Summary
This article describes server cloning with Presentation Server 4.0 and Presentation Server 4.5.
Note: This article amends pages 56-59 of CTX107059 – Advanced Concepts Guide
Server Cloning
Server cloning can provide more rapid deployment than a scripted installation. A few steps are required for cloning servers. These steps vary depending on the type of data store used for the farm, and are described in the following sections. Presentation Server is compatible with server cloning, but cloning software can cause the operating system or its add-ons to function incorrectly after being cloned. When using server cloning, it is important to clone one server and test its functionality before deploying the rest of the farm. Also, although Citrix supports server cloning if done by documented procedures, it is considered a best practice to use an automated installation process for building and rebuilding servers so that a clean server build is assured.
Caution: Do not image a server with an SSL certificate installed because SSL certificates are unique to the hardware.
Issues to Consider Before Cloning a Server
Zone settings are not retained when cloning a server. When the Citrix IMA Service on the cloned server starts for the first time, the server joins the default zone. The name of the default zone is the ID of the subnet on which the cloned server resides. When deploying images to servers on multiple subnets, assign zone information for each server after the imaging process completes.
If the Presentation Server's settings are changed when creating a server image, the Presentation Server configuration may not be retained properly so that the data store does not manage configured server information.
Before changing the Security ID (SID) on the machine used to access the Presentation Server Console, add one of the following user accounts as an administrator with full privileges:
Note: You must complete the following tasks before re-imaging a server that is already a member of a server farm.
CTX108361 – The Access Suite Console for Advanced Access Control Shows Different STAs Using the Same STA ID
To prepare an existing server in a server farm for re-imaging
Scenario: How to deploy an already created image to a server that already has Presentation Server installed and exists in a current Citrix Farm. A customer may wish to re-image a MetaFrame XP server in a Farm to a newer version, say Presentation Server 4.0.
1. From the Presentation Server Console, remove the list of servers configured to host any applications.
2. Remove the server from the server farm via CHFarm (CTX736659 – How to Change Farm Using the "chfarm" Utility) or by uninstalling Presentation Server. If CHFarm is used, Presentation Server will still need uninstalled.
3. If the server entry still exists in the Presentation Server Console server list, right-click the server name and remove it from the server list.
4. Apply the system image and add the server to the existing server farm.
Important: If a server is not removed from a server farm before a new system image is applied to it, performance problems can result. The Presentation Server Console can display invalid data if the server is returned to the same server farm because the old server’s host record in the data store is applied to the newly imaged server.
If cloning is not an option, you can create custom unattended installation scripts for both the operating system and applications, including Presentation Server.
Note: Removal of the WSID (workstation ID) line from the DSN file is no longer necessary when imaging and deploying Presentation Server.
Rapid Deployment with Microsoft Access or MSDE
When using Microsoft Access or MSDE, you must install the first server in the new server farm that hosts the data store. One can then create an image of the second server in the farm for the deployment of additional servers.
To image a server for rapid deployment with Access
1. Install the first server in the farm.
2. Install a second server in the farm with an indirect connection to the data store you created on the first server.
3. With the second server successfully installed and restarted, log on to the console of the second server as a local or domain administrator.
4. On the second server, delete the Wfcname.ini file, if it exists, from the root drive of the server.
5. Stop the Citrix IMA Service using the Services Control Panel. Set the start up type to manual.
6. If Presentation Server, Enterprise Edition components are installed, see the paragraph “Cloning Citrix Presentation Server Enterprise Edition Systems” further in this document.
7. Take the image of the second server and then restart the second server.
8. Deploy the image obtained in Step 7.
Important: It is important that some type of SID generation utility be executed when deploying Windows 2000 Server or Windows Server 2003 images.
To set up the server and verify that it is added
1. Set the SID of the server with your chosen SID generator.
2. Rename the new server with a unique name.
3. Start the Citrix IMA Service and set the service to start automatically.
4. Verify that the server is successfully added to the farm by executing qfarm at a command prompt. If the addition is successful, the newly imaged server appears in the list of servers.
5. Modify the following registry values:
Note: Verify existence and validity of Ctx_SmaUser account and its relative NTFS and DCOM permissions.
CTX106393 - Required Permissions and Rights for the Ctx_SmaUser Account
CTX106629 – Client Printers Fail to Autocreate in Presentation Server 4.0
*For 64bit systems with the 64bit version of Presentation Server 4.0 installed, the correct path is as follows:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432NODE\CITRIX\IMA
6. Restart the server.
Rapid Deployment with Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle, or IBM DB2
When using Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle, or IBM DB2 for the server farm’s data store, one can create an image of the first server in the farm and use it to deploy all other servers.
To image a server for rapid deployment with SQL Server, Oracle, or IBM DB2
1. Install the first server in the farm.
2. When the server is successfully restarted, log on to the console as a local or domain administrator.
3. Delete the Wfcname.ini file, if it exists, from the root drive of the server.
4. Stop the Citrix IMA Service and set the start up type to manual.
5. If Presentation Server, Enterprise Edition components are installed, see Cloning Citrix Presentation Server Enterprise Edition Systems further in this document.
6. Take the image of the server and then restart the server.
7. Deploy the image obtained in Step 6.
Important: It is important that some type of SID generation utility be executed when deploying Windows 2000 Server.
To verify that the server is added
1. Set the Security ID of the server with your chosen SID generator.
2. Rename the new server with a unique name.
3. Manually start the Citrix IMA Service and set the service to start automatically.
4. Verify that the server is successfully added to the farm by executing qfarm at a command prompt on any server in the farm. If the addition is successful, the newly imaged server appears in the list of servers.
5. Modify the following registry values:-
Note: Verify existence and validity of Ctx_SmaUser account and its relative NTFS and DCOM permissions.
CTX106393 - Required Permissions and Rights for the Ctx_SmaUser Account
CTX106629 – Client Printers Fail to Autocreate in Presentation Server 4.0
*For 64bit systems with the 64bit version of Presentation Server 4.0 installed, the correct path is as follows:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432NODE\CITRIX\IMA
6. Restart the server.
Cloning Citrix Presentation Server Enterprise Edition Systems
If you are running Resource Manager on a server with Presentation Server Enterprise Edition, you must delete the local database used by Resource Manager (named RMLocalDatabase) so that the cloned server does not retain information from the server you are using as the cloning source. The RMLocalDatabase is installed in Citrix Resource Manager\LocalDB in the default installation directory, %Program Files%\Citrix. On the cloned server, the RMLocalDatabase file is recreated automatically when the Citrix IMA Service starts.
Server Cloning
A few manual steps are required for cloning Presentation Servers. These steps vary depending on the type of data store used for the farm, and are described in the following sections. Presentation Server is compatible with server cloning, but cloning software can contain issues that cause the operating system or its add-ons to function incorrectly after being cloned. When using server cloning, it is important to clone one server and test its operation before deploying the rest of the farm. See CTX108361 – The Access Suite Console for Advanced Access Control Shows Different STAs Using the Same STA ID for additional updates.
Caution: Do not attempt to image a server with an SSL certificate installed because SSL certificates are unique to the hardware.
Pre-Cloning Considerations
Zone settings are not retained when cloning a server. When the IMA service on the cloned server starts for the first time, the Presentation Server joins the default zone. The name of the default zone is the ID of the subnet on which the cloned server resides. When deploying images to servers on multiple subnets, assign zone information for each server after the imaging process completes.
Prior to changing the Security ID (SID) on the machine used to access the Presentation Server Console, add one of the following as a Citrix Administrator with read-write privileges:
Caution: Do not attempt to use drive image software to restore an image of a Presentation Server with remapped drives. Remapped drives will partially revert to the original configuration on the deployed server rendering the server unusable. Servers with remapped drives may be duplicated using a hardware solution such as Compaq Smart Array controllers with RAID1 drive mirroring.
If you plan to apply an image to a server that is already a member of a Presentation Server farm you must do the following before applying the image:
To prepare a server in a Presentation Server farm for re-imaging
1. From the Presentation Server Console, remove the list of servers configured to host any applications.
2. Remove the server from the server farm by uninstalling Presentation Server.
3. If the server entry still exists in the Presentation Server Console server list, Right-click and manually remove the server name from the server list.
4. Apply the system image and add the server to the server farm.
Important: If a server is not removed from a Presentation Server farm before a new system image is applied to it, performance problems can result. The Presentation Server Console can display invalid data if the server is added back to the same server farm. This is because the old server's host record in the data store is applied to the newly imaged server.
If cloning is not an option, such as when configuring with remapped drives, you can create custom unattended installation scripts for both the operating system and applications, including Presentation Server.
Rapid Deployment with Microsoft Access or SQL Express
Manually install the first server in the new Presentation Server farm that will host the data store. You can image the second server in the farm for the deployment of additional servers.
To image a server for rapid deployment with Access or SQL Express
1. Follow all necessary steps from the Citrix Presentation Server Administrator’s Guide to install the first server into the farm.
2. Install a second server into the farm with an indirect connection to the data store created on the first server.
3. With the second server successfully installed and restarted, log on to the console of the second server as a local or domain administrator.
4. On the second server, delete the Wfcname.ini file, if it exists, from the root drive of the server.
5. Stop the IMA service using the Services Control Panel. Set the startup type to Manual.
6. Stop the Citrix SMA service using the Services Control Panel. Set the startup type to Manual.
7. If Enterprise edition components are installed, see Cloning on Presentation Server, Enterprise Edition Systems.
8. Take the image of the second server and then restart the second server.
9. Deploy the image obtained in Step 7.
Important: It is important that some type of SID generation utility be executed when deploying Windows 2000 or Windows 2003 images.
To set up the server and verify that it is added
1. Set the SID of the server with the SID generator of choice.
2. Rename the new server with a unique name.
3. Manually start the IMA Service and set the service to start automatically.
4. Manually start the Citrix SMA Service and set the service to start automatically.
5. Verify that the server was successfully added to the farm by executing qfarm at the command prompt. The newly imaged server will appear in the list of servers.
6. Change the registry value HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\software\citrix\IMA\ServerHost (32-bit server) or HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\software\Wow6432node\citrix\IMA\ServerHost (64-bit server) to the new server name.
7. Verify that integrity of data store by executing dscheck /full servers at a command prompt on any server in the farm. There should be no invalid server record.
8. Restart the server.
Rapid Deployment with Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle, or IBM DB2
When using Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle, or IBM DB2 for the server farm data store, you can image the first server in the farm and use it to deploy all other servers.
Note: Removal of the WSID line from the DSN file is no longer necessary when imaging and deploying MetaFrame XP with Feature Release 3 or later.
To image a server for rapid deployment with SQL Server, Oracle, or IBM DB2
1. Follow the steps from the Presentation Server Administrator’s Guide for installing the first Presentation Server into the farm.
2. When the server is successfully restarted, log on to the console as a local or domain administrator.
3. Delete the Wfcname.ini file, if it exists, from the root drive of the server.
4. Stop the IMA Service and set the startup option to Manual.
5. Stop the Citrix SMA Service using the Services Control Panel. Set the startup type to Manual.
6. If Enterprise edition components are installed, see Cloning on Presentation Server, Enterprise Edition Systems
7. Take the image of the server and then restart the server.
8. Deploy the image obtained.
Important: It is important that some type of SID generation utility be executed when deploying Windows 2000 and Windows 2003.
To set up the server and verify that it is added
1. Set the Security ID of the server with the SID generator of choice.
2. Rename the new server with a unique name.
3. Manually start the IMA Service and set the service to start automatically.
4. Manually start the Citrix SMA Service and set the service to start automatically.
5. Verify that the server was successfully added to the farm by executing qfarm at a command prompt on any server in the farm. The newly imaged server will appear in the list of servers.
6. Change the registry value HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\software\citrix\IMA\ServerHost (32 bit server) or HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\software\Wow6432node\citrix\IMA\ServerHost (64 bit server) to the new server name.
7. Verify that integrity of data store by executing dscheck /full servers at a command prompt on any server in the farm. There should be no invalid server record.
8. Restart the server.
Cloning on Presentation Server, Enterprise Edition Systems
If Resource Management is installed, re-create the RMLocalDatabase prior to making an image of the server.
To re-create the RMLocalDatabase
1. Delete %Program Files%\Citrix\Citrix Resource Manager\LocalDB\RMLocalDatabase.*
2. The next time the IMA service is started, it will re-create the database.
