Simplify lifecycle management of desktop images …docs.citrixvirtualclassroom.com/ServicesSPO/SPOPVS6.docx · Web viewThe Provisioning Services infrastructure is based on software-streaming

Simplify lifecycle management of desktop images with provisioning services

Self-paced exercise guide

Page 1

Table of Contents

Table of Contents............................................................................................2

Overview.........................................................................................................3

Exercise 1: Integrated vDisk Versioning.........................................................5

Exercise 2: Merging vDisks...........................................................................17

Exercise 3: vDisk Replication........................................................................29

Page 2

OverviewProvisioning Services OverviewThe Provisioning Services infrastructure is based on software-streaming technology. This technology allows computers to be provisioned and re-provisioned in real-time from a single shared-disk image. In doing so, administrators can completely eliminate the need to manage and patch individual systems. Instead, all image management is done on the master image called a vDisk. The local hard-disk drive of each system may be used for runtime data caching or, in some scenarios, removed from the system entirely, which reduces power usage, system failure rates, and security risks.

In this lab, you will learn about the various image management features provided by Provisioning Services. You will learn about vDisk versioning, merging vDisks, and vDisk replication.

Hands-on Training ModuleThis training module has the following details:

Objective

Provide hands-on experience with image management features of Provisioning Services 6.x.

Provide hands-on experience with the capabilities for vDisks.

Audience

Citrix Partners; Provisioning Services, XenDesktop and XenApp administrators, engineers and architects.

Lab Environment DetailsThis section is used to describe the lab environment and the virtual machines that are used.

VM Name IP Address DescriptionAD.training.lab

192.168.10.11 Windows Server 2008 R2. Domain controller for training.lab, DNS, and DHCP services

SQLServer 192.168.10.12 Windows Server 2008 R2. SQL Server 2008 R2 hosting the Provisioning Services database

PVS1 192.168.10.25 Windows Server 2008 R2. Provisioning Services 6.1

PVS2 192.168.10.26 Windows Server 2008 R2. Provisioning Services

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6.1Win7Target DHCP Windows 7 Target DeviceWin7-P001 DHCP Windows 7 diskless virtual machineWin7-P002 DHCP Windows 7 diskless virtual machineWin7-P003 DHCP Windows 7 diskless virtual machine

NOTE: This is a shared lab environment image and not all virtual machines will be used.

NOTE: If prompted with a dialog to restart on any virtual machine, always select Restart Later.

Required Lab Credentials

Below you can find the login credentials required to connect to the workshop system and complete the lab exercises.

Domain/Machine

Username Password Description

Training.lab Administrator

Citrix123 Domain Administrator

Training.lab User1 Citrix123 Domain User

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Exercise 1: Integrated vDisk VersioningOverviewIn this exercise you will promote target devices to various types and verify the behavior using different vDisk versions associated with them.

Step-by-step guidanceEstimated time to complete this lab: 25 minutes.Step Action

1. From within XenCenter, shutdown the SQLServer2, VDA, Win7Client, XA1, XA2 and XD virtual machines and power on PVS1 and PVS2.

2. Log on to PVS1 as training\administrator with password Citrix1233. Launch the Provisioning Services Console (icon located on the

Desktop).4. Click Connect to connect to the farm5. In the Console tree pane, expand Farm, then Sites then expand Site,

and click on the Servers node6. Right-click PVS1 and select Properties7. Under Options, tick Automate computer account password

updates and click OK.8. Click Yes to restart the Stream Service9. Repeat steps 6-8 for PVS2

10. Wait a moment and then press F5 to refresh the view. Ensure that both servers show as available (or keep refreshing until they do).

11. Click on vDisk Pool and then Select the Win7 vDisk on the right panel.

12. Expand Device Collections then drag and drop the Win7 vDisk from vDisk Pool to the Collection under Device Collections.

Exercise 1: Integrated vDisk Versioning Page 5

Step Action13. Select Yes to Replace vDisk assignments.

14. Click the Collection node to select it15. In the right-pane, click the Win7-P001 device to select it. Then hold

the Shift key and click Win7-P003 to select all three devices16. Right-click on one of these selected devices and go to Active

Directory > Create Machine Account…17. Select PVS for the Organization unit and then click the Create

Account.18. Wait a moment for the accounts to be created and show a status of

Success. Then click Close.19. From XenCenter right-click on Win7Target and select Start.20. Login to Win7Target as training\administrator with password

Citrix123. From the system tray, right-click on the flashing Virtual Disk icon and select Virtual Disk Status to verify the Virtual Disk Information:

Virtual Disk: Win7.vhdMode: vDisk: Read Only, Cache Type: server

21. Close the Virtual Disk Status dialog.22. Switch back to PVS1. In the console tree select the vDisk Pool and

then right-click on the Win7 vDisk and select Versions…


Step Action23. Click on the New button on the top right and verify that a new

version with Access type of Maintenance is created. Click Done.

24. In the console tree, expand the Device Collections folder then click on the Collection node. The target devices display in the details pane. Right-click on the Win7-P001 target device then select Properties. Change the Type under the general tab to Maintenance. Click OK.


Step Action25. In XenCenter, right-click on Win7-P001 and select Start. Verify a

Boot Menu shows up with a maintenance option. Choose option 1) Win7.1 [maint].

NOTE: A boot menu always shows up if the vDisk has a maintenance version. If the menu is not shown and the virtual machine does not boot, try pressing Enter as the menu portion of the window may not be immediately visible.

26. Login to Win7-P001 as training\administrator with password Citrix123. Double-click on the Virtual Disk Status in the system tray and verify Virtual Disk Information:

Virtual Disk: Win7.1.avhdMode: vDisk: Read/Write

27. Close the Virtual Disk Status dialog.28. Open Windows Explorer and navigate to \\AD\software. Run the

Firefox setup executable.29. Click Next on the Welcome Screen.


Step Action30. Leave Standard selected and click Next.

31. Uncheck “Use Firefox as my default web browser” and click Install.

32. Uncheck “Launch Firefox now” and click Finish.


Step Action33. Verify a Firefox icon is placed on the Desktop.

34. From XenCenter, Shutdown target device Win7-P001.35. Switch back to PVS1. In the console tree select the vDisk Pool and

then right-click on the Win7 vDisk, select Versions… Select the Maintenance version and click on Promote… Set version access to Test and click OK.

36. Select the Test version you just promoted and click on Properties. Type Version with Firefox for the description and click OK.

37. Still under vDisk Versions, select the Test version and click on New. Verify a Maintenance version was created. Click Done.


Step Action38. Expand the Device Collections folder then click on the Collection

node. The target devices displays in the details pane. Right-click on the Win7-P002 target device then select Properties. Change the Type under the general tab to Test. Click OK.

Note: The MAC address for your target device might be different.39. From XenCenter, right-click on Win7-P002 and select Start. Choose

option 1) Win7.1 [test] from the Boot Menu.


Step Action40. Login as training\administrator with password Citrix123 and

verify under Virtual Disk Status in the system tray the name for the Virtual Disk: Win7.1.avhd.

NOTE: The Firefox shortcut should be visible on the Desktop.41. In XenCenter, right-click on Win7-P001 and select Start. Verify that

the following versions show on the Boot Menu. Select version 1) Win 7.2 [maint].

42. Login to Win7-P001 as training\administrator with password Citrix123 and verify the virtual disk changed to Win7.2.avhd.


Step Action43. Switch to PVS1 and verify the vDisks created under C:\store.

vDisk Version

Target Device Type

Win7.1.avhd Win7-P002 TestWin7.2.avhd Win7-P001 MaintenanceWin7.vhd Win7Target Base

(Production)

44. Verify the write cache under C:\store\WriteCache.

Win7-P002_Win7.1 – Read Only modeWin7TargetPVS_Win7 – Read Only modeWin7-P001 – no write cache – Read/Write mode


Step Action45. In the console tree select the vDisk Pool in the tree and right-click

on the Win7 vDisk then select Versions… Select the Test version and click on Promote… Leave Availability as Immediate then click OK.

46. An error message will show up since Win7-P002 is using the Test version. Click OK.

47. Shutdown the Win7-P002 target device from XenCenter.


Step Action48. Click on Promote again. Leave Availability as Immediate, click OK

and click Done.

49. Expand the Device Collections node then click on the Collection node. The target devices displays in the details pane. Verify the Type for Win7-P003 target device is set to Production.

50. From XenCenter, right-click on Win7-P003 and select Start.51. Login to Win7-P003 as training\administrator with password

Citrix123 and verify on the Virtual Disk Status that you are using Virtual Disk: Win7.1.avhd.


Step Action52. From XenCenter, right-click on Win7-P001 and select Shut Down.53. Switch back to PVS1. In the console tree select the vDisk Pool and

then right-click on the Win7 vDisk, select Versions… Select the top version (Maintenance) and click on Promote. Set version access to: Test and click OK.

54. Select the newly created Test version and click on New. A vDisk with Access Maintenance will show as Version 3. Click Done.

55. From XenCenter, right-click on Win7-P002 and select Start. Choose option 1) Win7.2 [test] from the Boot Menu.

56. From XenCenter, right-click on Win7-P001 and select Start. Choose option 1) Win7.3 [maint] from the Boot Menu.

57. Switch to PVS1 and in the console tree select the vDisk Pool and then right-click on the Win7 vDisk, select Show Usage…


Step Action58. Verify 2 target devices are running the vDisk in Access mode

Production, 1 target device is running in Test and 1 target device in Maintenance of Production or Test. Click Close.

NOTE: If 4 target devices are not displayed click Refresh.

59. Shutdown the Win7-P001 target device.END OF EXERCISE

Summary


Key Takeaways

The key takeaways for this exercise are: vDisk Versioning :

o Image updating & rollback without ever having to copy a VHD.

o Image lifecycle management of create/update, test and production.

o Ability to stream a disk in multiple modes simultaneously.

If booting a Test or Maintenance device, a boot menu displays that allows the user to select from which vDisk, or version of that vDisk, to boot from.

If Access displays as blank, this version is considered released to production but is not the version currently selected from which devices should boot.

Maintenance is a new read/write difference disk version that is only available to the first Maintenance device that selects to boot from it to make updates.

Each time the vDisk is to be updated, a new version of that vDisk is created (VHD file) to capture the changes without changing the base vDisk image.


Exercise 2: Merging vDisksOverviewIn this exercise you will merge VHD differencing disk files to a partial merge combining a chain of VHD differencing disks and also to a new base image.


1. Switch back to PVS1.2. In the console tree select the vDisk Pool and then right-click on the

Win7 vDisk, select Versions… Verify the Merge option on the right is grayed out.

NOTE: A merge can only occur when no Maintenance version exists for this vDisk or when the vDisk is in Private Image mode.

Exercise 2: Merging vDisks Page 19

Step Action3. Promote the Maintenance version to Production with Immediate

availability. You will receive a warning about existing test versions. Click OK.

4. Click on Merge. Select Merged Updates – All updates from last base. Set merge version access to: Test. Click OK.


Step Action5. A new version will show the Access as Merging. Click Refresh.

6. Version 4 now will show Type Merged Updates and Access Test. Click Done.

7. From XenCenter, shutdown target devices: Win7-P002 and Win7Target.


Step Action8. In the PVS Console tree select the vDisk Pool and then right-click on

the Win7 vDisk, select Versions… Select version 4 and click on Promote. Leave Availability as Immediate then Click OK.

9. Verify only versions 3 and 2 became obsolete, since Win7-P003 is still using version 1.

10. Start the Win7Target target device.


Step Action11. Switch back to the PVS Console. Click on Refresh and for the Boot

production devices from version: select 0.

12. Verify you have Version 0 as the production listed with Access Override. Click Done.


Step Action13. Expand the Device Collections node then click on the Collection

node. The target devices displays in the details pane. Right-click on the Win7-P002 target device then select Properties. Change the Type from Test to Production. Click OK.

14. Start target device Win7-P002.15. In the PVS Console tree select the vDisk Pool and then right-click on

the Win7 vDisk, select Show Usage…


Step Action16. Verify Win7-P002 is using version 0 (Access Override), since it

was the version set to be the new production on the previous step 11. Click Close.

NOTE: You might need to click Refresh.17. On the Win7 vDisk, right-click and select Versions… Select version

4 and click New. A new version 5 will show as Maintenance. Select Version 2 and click Delete… Click Yes.


Step Action18. Verify both versions 2 and 3 were deleted.

19. Promote version 5 to Test and click OK.


Step Action20. Click on Merge and select Merged Base - Last base + all updates

from that base.Set merge version access to: Test. Click OK.

21. Verify target devices are still using Versions 0, 1 and 4 while the merge was performed.

22. From XenCenter, shutdown the Win7-P002 target device.


Step Action23. Switch back to the PVS Console and click Refresh on the Win7 vDisk

Versions screen. Verify you still can’t delete Version 0 since it’s the Production version.

NOTE: Full merge (merged base: last base + all updates from that base) can take a few minutes. Wait for the merging status to change to Test.

24.[23.] Change the Boot production devices from version to Newest released.Promote the top Version 6 and set Availability to Immediate. Click OK and OK to the Warning for pending versions.

25.[24.] From XenCenter, shutdown Win7Target and Win7-P003 (if not already shutdown) target devices since they are using versions 4 and 1.


Step Action26.[25.] Click Refresh. Now you will be able to delete all previous versions to

6. Delete versions 5, 4, 1 and 0. Click Done.Tip: If you delete version 0 first, it will delete all the obsolete ones above.

27.[26.] Open Windows Explorer and navigate to C:\store. Verify you only have version 6 for the Win7 vDisk.

28.[27.] Switch to the PVS Console. Right-click on the Farm node and select Properties. Navigate to the vDisk Version tab and change the Alert if number of versions from base image exceeds to 3. Click OK.


Step Action29.[28.] Back to the Win7 vDisk, right-click and select Versions. Click on

New and select the newly created version 7 and then click Promote… Select Production and leave the Availability to Immediate, then click OK.

30.[29.] Click on New again and then Promote the newly created version 8 to Production with Availability as Immediate.

31.[30.] Click on New again and then Promote the newly created version 9 to Production with Availability as Immediate.

32.[31.] Click on New again and then Promote the newly created version 10 to Production with Availability as Immediate. Notice when you click OK a message will show up about the number of versions from last base exceeding the specified maximum (Step 28). Select No.


Step Action33.[32.] Delete the new versions created: 10, 9, 8 and 7. You should only

have version 6 to start the next exercise. Click Done.

END OF EXERCISE

Summary

Key Takeaways

The key takeaways for this exercise are: A full merge to a new base image combines a chain of

differencing disks and base image disks into a new single base disk. This new disk is the next version in the chain, which is given the file extension of .VHD. This method allows for the fastest disk access to the base image and is recommended when performance is more important than disk space (a new base disk is created for every merge performed).

A partial merge combines a chain of VHD differencing disks up to, but not including, the base disk into a new differencing disk. The new differencing disk has the same parent base disk image and is given the extension .aVHD.


NOTES A merge can only occur when no Maintenance version exists for this vDisk or when the vDisk is in Private Image Mode. A merge starts from the top of the chain down to a base disk. A starting disk cannot be specified for the merge.

A consolidated differencing disk merge is recommended when disk storage is limited or when the bandwidth between remote locations is limited, which makes copying large images impractical.


Exercise 3: vDisk ReplicationOverviewIn this exercise you will verify the replication status for a particular version of a vDisk and for all versions of a vDisk.


1. Still on PVS1, expand the PVS Console tree. Select the vDisk Pool in the tree and then right-click on the Win7 vDisk, select Versions. Select the top version and click on New. A Maintenance version 7 will be created.

2. Promote the version 7 from maintenance to test.3. Create a new version 8 and leave it as maintenance.

Exercise 3: vDisk Replication Page 33

Step Action4. Select Version 7 and click on Promote. Select Scheduled, take the

default date, and click OK.

5. Click on Version 8 and select Promote… Leave it as Test and click OK.


Step Action6. Click on New and a Version 9 will show as Maintenance. Click

Done.

7. Under the Collection node, change the Properties of the Win7-P002 target device to Type Test and click OK.

8. From XenCenter, start Win7-P002 and choose option 1) Win7.8 [test].


Step Action9. Start Win7-P001 and choose option 1) Win7.9 [maint.]

10. Start Win7-P003 and Win7Target.11. Switch back to PVS1 and in the PVS Console tree select the vDisk

Pool and then right-click on the Win7 vDisk, select Versions. Click on the Replication button to confirm that only PVS1 contains this vDisk at present. Click Done and leave the vDisk Versions window open.

12. Open Windows Explorer, navigate C:\store and verify the files for Win7 vDisk:

13. Connect to \\PVS2\store from Windows Explorer.


Step Action14. Copy the current versions for Win7 vDisk from the local C:\store to \\

PVS2\store. The .lok files do not need to be copied over.

15. Wait for the copy process to complete and then switch back to the PVS Console. Click on the Refresh button and then on Replication and verify all the versions are up-to-date on both servers. Click Done and Done.

Note: The copy process might take several minutes to complete.


Step Action16. Click on the Servers node, then on the right panel right-click on

PVS1 and select Rebalance Devices…

17. Select PVS1 and click on the Rebalance Devices button. Status will change to Success. Click Close.

18. Go to the Action menu and select Refresh (or press F5). The target devices should be equally balanced across both servers.

19. IMPORTANT! This is the last exercise for this lab. Please go back to the Self-paced Learning Lab site and do the following before you go:

Provide us feedback by selecting the “Take web survey…” link.

END OF EXERCISE


https://citrix.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_eJagVJz6MOVUzch

Summary

Key Takeaways

The key takeaways for this exercise are: The vDisk Version Replication Status dialog displays the

replication status availability for each server that can provide this version of the vDisk.

If a version is in Maintenance (hammer icon), Test (magnifying glass), or Pending (hour glass) states, that state displays in the first row.

A green checkmark indicates that the server has access to this version.

Orange triangle next to the server name indicates that the version has not yet been replicated or there is an issue. Placing the cursor over the triangle will display the related error message.

NOTES Blue check next to the server name indicates that the version has been replicated on the server.

Orange triangle next to the server name indicates that the version has not yet been replicated or there is an issue. Placing the cursor over the triangle will display the related error message.

To view the replication status of all versions of a vDisk on each server, right-click on the vDisk in the Console, then select Replication Status from the context menu.

Please complete the survey

We value your feedback! Please take a moment to let us know about your self-paced lab experience by completing a brief survey on the web portal before you logout.





Revision History

Revision

Change Description Updated By Date

1.0 Original Version WW Technical Readiness

June 2013

About Citrix

Citrix Systems, Inc. designs, develops and markets technology solutions that enable information technology (IT) services. The Enterprise division and the Online Services division constitute its two segments. Its revenues are derived from sales of Enterprise division products, which include its Desktop Solutions, Datacenter and Cloud Solutions, Cloud-based Data Solutions and related technical services and from its Online Services division's Web collaboration, remote access and support services. It markets and licenses its products directly to enterprise customers, over the Web, and through systems integrators (Sis) in addition to indirectly through value-added resellers (VARs), value-added distributors (VADs) and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). In July 2012, the Company acquired Bytemobile, provider of data and video optimization solutions for mobile network operators.

http://www.citrix.com

© 2013 Citrix Systems, Inc. All rights reserved.


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Documents

Simplify lifecycle management of desktop images …docs.citrixvirtualclassroom.com/ServicesSPO/SPOPVS6.docx · Web viewThe Provisioning Services infrastructure is based on software-streaming