AnotherCTXadm

Sep 302016
 

Environment

XenApp 7.6

700+ Delivered (published) Applications

60+ Windows servers (2008 R2 and 2012 R2)

 

Scenario

Recently I had a request to replicate 100+ applications from PROD to QA, using QA server configured with identical applications and identical application locations/paths. Obviously all paths to EXE files need to be the same in order for this to work 100% (unless I missed a memo and XA can now support publishing of identical applications from various paths.  As far as I know, this was not yet available in 7.6).  If QA server has some of the applications in different paths, not all is lost. You can still use this process and script to migrate large number of applications between delivery groups and then modify paths later in Studio.

While I could add few more lines to my PoSH script to actually replicate each application at a time, amount of time it took me to create this script and ability to duplicate applications in Studio seemed unnecessary.

My goal was to replicate, or proper Citrix term would be duplicate all applications and then assign them to another delivery group. Seems simple enough for Citrix and PoSH guru. But for those who are just getting their feet wet could use following process to speed up their delivery time to less than 5 mins and go look for the end of the Internet, while telling client it took you hours 😉

 

Process

1 – I will be duplicating all requested applications using ol’ Citix Studio.

2 – I will run script below to change Delivery Group and application folder, as visible by the user (you mileage might vary, depending on your requirements)

This script/process is no rocket science, but might help someone to quickly replicate applications and migrate them to another delivery group, instead of publishing them over again.  Modify script below according to your environment before running it.  (WARNING: It is fairly simple script, so review and try to understand exactly what this script is doing, before executing it.)  Also, I am no expert when it comes to creating powershell scripts, but just another Citrix admin.  So, pardon if you can make it better.  Please do improve and share!  I am all for helping fellow Citrix admins anyway I can.  Even if it’s buying a pint!

 

Step 1

citrixirc1Create alternative application folder in Studio.  For our scenario I am going to create folder named “QA” inside already created “Europe” folder.

Right-click on all applications that you need to replicate in QA (you can select multiple applications at once).

Click Duplicate Application 

Now select all duplicates and drag them over to QA folder.  In my scenario I will be dragging these to Europe\QA.

Step 2

Below script will prompt for the admin folder name where all the duplicates reside (that’s the new folder you just created.  In my example it’s called Europe\QA).  I repeat- do not select your production applications folder, as script will move all your production apps to new delivery group.  Use newly created QA folder where you moved all duplicate applications to in step 1 above.

It is assumed that new delivery group is already created.

Another item to note; there is an optional line (in yellow) to change client-side folder location of newly created applications.  This is to help users identify whether they are running PROD or QA applications. It also looks cleaner in Storefront or WI.  You can add more commands into Foreach loop.  Things like modifying users who have access, or changing actual name of the application and etc.  My goal was to keep all the same and just deliver from QA server.

Script

Bonus

BTW, using similar add-brokerapplication command you can publish, or rather deliver same application from multiple delivery groups.  Just comment out remove-brokerapplication command and it will now launch from servers in prod and qa, or any other DG of your choice.  Comes really handy when you have multiple DGs that host different applications, but some of the applications are identical.  You can spread the load across multiple DGs.  Think of it as a worker groups concept in XA 6.x with server groups.   I had such requirement that was easily achievable in XA 6.x, but not so much in XA 7.x.  I paid for someone’s case of beer when they told me that I can use above mentioned command to deliver same application from multiple DG’s, as it’s not clearly documented by Citrix. There is a surprise…

That’s all folks. My first ever citrixirc blog.  Whoo-hoo!

Over and out.