Profile Management

Glossary

This article lists terms and definitions used in the Profile Management software and documentation. Profile-related terms used in other Citrix software are also included. To understand other concepts relating to Windows user profiles, visit the Microsoft website.

Term Definition
Base platform See cross-platform settings store.
Base profile The base profile is defined by a UNC path to a profile in the user store. If the cross-platform settings feature is used, registry settings and files that can be shared across platforms from a subset of the base profile. This subset is copied to the cross-platform settings store, and, from there, they are added to the profile used as the target for migration or roaming. Although the cross-platform settings store contains a subset of the base profile, this (and the target profile) is always stored as complete profiles. And it can, if necessary, be used as standard Windows roaming or local profiles. Note however that if the streamed user profiles feature is used, the base profile might temporarily be incomplete. Some files might exist in the pending area until the user logs off. See roam for considerations when defining base profiles in roaming scenarios.
Cache The terms cache and synchronize refer to the act of downloading files from the user store, or uploading to it. The term fetch is more specific and refers to how the streamed user profiles feature downloads, anytime after logon when the user needs them, a subset of files from the user store.
Citrix mandatory profile, Citrix roaming profile, Citrix user profile Citrix user profile is the general term for the profile that a user receives when Profile Management is installed and enabled. There are two types of Citrix user profiles: Citrix roaming profiles and Citrix mandatory profiles. A Citrix roaming profile is the standard collection of files, folders, and registry settings that users customize in their day-to-day work, that are saved in the user store at logoff, and that are treated by Profile Management policies. A Citrix mandatory profile is similar to a Citrix roaming profile in how Profile Management treats them. But no changes are saved in the user store at logoff. At logons, a fresh copy of the mandatory profile is loaded. Citrix user profiles are different from Microsoft local, Microsoft roaming, or Microsoft mandatory profiles.
Computer As used in these Profile Management topics, the general term computer can refer to any machine on which the Citrix Profile Management Service is installed. It can be a user device, virtual desktop (possibly provisioned from a Citrix Virtual Desktops virtual machine), or a Citrix virtual apps server that hosts published applications.
Cross-platform definition file This file is an .xml file supplied with Profile Management that contains the information needed to make the cross-platform settings feature work. There is one file per supported application.
Cross-platform settings store This location, which is separate from the user store, holds the settings for supported applications once the cross-platform settings feature is configured. Choose which platform’s profile data is used to seed the cross-platform settings store. It is the base platform.
Fetch See cache.
Legacy application A legacy application is a badly behaved one because it stores settings in a non-standard location. It includes systems that store temporary application data in user profiles and, by doing so, create profile bloat.
Migrate Migration is the planned, one-way movement of profiles from one platform to another (for example, from Windows XP to Windows 7).
Profile bloat Windows user profiles can increase in size when temporary files are not deleted. It causes slow logons and is referred to as profile bloat.
Roam Roaming is the use of different base profiles from multiple computers or sessions (for example, one base profile for a computer running Windows 2008 R2 and a second one for Windows 7). Users roam when they connect back and forth between computers or sessions that have different base profiles. Depending on how you configure your Organizational Units (OUs), a base profile can be shared across platforms. For example, both Windows 2008 R2 and Windows 7 OUs can use the same profile. In this case, users do not roam because the same base profile is shared. Base profiles can only be shared by operating systems with the same profile version (Version 1 or Version 2 profiles). Users always roam when both Version 1 and Version 2 profiles are active.
Synchronize See cache.
User store The user store is the central, network location for storing Citrix user profiles. See also cross-platform settings store.
vDisk, Personal vDisk A vDisk is a virtual disk created from a master image by Citrix Provisioning Services. A Personal vDisk is a disk used by Citrix virtual desktops to store profiles, user-installed and departmental applications, and user data. Personal vDisks are separate from the disks used for the operating system, registry, and base applications.
Version 1 profile, Version 2 profile Profiles in Microsoft Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 are known as Version 1 profiles. Those profiles in Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows Server 2008, and Windows Server 2008 R2 are known as Version 2 profiles. Version 1 and Version 2 profiles have different namespaces, which affects some aspects of their configuration.
Glossary