What You'll Learn

• Determine the best Flexcast delivery model for each user group
• Build a XenDesktop proof-of-concept environment
• Configure a XenServer host for desktop delivery
• Build and configure a production XenDesktop site
• Manage virtual desktops as a single entity by creating a desktop catalog
• Modify a desktop image without impacting user productivity
• Restrict or allow certain XenDesktop features using policies
• Monitor site activity and troubleshoot issues in Desktop Director
• Install and configure Provisioning Services
• Copy a desktop image to a virtual disk that can be streamed to virtual and physical target devices
• XenClient infrastructure
• Install and configure Synchronizer for XenClient

Who Needs to Attend

• IT professionals, including server, network, and system administrators and system engineers, analysts, consultants, and architects
• Citrix Partner Network members

Pre-requisites

• Basic knowledge of the purpose and goals of virtualization technology
• Understanding of computing architecture, including network and storage devices, device drivers, and operating systems
• Basic experience installing and administering Windows Server 2008 R2
• Basic understanding of server, desktop, and application virtualization concepts

Course Outline

1. Introducing XenDesktop

• Five Core Strengths of XenDesktop
• Desktop Virtualization
• XenDesktop Product Family
• Test Your Knowledge: XenDesktop Product Family
• FlexCast
• Use Cases
• Virtual Desktop Models
• Test Your Knowledge: Virtual Desktop Models
• HDX Technologies
• Hosted Desktop Delivery
• Quick Deploy
• Quick Deploy System Requirements
• Run Quick Deploy

2. Configuring the Hypervisor for Desktop Delivery

• Virtualization
• Virtualization Components
• Hypervisors
• Hypervisor Role in Desktop Delivery
• Test Your Knowledge: The Hypervisor Role in Desktop Delivery
• Windows Virtual Machine Architecture
• Installation from an ISO
• Create an ISO Library
• Windows Virtual Machine Device Support
• Windows Virtual Machine Creation
• XenServer Tools
• Test Your Knowledge: Create an ISO Library
• Test Your Knowledge: Windows Virtual Machine Creation
• Templates and Life-Cycle Operations
• Virtual Machine Templates
• Provision a New Virtual Machine Using a Template
• Virtual Machine Export and Import
• Virtual Machine Duplication
• Test Your Knowledge: Export, Import, and Copy Virtual Machines
• Snapshots
• Virtual Machine Operations
• XenConvert
• Convert a Server or Desktop to a Virtual Machine
• Virtual Machine Resource Management
• Events and Alerts
• Resource Pools
• Virtual Machine Movement
• Network Components and Architecture
• External Networks
• Internal-Only Network
• NIC Bonds
• Create a NIC Bond in XenCenter
• VLANs
• Storage
• Storage Repositories
• Remote Storage
• Storage Capability Comparison
• Test Your Knowledge: Storage Components
• Troubleshooting Hypervisor Issues

3. Installing and Configuring XenDesktop

• XenDesktop Architecture
• Production Site Configuration
• License File Management
• Obtaining License Files
• Security Considerations
• Active Directory Considerations
• Supported Active Directory Environments
• Active Directory-Based Controller Discovery
• Active Directory Objects
• Test Your Knowledge: Active Directory Considerations
• Configuring a XenDesktop Site
• Web Interface
• Web Interface Considerations
• Desktop Delivery Communication Process
• Access Gateway
• ICA Proxy Mode
• Access Gateway Deployment Scenarios
• Access Gateway Communications
• Access Gateway Authentication
• Single Sign-On to Web Interface
• SmartAccess

4. Managing Desktop Catalogs and Groups

• Administration Roles
• Add an Administrator Account
• Preparing a Virtual Desktop for Delivery
• Virtual Desktop Agent Installation
• Virtual Desktop Agent Wizard Settings
• Manual Firewall Configuration
• Machine Creation Services
• Machine Creation Services Host and Storage Requirements
• Desktop Catalogs
• Machine Types
• Pooled Machine Type
• Dedicated Machine Type
• Existing Machine Type
• Physical Machine Type
• Streamed Machine Type
• Virtual Desktop Updates
• Modify the Master Virtual Machine
• Revert to the Previous Master Virtual Machine
• Desktop Groups
• Desktop Group Types
• Desktop Group Examples
• Create a Desktop Group
• Power Management
• Pools and Buffers
• Configure Power Management
• Troubleshooting Desktop Catalog and Group Issues

5. Customizing the User Experience

• User Device Types
• Display Modes
• Citrix Receiver
• Citrix Receiver for Windows
• Citrix Receiver for Windows System Requirements
• Citrix Receiver for Macintosh
• Citrix Merchandising Server
• Citrix Merchandising Server Architecture
• Profile Management
• User Profiles
• User Profile Types
• Redirecting User Data
• Managing User Profiles
• Profile Management Logon Process
• Enable Profile Management
• FlexCast for Apps
• Application Delivery Method
• Test Your Knowledge: Application Delivery Method
• XenDesktop Policies
• Policy Creation
• Create a Policy
• Policy Settings
• Policy Setting Best Practices
• Policy Prioritization
• Test Your Knowledge: Policies, Printers, and Client Drive Mapping
• Troubleshooting Customization Issues

6. Monitoring XenDesktop Sites

• Desktop Director
• Installing Desktop Director
• Accessing Desktop Director
• Desktop Director Pages
• Filters
• Searching for a User or Machine
• User and Machine Management
• Managing Machines
• Managing End Users
• User Shadowing
• To Shadow a User
• Troubleshooting Site Monitoring Issues

7. Streaming Desktops to Virtual and Physical Machines

• Streamed VHDs and Catalogs
• Provisioning Services
• Citrix Provisioning Services Infrastructure
• Citrix Provisioning Services Components
• Key Services
• Provisioning Services Administration
• Installation Planning
• Network Boot Services
• Boot Process
• DHCP Deployment Options
• DHCP Configuration
• Provisioning Services Farm Design
• Farms
• SQL Database Server
• Service Account Permissions
• Sites
• Stores
• Write Caches
• Storage Requirements
• Sample vDisk Storage Requirements
• Provisioning Services Installation
• Install Provisioning Services
• Provisioning Services Configuration
• Configure a Provisioning Services Farm
• Store Configuration
• Troubleshooting Provisioning Services Installation and Configuration

8. Creating a Shared vDisk

• vDisk Image Modes
• Standard Image Mode
• Difference Disk Image Mode
• Private Image Mode
• Write-Cache Types
• Cache on Server Disk
• Cache on Server Disk: Local Storage
• Cache on Server Disk: Shared Storage
• Cache on Device's Hard Drive
• Cache on Device's Hard Drive: Local Storage
• Cache on Device's Hard Drive: Shared Storage
• Target Device-Based RAM Cache
• Target Device RAM
• To Create a vDisk
• Imaging Wizard
• vDisk File Creation
• VHD Format
• vDisk Mounting
• Formatting a vDisk
• Master Target Device
• Boot Order
• Master Target Device Software
• Create a Windows Master Target Device using the Imaging Wizard
• XenConvert Overview
• Image Windows Target Devices with XenConvert
• Troubleshooting vDisk Creation Issues

9. Administering Provisioning Services Components

• Provisioning Services Hosts in the Console
• Target Device Connections
• Provisioning Services Host Properties
• Target Device Management
• Target Device Collection
• Target Device Views
• Target Device Properties
• Active Directory Integration
• Domain Password Management Process
• Automatic Password Renegotiation
• To Integrate Active Directory
• Test Your Knowledge: Active Directory Login Issue
• vDisk Management
• vDisk Properties
• Create a vDisk File
• Unassign vDisks from Target Devices
• Delete a vDisk
• vDisk Locks
• vDisk Backup
• Streamed Desktop Catalogs
• Create a Streamed Desktop Catalog
• vDisk Updates
• Automatic Update
• Incremental Update
• Autoupdate Tool
• Incremental Update Rollback
• Scheduled vDisk Updates
• vDisk Update Strategies
• Troubleshooting Provisioning Services Issues

10. Delivering Local VM Desktops

• Local VM Desktops with XenClient
• XenClient Architecture
• Synchronizer for XenClient
• Test Your Knowledge: XenClient Components
• XenClient Installation
• Install XenClient
• XenClient Configuration
• Receiver for XenClient
• Create a Virtual Machine
• XenClient Tools
• Synchronizer Installation and Configuration
• Image Management
• Upload a Virtual Machine to the Synchronizer
• Assign Desktops to End Users
• User Management
• Create a Local User or Group
• Link an Existing AD User or Group
• Device Management
• XenClient User Experience
• Secure Application Sharing
• Troubleshooting Local VM Desktop Issues