Server_2008_R2_e-book.pdf

Windows 7 on ESX 4

The VMware Tools on Windows 7 on ESX 4 seems to have a video issue. After installing the video driver, scrolling in programs like Event Viewer results in a lockup of the console. RDP works but vSphere Client console connections do not.

When installing theVMware Tools, deselect the SVGA driver.

Access Gateway 4.6.1, Standard Edition

What's new in Access Gateway 4.6.1, Standard Edition

Quote:

This release of Access Gateway Standard Edition supports the following:

• Access Gateway Plug-in support for Microsoft Windows 7 (32-bit and 64-bit)
• Access Gateway Plug-in support for Microsoft Windows Vista 64-bit
• Access Gateway Plug-in for Mac OS X
• Microsoft Internet Explorer 8

The following new features are included in 4.6.1:

Access Gateway Plug-in and Citrix Receiver Integraton
Access Gateway Standard Edition supports Citrix Receiver, Citrix Merchandising Server, and Dazzle, which are components of the Citrix Delivery Center. Citrix Receiver, Citrix Merchandising Server, and Dazzle streamline the installation and management of application delivery to user desktops. For more information, see Integrating the Access Gateway Plug-in with Citrix Receiver.

Secure Ticket Authority redundancy
You can configure multiple redundant Secure Ticket Authorities (STAs) for users accessing their resources through the Access Gateway. This enables you to mitigate against the possibility of the STA becoming unavailable midway through a user's session, preventing reconnection to the session. When redundancy is enabled, the Web Interface attempts to obtain and deliver to the Access Gateway two tickets from two different STAs. If one of the STAs cannot be contacted during a user session, the session continues uninterrupted using the second STA. To configure the STA for redundancy, you must be using Web Interface 5.2 and Access Gateway Standard Edition, Version 4.6.1. For more information about configuring the Web Interface, see Configuring Access Gateway Settings in Web Interface 5.2.

A list of fixed issues is available from this article.

Web Interface 5.2 New Features

XenDesktop User Roaming. If a user is in a remote office and accesses the local Web Interface server, Web Interface will redirect the user to the user's home farm instead of the local farm.

It is configured by modifying webinterface.conf. More info at eDocs.

Web Interface Disaster Recovery Farms. By default, apps are aggregated across every farm listed in the WI config. This new option allows you to failover to additional farms only if every production farm is inaccessible.

Another feature only configurable by modifying webinterface.conf. More info at eDocs.

Web Interface 5.2 STA Redundancy

Here's a new option in the Web Interface 5.2 console when specifying Secure Gateway Settings. "Request tickets from two STAs, where available". More info at eDocs.

Using App-V debugging mode for running applications without sequencing

Replacement for AIE, especially since it's now included for free in the RDS CAL?

http://gallery.technet.microsoft.com/ScriptCenter/en-us/f632175d-42a5-41b5-be81-67de7b735a02

EdgeSight 5.2 Agent for virtual desktops

EdgeSight 5.2 DVD does not include the Agent for virtual desktops.

XenApp 5.0 Feature Pack 2 for 2008 DVD does not include EdgeSight (Service Monitoring).

XenApp 5.0 Feature Pack 2 for 2003 DVD does include EdgeSight 5.2 and the agent for virtual desktops but does not include the agent for Endpoints.