XenServer®
XenServer is a highly optimized hypervisor platform for Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops™, enabling Windows and Linux Virtual Apps and Desktops delivery to any device and hundreds of employees in just minutes.
With the XenServer architecture, you can interact with individual servers or a cluster of servers instead of a central management server. You can manage XenServer by using command-line access or management software, such as XenCenter. You can install XenCenter on your desktop and connect individually to each host or a cluster of hosts.
Before you start
You can use your XenServer environment to create layers and publish layered images. Each Connector configuration accesses a specific storage location in your XenServer environment. You might need more than one XenServer Connector configuration to access the correct location for each purpose. Further, you can publish each layered image to a location convenient to the system you provision with the published image. You can also export images from your XenServer environment via the Image Portability feature. For more information about Connectors and Connector configurations, see Connector configurations.
Layering
To package layers using a XenServer virtual machine, specify a XenServer Connector configuration when creating or versioning a layer. Specify a XenSever or Machine Creation for XenServer Connector configuration in an image template to have that image created in XenServer when published.
Image Portability
You can export existing images from your XenServer environment by using the XenServer Connector in conjunction with the Windows File Share Connector via the Image Portability export feature. Specify a XenServer Connector with Offload Compositing enabled in the Connector Configuration dropdown of a Windows File Share Connector and then specify that Windows File Share Connector to the IPS export command. This will allow Image Portability to access your XenServer environment, and export images to the configured file share location. Use the uuid of a VDI to specify to the export command which image to export.
Machine Creation for XenServer® Connector
The Machine Creation version of the XenServer Connector publishes layered images in a state that is ready for use by Citrix Machine Creation Service in your XenServer environment. Published layered images are booted for final configuration, shut down, and then a snapshot is taken.
Notes:
The Machine Creation for XenServer Connector configuration is for publishing layered images. You cannot package layers with it, nor use it with the Image Portability feature. Instead, use a XenServer Connector configuration.
The Machine Creation for XenServer Connector does not support caching
Required information for XenServer Connector configuration settings
Refer to the following required, recommended, and optional fields for configuration of your XenServer Connector.
- XenServer Configuration Name: A useful name to help identify and keep track of this connector configuration.
- XenServer Address: The name of the XenServer host with which the appliance integrates.
- User Name and Password: The credentials for the account that the appliance uses to connect to the XenServer.
- Use Secured Communications: SSL encryption for the API connection traffic between the App Layering Connector and XenServer. This field is selected by default.
- Virtual Machine Template: The virtual machine template for cloning. The list of choices contains custom virtual machine templates only, rather than actual virtual machines or any of the built-in templates. The selected template must not have any disks attached and must have at least one network card attached. If it does not, you see an error when trying to validate or save the configuration.
- Storage Repository: The storage repository in which to store created disks (VDIs). The list is filtered to show only repositories that can contain virtual hard disks (ISO repositories are filtered out).
- Packaging Cache Size in GB (optional): Specifies the maximum amount of space to use within the storage repository for caching. By default, this is 250 GB.
- Use HTTPS for File Transfers: Encrypts the image file transfers. HTTPS is selected by default for more secure uploads and downloads but can be cleared for increased performance. This does not apply when you enable Offload Compositing.
- Offload Compositing (recommended): Offloads compositing and other operations to a VM created within XenServer. This feature increases performance and enables features such as UEFI, Secure Boot, and Image Portability support. Disabling this is deprecated.
- ISO Storage Repository: Repository in which to store ISOs that are uploaded when Offload Compositing is enabled. The list is filtered to show only ISO repositories. SMB and NFS are supported.
- ISO Share Path: Automatically populates for selected ISO storage repository by the ISO share path configured. For display only.
- ISO Share Username: User name for the selected ISO Share. Only valid for SMB ISO Share. NFS ISO Share does not support a user name or password.
- ISO Share Password: Password for the selected ISO share. Only valid for SMB ISO Share. NFS ISO Share does not support a user name or password.
Virtual Machine folder
Virtual machines created by the XenServer connector, whether packaging machines or layered images, can use either folders or tags to organize the virtual machines. XenServer allows you to organize virtual machines by folder or by tag. These organizational tools are optional when creating and managing virtual machines through XenCenter or other tools. Although XenServer connector configurations do not allow you to specify folders or tags, the virtual machines created by the XenServer connector, both packaging machines and published layered images, can use both organizational tools.
Caching tags
If the template specified in the XenServer connector configuration has any tags, then those tags are carried over to any virtual machine cloned from that template. All packaging virtual machines or published layered images are tagged with the same tags that the template has. Also, the XenServer connector adds three tags.
- App Layering - All virtual machines created by the XenServer connector can be found by this tag regardless of their purpose or image.
- Purpose Tag - All packaging machines are tagged with App Layering Packaging Machine while all published layered image virtual machines are tagged with App Layering Published Images.
- Image or Layer Name - All packaging machines are tagged with the layer name for the layer for which they are generated, while all published layered images are tagged with the template image name. If you are using XenCenter, you can view your virtual machines by tag by selecting Organization Views and then selecting By Tag.
Folder
By default, virtual machines created by the XenServer Connector are not placed in a folder. However, if the template specified in the XenServer Connector configuration resides in a folder, then any virtual machine that the Connector creates from that template also resides in the same folder. All packaging VMs and published layered images are placed in that same folder. There are no separate subfolders for packaging VMs or published layered images.
Machine network connectivity
The virtual network settings of the source template specified in the XenServer Connector configuration are carried over when creating any VMs through the XenServer Connector. There is no option in the Connector configuration UI to override the network settings.
XenServer pools
The XenServer Connector does not work correctly with XenServer pools if Offload Compositing is disabled. If the host specified in the configuration is part of a pool, then it must be the pool coordinator for the connector to work. However, this means that anytime the pool coordinator host goes down and a new pool coordinator is elected, the XenServer configuration must be updated.
To add a Connector Configuration
- Click the Connectors page.
- Click Add Connector Configuration. A dialog box opens.
- Select the Connector Type for the platform and location where you are creating the layer or publishing the image.
- Click New to open the Connector configuration page.
- Type the configuration Name, XenServer address, user name, password, and setting for the Use Secured Communications check box. For more information, see the above field definitions.
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Click CONNECT below the XenServer configuration fields. The Virtual Machine Clone Settings fields are then enabled if the user name and password are correct.
Note:
If there is a certificate error, the following error message is displayed:
One or more problems with the service certificate were found. You can enable them to be ignored, or you must update the certificate on the server.You can click Ignore Certificate Errors and Continue. - Select the required Virtual Machine Template.
- Select the Storage Repository.
- Ensure Packaging Cache Size in GB is set to the desired value (or use default). Setting the value to 0 results in no caching.
- Select the setting for Use HTTPS for File Transfers.
- Select the setting for Use Offload Compositing.
- If Use Offload Compositing is selected, select ISO Storage Repository. The ISO Share Path is auto-populated.
- If an SMB ISO share is selected, enter the SMB ISO share user name and password.
- Click CONFIRM AND COMPLETE. A configuration summary is displayed.
- Click Save. If no errors are displayed, the new connector configuration is saved and displayed on the Connector page.