Session Recording

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Session Recording consists of five components:

Session Recording components

Session Recording consists of the following components:

  • Session Recording Administration components:

    • Session Recording policy console. A console used to configure policies such as session recording policies that specify which sessions to record. For more information, see Policies.

    • Session Recording server. A server that hosts:
      • The Broker. An IIS 6.0+ hosted Web application that serves the following purposes:
        • Handling search queries and file download requests from the Session Recording player and web player.
        • Handling policy administration requests from the Session Recording policy console.
        • Evaluating recording policies for each Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops or Citrix DaaS (formerly Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops service) session.
      • The Storage Manager. A Windows service that manages the recorded session files received from each Session Recording-enabled VDA.
      • Administrator logging. An optional subcomponent installed with the Session Recording server to log the administration activities. All the logging data is stored in a separate SQL Server database named CitrixSessionRecordingLogging by default. You can customize the database name.
    • Session Recording database. A component that manages the SQL Server database for storing recorded session data. When this component is installed, it creates a database named CitrixSessionRecording by default. You can customize the database name.
  • Session Recording agent. A component installed on each VDA for multi-session OS or single-session OS to enable recording. It is responsible for recording session data.
  • Session Recording player / web player. A user interface that users access from a workstation to play recorded session files.

To install Session Recording or upgrade an existing installation, go to each machine where you are about to or have already installed the Session Recording components and then run the Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops ISO.

Tip:

Go to the Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops download page to download the appropriate version of Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops.

For more information about installing Session Recording, see Install, upgrade, and uninstall. You can also refer to the Citrix Tech Zone article POC Guide: Citrix Session Recording for information on how to quickly set up and configure Citrix Session Recording and Citrix Session Recording service.

Example deployment

The following diagram shows an example deployment:

Session Recording components

  • All the Session Recording components reside behind a security firewall.
  • The Session Recording agent is installed on a VDA for multi-session OS or single-session OS.
  • A second server hosts the Session Recording policy console, a third server acts as the Session Recording server, and a fourth server hosts the database.
  • The Session Recording player is installed on a workstation. Installing the Session Recording server lets you install the Session Recording web player automatically.
  • A client device outside the firewall communicates with the VDA where the Session Recording agent is installed.
  • Inside the firewall, the Session Recording agent, policy console, player, and database all communicate with the Session Recording server.
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