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Description

Relevant Links

1

Backup the Farm Data Store Regularly
This database contains the persistent farm information including published applications, servers, policies, and other settings. If it is corrupted or the database server fails, without a current backup, the farm must be recreated. Remember to also verify the integrity of the data store backups by performing test restores on another server or instance.

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2

Build at Least One Test Environment/Farm
A test environment is critical for testing new applications, updates, and settings before rolling them out into production. Having one or more test servers in a production farm is not sufficient because they still connect to the production database and can potentially impact the production servers in the farm. Create a separate farm or farms for testing with settings that closely resemble what is used in production.

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3

Keep Abreast with Updates and Hotfixes
Operating system, application, and Citrix hotfixes and updates should be up-to-date to prevent issues from arising and maintain the performance, stability, and security of the environment. Always test updates and hotfixes in a test environment prior to rolling them out into production. With XenApp, all Hotfix Rollup Packs (HRPs) should be applied after testing and individual hotfixes applied only if denoted as critical or to address a specific problem being faced.

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4

Implement a Change Management Plan
Most enterprise XenApp deployments are administered by several individuals or teams which can make it challenging when trying to track down changes. Creating a change management plan within your organization makes it easier to pinpoint changes and makes troubleshooting more efficient. In addition, the Configuration Logging feature of XenApp can be enabled to record changes made within the management console for later viewing.

Search “Configuration Logging” at Citirx Product Documentation web site.

5

Avoid Non-Native/Third-Party Printer Drivers
Printing problems are one of the most frequent areas that Citrix Technical Support sees on a regular basis. One of the main factors attributed to printing problems are because of non-native or third party printer drivers which are not designed or tested to work in multi-user environments such as Terminal Services/Remote Desktop Services. Always use native/inbox printer drivers and the Citrix Universal Print Drivers to prevent printing problems.

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6

Get Familiar with Common Tools
Different tasks and problems call for different set of tools. It is important to familiarize yourself with the Citrix and third party tools and their usage, both from a proactive and reactive standpoint.

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7

Know the Types of Memory Dumps
Dumps are created when processes or the operating system itself crashes. Dump files can also be manually generated when troubleshooting issues such as hangs or memory leaks. It is important for administrators to understand the types of dump files available and ensure that their servers are properly configured for kernel or complete memory dumps.

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8

Understand Zones and Data Collector
Zones are groupings of XenApp servers designed to create a hierarchical structure and efficiently handle changes as they are made. Every server farm has at least one zone and the number of zones should be kept minimum to avoid additional complexity. Each zone has a data collector which manages the dynamic information for servers in that zone. The data collector is determined by a preference that the administrator sets. Every zone should have one server set as Most Preferred and one or more servers with a preference of Preferred to take over the role if the data collector becomes unavailable.

Search “Zones” at Citirx Product Documentation web site.
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9

Monitor Farm Health
It is important to ensure the health of all servers in a XenApp environment and be alerted when problems arise or might soon arise. XenApp includes a Health Monitoring and Recovery feature which consists of various tests on core components. If any tests should fail, alerts can be triggered along with actions such as removing a server from load balancing. In addition, standalone tools such as MedEvac can be used to periodically assess farm health. For more comprehensive monitoring, the Citrix EdgeSight product can be used.

Search “Health Monitoring and Recovery” at Citirx Product Documentation web site.
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10

Review Plug-in/Receiver Considerations
Administrators should ensure that users connecting to the XenApp environment are doing so with the appropriate plug-in or receiver type and that it is updated and properly configured. Plug-ins can be installed, updated and configured on client devices through Active Directory as well as with Receiver using Merchandising Server.

Refer to the “Receiver and Plug-ins” at Citirx Product Documentation web site.