Install and Configure Citrix XenApp 6.5 (Part IV)

After installation and configuration of Citrix XenApp, it is ready for use.
To reduce trouble, you are highly recommended to complete the following tasks:

1. Add local administrators group as Citrix Administrators
2. Create a worker group for your XenApp servers (you may need more later)
3. Create a "baseline computer policy"(i.e. common settings for XenApp servers unless configured by other policy)
4. Add COM+ Network Access features 
5. Applying any critical rollup pack or hotfix

Add local administrators group as Citrix Administrators

Why? Remember the following screen in Part III?

 
 What if this domain user account is deleted or domain removal ? Whole XenApp farm gone. It is a terrible disaster in production!

 The tasks is done in Citrix AppCenter console

 

right-click "Administrators" and select "Add Administrator"

 

Select "Add local administrators"

 

 Select "Full Administration" and click "Finish"

 

This XenApp farm is  still be managed now even you rejoin this server to another domain.

Create a worker group for your XenApp servers 

A worker group is a group of XenApp servers without a farm. This logical units are used for computer policy assignment.

This task is done in Citrix AppCenter. 

 

Right-click "Work group" and select "Create work group"

 

Fill in the name and select sources. Servers can come from Active Directory container (OU) or server in XenApp farm. Selecting OU is a good idea to simplify management. You can assign policy to servers in this worker group by adding new servers to this OU.

 Create a "baseline computer policy"

Citrix policy is a set of configuration that can be applied to XenApp servers or users...etc. Citrix policy now can be stored in Active Directory or XenApp database (i.e. SQL database).

"Unfiltered policy" may be useful but it will not be good idea if you have multiple baseline settings

You can complete this task in Citrix AppCenter (stored in XenApp Database) or other Active Directory Management tools e.g. gpmc.msc .

Citrix AppCenter is used in this example.

Click "New..."

 

Fill in the name 

Configure the settings required. Each setting comes with explanation.  The top right corner is search box for you to find the items

For important configuration, the following items needed to set in order to reduce potential trouble.

1. License server host name 
2. License server port
3. Load evaluator name
4. XenApp product edition
5. XenApp product model
6. XML service port
7. Trust XML request

 

Select the target the policy assign to. Remember you have created worker groups ? use them here.

 

Click "Create" to complete.

 

Click "Higher" to move up the new policy after you create it.

Add COM+ Network Access roles services

This Windows feature is important if you need to use Citrix AppCenter to manage XenApp remotely. 

Select "COM+ Network Access" in Application server role

 

 

Applying any critical rollup pack or hotfix

Applying rollup pack or hotfix is critiical to XenApp. You can find them in http://support.citrix.com 

Remember to backup your production XenApp server before doing this critical task. Down time is required. 

Notes: Never do this task in remote desktop or ICA session or you will get error.

I hope the articles series can help you in XenApp deployment.