XenDesktop 5 Database Sizing and Mirroring Best Practices

XenDesktop 5 Database Sizing and Mirroring Best Practices Guide Available!

Document ID: CTX127939   /   Created On: 12-Jan-2011   /   Updated On: 17-Jan-2011

http://support.citrix.com/article/ctx127939

XenDesktop Overview Video Series Available from Citrix

http://community.citrix.com/display/ocb/2011/01/06/XenDesktop+5+Overview+Video+Series

The above link has some great XenDesktop 5 overview videos that would be worth a watch if you have a chance.

Dynamic Color Compression cuts bandwidth consumption by 35%

http://community.citrix.com/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=158569914

The ICA protocol is widely recognized as the most bandwidth-efficient remoting protocol in the industry, and it keeps getting better. Through integration with HDX Adaptive Orchestration, the Extra Color Compression feature introduced in XenDesktop 4 Feature Pack 1 has been enhanced in XenDesktop 5 to automatically adjust based on available network bandwidth. Dynamic Color Compression takes advantage of the fact that the human eye is less sensitive to color information (Chroma) than luminance (Luma). When images are encoded with less color information, the bandwidth savings are huge yet the human eye still sees a very satisfactory picture. Most of today's digital cameras use this technique to save on storage space.

When there is plenty of bandwidth available HDX provides a "visually lossless" experience for Windows 7 desktops by disabling extra color compression. But on low bandwidth connections, HDX Adaptive Orchestration dynamically enables extra color compression, which uses lower color resolution for the images. This results in about 35% bandwidth savings! By default, extra color compression is enabled for connections below 2 Mbps.

                                        Extra Color Compression enabled (left) and disabled (right)
Citrix XenDesktop administrators can override this default behavior by creating an image compression user policy in Desktop Studio.  This feature exposes two configuration settings.

When enabled, Extra Color Compression is applied whenever the effective bandwidth of the network connection falls below the threshold value specified in the Extra Color Compression Threshold setting.  Otherwise, extra color compression is disabled irrespective of the connection bandwidth.

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XenDesktop 5 SQL Profiler Template Availble

A useful troubleshooting tool from Citrix has been released for XenDesktop.

The SQL profiler template allows data capture of XenDesktop 5 SQL activity for troubleshooting purposes. There are two templates included:
XenDesktop 5 SQL2008R2 Profiler Template for SQL 2008R2
XenDesktop 5 SQL2008 Profiler Template for SQL 2008

Prerequisites

SQL 2008 or SQL 2008 R2

Installing XenDesktop 5 SQL Profiler Template

1.     Start SQL Profiler 2008 or SQL 2008.
Example Start > All Programs > Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 > Performance Tools > SQL Server Profiler

2.     Click on File > Templates > Import Template.

3.     Select XD5 SQL Profiler Trace SQL2008R2 or SQL 2008, depending on your SQL edition.

4.     Enable file rollover and set the value to at least 100 megabytes.

5.     When you are ready to reproduce the event, click Run.

6.     Once the event has been reproduced, click on the red Stop button to stop the trace.

7.     Save the log file and upload for analysis.

Download here: http://support.citrix.com/article/CTX127257

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Single Sign-On 4.8 and XenDesktop 5

Single Sign-On Support for XenDesktop 5. Nice support article from Citrix.

http://support.citrix.com/article/CTX127811

Finding a Better Way to Estimate IOPS for VDI

 

Great article from Paul Wilson at Citrix on IOPS calcualtions for VDI. Well worth a read.

http://community.citrix.com/display/ocb/2010/10/31/Finding+a+Better+Way+to+Estimate+IOPS+for+VDI

Great XenDesktop Tuning Policy for Windows 7

XenApp blogs have produced yet another excellent tuning policy for Citrix deployments. This is a worthwhile read and should always be part of best practice standards.

http://www.xenappblog.com/2010/vdi-tuning-group-policy/

XenClient 1.0 Released

Citrix have announced general availability of XenClient 1.0 and the Synchronizer for XenClient 1.0 as part of XenDesktop 4 Feature Pack 2.

As a new addition to XenDesktop, XenClient enables virtual desktops "To Go" allowing virtual desktops to run directly on client devices online or disconnected. It enables IT to deliver a secure centrally managed desktop without compromising the user experience and at the same time opening up the option of allowing users to have a second personal virtual desktop. It gives users the freedom they want and IT the control and security they demand.
Download Link
XenClient 1.0 and Synchronizer for XenClient 1.0
New Features since RC2 release
The time between RC2 and GA was mainly focused on bug fixing but our amazing engineering team still managed to pack in some great new features and expanded our HCL to cover twice the systems we supported in the first RC. You can read about the new features added in the recent RC2 release here and here below are the latest additions:
Integrated Disk Encryption
VMs delivered to XenClient from the Synchronizer can now be protected with AES-XTS disk encryption. This ensures that sensitive data is fully protected when deployed on XenClient systems. In the event a system is lost or stolen all the data remains protected from unauthorized access. On systems with Core i5 and Core i7 vPro technology XenClient will use Intel AES-NI to offload encryption operations to the hardware.
External Monitor/Projector Support
The latest generation of Intel Core i5 and i7 vPro systems now fully support use of external monitors and projectors. Previously using external monitors and projectors required running a VM with 3D graphics support enabled.
XenClient to Synchronizer Communication Hardening
XenClient systems will now use client side digital certificates along with user credentials to authenticate to the Synchronizer. Additionally all VHD files are encrypted with AES CBC encryption to allow secure delivery and caching of components over http.
VM Switching Enhancements
The in-guest VM switcher bar has been re-skinned with updated graphics and new pull-down behavior. And the switching process has been revamped with a beautiful fade on switch between VMs.
Revamped Synchronizer Web Interface
The Synchronizer for XenClient has a revamped UI and refreshed graphics showing off the latest Citrix UI standards.
This groundbreaking new technology is ready to allow you to extend all the great benefits of virtual desktops to your mobile users and a powerful tool for IT Pros looking to run multiple isolated virtual machines on the same system. If you have not tried XenClient yet we invite you to download it today and give it a try.

XenDesktop & XenApp: Next generation access security that fits your business

I am looking forward to the Citrix webinar this afternoon.
http://www.citrix.com/English/NE/events/event.asp?eventID=2303876

Should be an interesting session.

Cisco, Citrix and NetApp vs. VMware...Ding Ding...Round 1

Cut Costs with Desktop Virtualization Solutions

Cisco and Citrix combine forces for comprehensive desktop virtualization solutions that make it easier and more cost-effective to deliver high-definition virtual desktops and applications to users across the enterprise.

Citrix Systems is a leading provider of virtual computing solutions. Citrix combines virtualization, networking, and cloud computing technologies into a full portfolio of products that help enable:

• Virtual work styles for users
• Virtual data centers for IT

Cisco compute and networking solutions have been validated with Citrix XenDesktop. Together, they deliver desktops and applications on demand, anywhere, anytime, and on any device, to help increase productivity for a global workforce.

Deployed on a platform built from the beginning to support virtualized environments, this solution:

• Delivers exceptional user experience.
• Helps IT organizations make desktop operations centralized, highly secure, and compliant
• Better supports the vital aspect of business: people

Virtual Desktop
Get enterprise-scale virtual desktop solutions with the Cisco Unified Computing System and Citrix XenDesktop software. You can balance both:

• User needs for more mobility, flexibility, self-service, and choice
• IT needs to centralize desktop infrastructure, help secure mission-critical data, and respond quickly to changing requirements.

The Cisco Data Center Designs: Desktop Virtualization solution with Citrix XenDesktop helps enable:

• Increased mobility, flexibility, and productivity for your global workforce
• High-performance, scalable, and agile infrastructure
• Exceptional user experiences facilitated by Citrix HDX technology
• Highly secure IT operations and increased compliance by centralizing desktop infrastructure and enterprise-critical data

At a glance
Cisco Desktop Virtualisation Solution with Citrix Xendesktop 1MB
Solutions Overview
Cisco Desktop Virtualisation Solution with Citrix Xendesktop 3MB

Cisco and Citrix Deliver Comprehensive Desktop Virtualization Solution

http://newsroom.cisco.com/dlls/2010/prod_090810.html
 "Cisco and Citrix Systems announced they are working together to deliver a new combined desktop virtualization solution that will make it easier and more cost effective for businesses to deploy high-definition virtual desktops and applications to all users across the enterprise. The new Cisco® Desktop Virtualization Solution with Citrix XenDesktop combines Cisco unified computing and Citrix desktop virtualization technologies including FlexCastTM and HDXTM, to deliver the most cost-effective, scalable and high-performance solution for hosting, securing and optimizing the delivery of virtual desktops and applications. Cisco Desktop Virtualization Solution with Citrix XenDesktop is available now through joint channel partners."

Configuring XenDesktop with a Web Proxy

If you have ever tried to configure a XenDesktop Pool you sometimes find that the connection to the hosting infrastructure can be a pain and its often down to web proxy servers that you are not aware about. A nice quick article has been written that details this situation and a work around that is worth a read.


http://vblog.wwtlab.com/2010/08/03/xendesktopandaproxy/