Citrix recently released Citrix XenDesktop 7.8. The releases follow each other rapidly lately and there are quite a few improvements and new features in the latest releases like, session recording, Linux Virtual Desktop support, Framehawk Virtual Channel, AppDisk, Windows 10 support (since version 7.7) and Zones.
My last “step-by-step” blog about Citrix XenDesktop was about version 7.1 so it is time to make a new version with this latest XenDesktop 7.8 release. In this blog I will cover the XenDesktop 7.8 installation and configuration including the installation of the VDA Agent on a Windows 10 master image and how to publish it as a Pooled PVS desktop. There will be separate blogs in the future about the new features. If you want to know how to configure zones in XenDesktop 7.7 / 7.8 you can check this very good blog of Bas van Kaam about zones.
My Environment
SRV001 – DC, SQL Server, Citrix License Server
SRV002 – Provisioning Services server, StoreFront and it will be the XenDesktop Controller
PVSWIN10-01 – Windows 10 Master machine
All machines are running on Citrix XenServer 6.5 with the latest SP’s and patches.
System Requirements
It is imported that you have already setup a Citrix License server with the proper licenses and a Microsoft SQL Server (alternatively you can use SQL Express). See for the full list of Citrix XenDesktop 7.8 System Requirement this article on the Citrix eDocs.
Installing and Configuring the Citrix XenDesktop 7.8 Delivery Controller
Start the installation and click Start
Click on Delivery Controller (Under the Get Started section)
Select I have read, understand, and accept the terms of the license agreement and click Next
I have already a Citrix License Server and StoreFront server up and running in my environment, therefore I only select the Delivery Controller, the Studio and the Director. Click Next
A Microsoft SQL Server is already up and running in my environment so I only select Install Windows Remote Assistance. Click Next.
Select Automatically and click Next
Click Install
Click Finish
Click on Deliver applications and desktops to your users
Select A fully configured, production-ready Site and click Next
Enter the Database name and location for the Site, Monitoring and Logging database and click Next
Connect to your Citrix License server and select your XenDesktop license. Click Next
Connect to your Hypervisor (in my case my XenServer) by filling in the correct connection information. Select Next
Select the network you want to use, give it a resource name and click Next
Select the storage you want to use and click Next
Select the features you want to use (for this blog I skip these options) and click Next
Click Finish
Installing the Virtual Delivery Agent (VDA) on a Windows 10 Master Image
Before creating a machine catalog, I first want to install the VDA agent on a Windows 10 master machine. Therefor logon on the Microsoft Windows 10 Master Image and mount the Citrix XenApp and XenDesktop 7.8 ISO.
Start the XenApp / XenDesktop installation and click on Start
Click on Virtual Delivery Agent for Windows Desktop OS
Select Create a Master Image and click Next
You can select the Citrix Receiver if you want it in you master image, otherwise click Next
Fill in the XenDesktop Controller address and click Test connection
Click Add and Next
Click Next
Click Next
Click Install
Click Finish to restart the machine
You now have installed the VDA Agent within the master image. At this point you can create a vDisk from this master machine (when using PVS) or use it as the master source machine (when using MCS). For this blog I have created an vDisk from this master machine with PVS. See my previous blog on how to create a vDisk here.
Setting up Machine Catalogs and Delivery Groups
Go back to the XenDesktop Controller and open the Studio Console.
Click on Set up machines for desktops and applications or remote PC access
Click Next
Select Desktop OS
Select Machines that are power managed and Deploy machines using Citrix Provisioning Services (PVS). Click Next
Select Users will connect to a random desktop each time they log on to create a random desktop pool. Click Next
Connect to your Provisioning Services server and select the Windows 10 device collection. Click Next
Fill in a Machine Catalog name and the Machine Catalog description for administrators (anything you like) and click Finish
Click on Set up Delivery Groups to assign desktops and applications to your users
Click Next
Select the Machine Catalog, choose the number of machines you want to add to the delivery group and click Next
Click Next (not using AppDisk at this moment)
Add a AD security group (or users) for this delivery group and click Next
If you want to publish any application Add them here, otherwise click Next (for this blog I will only publish the Windows 10 desktop).
Click Add to assign users or groups to the desktop
Fill in a Desktop name and a Description. Select Allow everyone with access to this Delivery Group to use a desktop. Make sure that Enable desktop is selected and click OK
Click Next
Click Finish
If you have your StoreFront configured correctly, you can now connect to your Windows 10 Pooled Desktop
Testing the new published Windows 10 Desktop
Login to your StoreFront site. The Windows 10 Pooled desktop is now visible.
And it works fine!
