Citrix CloudGateway 2.5 Technical Overview and Troubleshooting

Editor's Notes

1. CloudGateway is not a product. It is composed of four main components:Citrix ReceiverCitrix Access GatewayCitrix StoreFrontCitrix AppController
2. CloudGateway Enterprise uses User-based licensed. For more information check here - http://www.citrix.com/products/cloudgateway/how-it-works/licensing.html
3. Simple typical topology with a pair of NetScalers in HA mode, connecting to a StoreFront Server Group and the StoreFront members could be connecting to a back-end XenApp/XenDesktop infrastructure for apps/desktops, SQL database for app subscription information and AppController device(s) for Web/SaaS apps.Note: From the scalability standpoint, there is no hard-code limitation on the number of servers that can be members of a Server Group in StoreFront.
4. New UI layout with tabs for settings, the dashboard, and workflows for easier navigation.Added section: DevicesMore granular display options for app types
5. The settings page looks pretty much the same. The quick links have moved from the right to the left, which causes the effect that the scroll bar will only move the top two thirds of the column.
6. This operation will internally execute 3 steps:Take snapshot of the current system configurationExport file to admin’s local system configurationDelete previous snapshot This will assure that there are only two snapshots at the system at any given time. The original ‘master one’ used for initialization and the current one. The snapshot export is a .bin file saved on the local computer. Naming convention of file: version.build_<date yyyymmdd>T<time hhmmss>Z.bine.g. 2.5.0.49000_20121214T140422Z.binIf version of snapshot is not present on system, the import will be rejected. No migration is possible i.e. software version has to be uploaded manually before a snapshot of that software version can be imported.Once imported, snapshot will be activated immediately. In other words importing snapshot will:Import the snapshot to the systemValidate integrity and install itActivate the snapshotDelete previous snapshotAdmin can choose to upgrade system from one release to another. In case of the upgrade system will:take current snapshotupgrade snapshot to the new release using internal upgrade rulesreboot (admin asked to confirm reboot)
7. SCP/FTP import options are NOT available from the UIHA consideration:Snapshots and software releases are not part of a the DB and therefore not synchronized across nodes
8. Separate table in DB maintains list of e-mail addresses to be sent the CR fileEntries will be deleted once the e-mail is sentNew users: after a sync with AD the list will be processes and added to the DB (users must have e-mail address associated with their AD account)E-mail content does not currently support HTML
9. Click 1 is AuthManager functionality in receiver.Click 2 Is receiver establishing a Clientless access to the AGEE VserverClick 3 Is the request being sent to the AGEE VServer (via Auth Manager).
10. add policy patsetStorefront_cookiesbind policy patsetStorefront_cookiesASP.Net_SessionIdbind policy patsetStorefront_cookiesCtxsPluginAssistantStatebind policy patsetStorefront_cookiesCtxsAuthIdbind policy patsetStorefront_cookiesCsrfToken
11. add vpnclientlessAccessProfile ns_cvpn_default_profile_cg2.5set vpnclientlessAccessProfile ns_cvpn_default_profile_cg2.5 -URLRewritePolicyLabelns_cvpn_default_url_label -ClientConsumedCookiesStorefront_cookiesadd vpnclientlessAccessPolicy ns_cvpn_default_policy_cg2.5 true ns_cvpn_default_profile_cg2.5
12. Sample configuration via CLI:add vpnsessionAction Receivers-Prof -dnsVserverName DNS-Vserver -splitTunnel ON -transparentInterception ON -defaultAuthorizationAction ALLOW -SSO ON -icaProxy OFF -wihome "http://192.168.10.55/Citrix/Storeweb" -wiPortalMode NORMAL -ClientChoices OFF -ntDomain training -clientlessVpnMode ON -clientlessModeUrlEncoding TRANSPARENT -clientlessPersistentCookie ALLOW -SecureBrowse ENABLED -storefronturl "https://receiverstorefront.training.lab/Citrix/Roaming/Accounts“add vpnsessionAction VPN-Prof -dnsVserverName DNS-Vserver -splitTunnel OFF -transparentInterception ON -defaultAuthorizationAction ALLOW -SSO ON -icaProxy OFF -wihome "https://receiverstorefront.training.lab/" -wiPortalMode NORMAL -ClientChoices OFF -ntDomain training -clientlessVpnMode OFF -clientlessModeUrlEncoding TRANSPARENT -clientlessPersistentCookie ALLOW -SecureBrowse ENABLED -storefronturl "https://receiverstorefront.training.lab/Citrix/Roaming/Accounts"add vpnsessionPolicyreceivers_pol "REQ.HTTP.HEADER User-Agent CONTAINS CitrixReceiver && REQ.HTTP.HEADER X-Citrix-Gateway EXISTS" Receivers-Profadd vpnsessionPolicy VPN-Pol "REQ.HTTP.HEADER User-Agent NOTCONTAINS CitrixReceiver && REQ.HTTP.HEADER Referrer NOTEXISTS" VPN-Prof
13. Important services available on StoreFront Services based on Deployment Option
14. At Citrix Services - we’re Citrix consultants, teachers and support engineers and we’re all about one thing: making sure you succeed.With our help, you’ll deploy high-performance, robust virtualization and networking projects, faster – with dramatically lower risk and higher return.The best Citrix architects and administrators are the ones who never stop learning – and Citrix Education is here to help you learn those skills.Citrix Consulting gives you direct access to our most experienced virtualization and networking experts.When it’s complex; when it’s mission-critical; when it’s big; That’s when Citrix consultants can really help.On your virtualization journey, you’ll want always-on support from people who really care about your success.There’s no better insurance for your Citrix investment than with Citrix Support.
15. Secrets of the Citrix Support Ninjas is a FREE eBook available next week.The eBook contains 40 insider troubleshooting tips for administrators.So the purpose of the eBook is to help administrators like you keep your Citrix deployments on track.We’ve collected some of their best tips and tricks for running robust Citrix environments and packaged them up into a free eBook.In it, you’ll discover some of the little-known tricks that our own support people use every day to tune, tweak, troubleshoot and test Citrix solutions. You may know a few of these tips. But you probably don’t know them all.And – you never know – you might discover just one that will change your life as an administrator.Let me give you a sneak peak now.
16. Now lets look at some of the options available from Citrix Support.Citrix Hardware SupportAlso known as appliance maintenance, provides technical support from our experts, which can help you diagnose and resolve issues encountered with your appliance.Some of the key benefits are listed on the slide, most notably the unlimited incidents you can open. This offering is available to our hardware products – NetScaler, Branch Repeater and Access Gateway.Also as part of this offering you are entitled to software updates and bug fixes as well as RMA replacement.Its important to note that with access to the latest software upgrades and replacement of malfunctioning appliances help to minimize downtime at your organization.Citrix Software SupportAlso known as software maintenance, combines 24x7x365 unlimited support with product version upgrades.Products covered are listed on the slide.With both of these offerings you can Add- On: Technical Relationship Management (TRM). I’ll cover TRM in more detail on the next slide.I’ll be sending an email to all registered attendees of this webinar with further details around our Services offerings and oppurtunites to learn more.
17. Premier SupportCitrix Premier Support provides 24x7x365 unlimited-incidents worldwide support for Citrix software products covered by Subscription Advantage. Products covered are: XenApp, XenDesktop, XenServer, NetScaler VPX, Branch Repeater VPX, Access Gateway VPX and Universal Licenses, EdgeSight,Provisioning Server and Application Streaming for DesktopsThis offering is available to all GEOs with our reps providing support in 9 languagesPremier Support customers are also invited along to Citrix TechEdge event at Synergy. This is a one-day training event on the latest troubleshooting techniques, methodologies, and diagnostic tools from Citrix technical support escalation engineers. TechEdge is held twice annually, once each during Citrix Synergy US and Citrix Synergy EuropeTRMWith any of the previous support offerings we discussed, you can add on a TRM – Technical Relationship Manager.This will offer your business a designated, highly trained single point of contact. The TRM has extensive experience delivering Citrix solutions and is equipped to troubleshoot and resolve complex issues quickly. Our goal is to minimize downtime exposure in your business through proactive advice and by managing support requests through a designated contactMostly importantly the TRM is intimately familiar with your Citrix infrastructure, like a virtual member of your team.As mentioned already I’ll be sending an email to all registered attendees of this webinar with further details around our Services offerings and oppurtunites to learn more.