- Lesson 1 - Getting Started with Citrix XenDesktop 5 Training
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In this lesson, we’ll look at an overview of the course, the material we’ll cover and the environment we’ll build and you’ll meet your instructor.
- Building a Desktop Virtualization Solution
- A Modest vBio of Your vInstructor
- About the Course
- Lesson 2 - Lab Setup
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The best way to learn XenDesktop is by using it. In this lesson, we’ll talk about the environment Elias uses in the course so you can build an environment and follow along with the demonstrations.
- Ways to Setup Your Lab
- The Ultimate Lab Setup
- Workstation Lab Configuration
- Software Needed
- Our Scenario Architecture
- Lesson 3 - The Course Scenario
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Scenario-based training is the hallmark of Train Signal courses. In this lesson, we’ll introduce the fictitious companies we’ll use throughout the course, EK Enterprises and Gekko Holdings, discuss why they’re using XenDesktop 5 and how it will address their needs.
- The Scenario
- EK Enterprises' Current Environment
- Gekko Holdings' Current Environment
- EK Enterprises XenDesktop 4 Project Phases
- Gekko Holdings XenDesktop 5 Project Phases
- The Installation Order
- Lesson 4 - Introduction to Desktop Virtualization
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In this lesson, we’ll talk about what desktop virtualization is, how it differs from server virtualization, how DV moves us further toward cloud computing, the different types of DV and the benefits, tips and best practices with using DV. We’ll also introduce and discuss XenDesktop in more detail, look at its components and the architecture of a XenDesktop environment.
- What is Desktop Virtualization (DV)?
- Why Are You Considering DV?
- Server Virtualization vs. Desktop Virtualization
- Journey to the Cloud
- Desktop Virtualization Types
- VDI: Server-Hosted Virtual Desktops
- Terminal Server
- Client Hypervisors
- Application Virtualization
- Thin Clients
- Desktop Virtualization Challenges
- Misconceptions
- Benefits of Using DV
- Tips and Best Practices
- Introducing Citrix XenDesktop 5
- XenDesktop 5 Components
- XenDesktop Architecture
- Lesson 5 - Planning Provisioning Server Deployment
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Provisioning Server (PVS) is an extremely effective method of managing devices, both physical and virtual. In this lesson, we’ll talk about the benefits of PVS, its components and services, the requirements to run PVS and how it fits in the XenDesktop architecture. We’ll also look at farm design and whether to install a virtual or physical PVS.
- Provisioning Server (PVS) Overview
- Scenario: EK Enterprises
- PVS Components and Services
- Boot Device Management
- Infrastructure Requirements
- PVS Farm Design
- PVS System Requirements
- Virtual or Physical PVS?
- Lesson 6 - Installing and Configuring Provisioning Server
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In this lesson, we’ll dive in and start building our environment. We’ll start by getting our infrastructure ready and then installing the Citrix License Server so all the components in our environment have a place to upload licenses. Then we’ll be ready to install and configure Provisioning Server. We’ll connect our PVS to the farm, create our first site, create a store and then test the configuration.
- Configuring Infrastructure
- Installing Citrix License Server
- Uploading a License File
- Installing PVS
- Configuring PVS
- Connecting to and Configuring a Farm
- Creating and Configuring Sites
- Role-based Administration
- Server Properties
- Testing Configuration
- Creating a Store
- XenDesktop Architecture
- Lesson 7 - Creating vDisks and Configuring Target Devices
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This lesson covers some of Elias’ favorite topics from the course. We’ll talk about the different types and modes of vDisks and Write Cache. We’ll walk through creating and assigning vDisks. Then we’ll look at how you assign vDisks to a target device, discuss what a master target device is and why you would use it. We’ll mount, unmounts and format a vDisk and finally create and stream an image.
- vDisk Modes
- Write Cache Types
- Creating a vDisk
- Assigning the vDisk to a Target Device
- Master Target Device
- Mounting, Unmounting and Formatting vDisks
- Creating an Image
- Lesson 8 - Managing vDisks, Target Devices, Servers and Printers
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In this lesson, we’ll talk about everything involved with managing your vDisks and devices. We’ll talk about how to integrate device management with Active Directory, how to streamline the process of making changes or updating a single target device and applying it throughout your environment. We’ll also look at views and organizing target devices. Finally, we’ll talk about managing servers and how to manage printers for your target devices with PVS.
- vDisk Management
- Updating a vDisk
- Rolling Back to a Previous Image
- Incremental Updates
- Automatically Adding Target Devices to Database
- Using Views to Organize Target Devices
- Importing Target Devices
- Copying and Pasting Target Device Properties
- Port Blocker
- Integrating with Active Directory
- Managing Servers
- Managing Printers
- Exercise: Updating a vDisk
- Lesson 9 - Configuring Provisioning Server High Availability
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In this lesson, we’ll start by talking about what components need to be protected with High Availability (HA). Then we’ll compare the different HA configuration types and talk about the list of tasks to configure HA. Then we’ll dive in and configure HA and load balancing for our PVS and run a failover test.
- High Availability (HA) Components
- HA Configuration Types
- HA Configuration Tasks
- Adding PVS02 to the Farm
- Adding PVS02 to the Bootstrap File
- Configuring Stream Service and Write Cache
- Enabling vDisk HA and Load Balancing
- HA Failover Test
- Lesson 10 - Planning XenDesktop 5 Deployment
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We’ll start this lesson by talking about the different editions and licensing for XenDesktop 5 and which features are included with each edition. We’ll look at FlexCast technology and the different delivery options for applications and desktops. Then we’ll discuss the XenDesktop 5 components, requirements, Controller design and XenDesktop Site Design.
- XenDesktop 5 Editions
- XenDesktop 5 Licensing
- FlexCast Technology
- XenDesktop 5 Components
- XenDesktop 5 System Requirements
- Controller Design
- XenDesktop 5 Site Design
- XenDesktop Architecture
- Lesson 11 - Installing and Configuring XenDesktop 5 – Part 1
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We start this lesson with some important considerations for getting your XenDesktop Controller to communicate with VMware vCenter. We then introduce Desktop Catalog types and Desktop Groups before demonstrating the installation of XenDesktop 5. Once we install the XenDesktop 5 Controller, we’ll walk through two ways of establishing connectivity with the host and finish up by configuring two types of Desktop Catalogs and assigning Desktop Groups.
- VMware vCenter Considerations
- VMware vCenter User Account Permissions
- Desktop Catalog Types
- Machine Creation Services (MCS)
- Desktop Groups
- Installation and Configuration Tasks
- Installing the XenDesktop 5 Controller
- Creating a Site and Establishing Connectivity with the Host
- Trusting the vCenter Default Certificate
- Modifying the Proxy.xml File
- Creating and Configuring Desktop Catalogs
- Configuring User Assignment with Desktop Groups
- Incorporating Additional Catalog Types and Desktop Groups
- Lesson 12 - Installing and Configuring XenDesktop 5 – Part 2
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In this second part of the installation and configuration, we begin by discussing and configuring the Controller and Active Directory discovery methods. We then move on to the web interface and talk about managing its settings. We then create and configure a XenApp Services Site. Finally, we wrap up the lesson by installing the Virtual Desktop Agent software on a VM.
- Configuring Controller Discovery Method
- Configuring AD Discovery Method
- Configuring the Web Interface
- Managing the XenApp Web Site's Properties
- Creating and Configuring a XenApp Services Site
- Viewing the Web Interface in a Browser
- Installing the VDA Agent on a VM
- Lesson 13 - Managing XenDesktop 5
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Now that we have successfully installed and configured XenDesktop 5, it’s time to learn how to manage it. In this lesson, we’ll look at the different management consoles for the entire deployment, including PVS, License Server and XenDesktop. We will also talk about how to manage a VM’s behavior when a user logs off, as this is no longer as simple to change as in XenDesktop 4. We’ll look at role-based access control and Citrix policies and then wrap up the lesson by testing our environment.
- Management Consoles
- Logoff Behavior
- Administration Roles
- Citrix Policies
- The Desktop Studio Dashboard
- Modifying Logoff Behavior
- Editing Desktop Group Settings
- Configuring Role-Based Access Control for Administrators
- Working with the License Management Console
- Managing HDX Policies
- Using the Modeling Wizard to Test Policy Configuration
- Testing the Environment - Launching VMs from the Web Interface
- Lesson 14 - Monitoring and Troubleshooting XenDesktop 5
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We’ll start this lesson by looking at the Desktop Director console, a tool geared at the help desk that is used to monitor and manage the XenDesktop environment. After that, we’ll move on to discuss troubleshooting XenDesktop 5. Elias will share some of his troubleshooting experiences so that you can avoid the same headaches. We’ll also look at best practices and some common troubleshooting techniques and resources that you can employ in your environment.
- Desktop Director Pages
- Default Filters
- User and Machine Management
- Working with the Desktop Director
- Large Send Offload
- Common NIC
- Disable Intermediate Buffering
- Troubleshooting
- Disabling Large Send Offload
- Creating a Common NIC
- Lesson 15 - Working with Citrix Receiver
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In this lesson, we’ll shift our focus to the client side and cover what needs to be installed and configured to give endpoint devices access to the XenDesktop environment. We’ll talk about what devices are supported, what clients and plugins you can implement, the different types of access modes, the different user experiences, how to utilize USB and Smart Cards. Finally, we’ll demonstrate how to manage preferences to control how much customization and control the endpoint devices retain.
- Clients and Plugins
- Access Modes
- Endpoint Devices
- XenDesktop User Experiences
- USB
- Smart Cards
- Installing Citrix Receiver and the Online Plugins
- Client-Managed Preferences
- Configuring Client Settings
- Lesson 16 - Working with Profile Manager
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This is one of Elias’ favorite topics. Profile Management is one of the most important topics you need to take into consideration when you’re doing anything that affects users. In this lesson, we’ll talk about why profile management is important, why you need a profile manager and what different user profile types exist. We’ll move on to Citrix Profile Manager and its components.
- Why Profile Management
- User Profile Types
- Citrix Profile Management and Profile Manager Components
- Creating a Group Policy for Profile Management
- Downloading Profile Manager and Testing Our Configuration
- Lesson 17 - Upgrading from XenDesktop 4
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In this lesson, we will review the terminology changes from XenDesktop 4 to XenDesktop 5, such as the term “farm” being replaced by “site.” We’ll also look at the architectural differences in XenDesktop 5, so you can plan accordingly and achieve a smooth transition to XD5. There are also several key tools that changed or are not available in XD5, so we will talk about how those impact configuration and managment. Finally we’ll look at how the Controller in XD5 differs from the Desktop Delivery Controller in XD4.
- Terminology Changes
- Architectural Changes
- Key Tools Changes
- Desktop Delivery Controller 4 Upgrade Options
- Upgrade Tasks
- Upgrading the Provisioning Server
- Preparing Devices to Move to XenDesktop 5 Controller
- Migrating the vDisk to the Gekko Domain and Upgrading the VDA
- Upgrading the PVS Client Software
- Lesson 18 - Preparing for the Citrix XenDesktop 5 Administration (A19) Exam
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If you’re interested in getting certified in XenDesktop 5, this lesson will help you prepare for taking exam 1Y0-A19. We’ll look at the skills measured and which lessons address each exam objective.
- Exam Profile
- Exam Topics and Weights
- Candidate Profile
- Personal Study Recommendations
- Credit Toward Certification
- Lesson 19 - Next Steps
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In this lesson, we’ll start by looking back at what we covered and what we built in the course. We’ll also talk about where to go from here and additional resources that will help you continue to advance your XenDesktop knowledge.
- Looking Back
- The Road Ahead
- My Favorite Supporting Resources
- We Value Your Opinion