NOTE: The latest version of Scout (3.x) is intended to be run on Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops 7.14 and newer. For additional information, please refer to Citrix Product Documentation  

You can download the required file from the Citrix downloads website by visiting the following link: https://www.citrix.com/downloads/citrix-tools

Description

Run Citrix Scout from a single XenDesktop controller (DDC) or XenApp server to capture key data points and CDF traces for selected computers followed by secure and reliable upload of the data package to Citrix Technical Support.

There's a new version of Scout, integrated with XenApp and XenDesktop, beginning with version 7.14. For details, see Citrix Scout.

New in this release

• Additional data points 
• Bug fixes

Key Data points include:

Hardware

Software

XenDesktop 5.x, 7.x

XenApp 6.x

Footnotes

Data Store details are supported only with MS-SQL based data stores; the user running Scout must have administrative rights on the SQL database.

Prerequisites

• Any one of the following Microsoft .NET Framework - .NET version 3.5 with Service Pack 1, .NET 4.0, .NET 4.5 or .NET 4.5.1
• Microsoft Windows PowerShell version 2.0, or newer 
• User must be a local administrator and domain user for each machine being queried.
• Must run as administrator 
• For on-premises deployments, Scout must run on one of the Citrix Desktop Delivery Controller machines when capturing product information.
• For cloud deployments, Scout must run on any machine in the same domain as the VDA machines when capturing product information
• For cloud deployments, the Apps and Desktop Service PowerShell SDK is required

Supported Citrix Cloud Services

• XenApp and XenDesktop Service

Supported Citrix Product Versions

• XenDesktop 5.x, 7.x
• XenApp 6.x, 7.x

For XenDesktop 7.1 upwards, and also for XenApp 7.5 upwards, Scout download is not required – Scout is pre-installed on all controllers in these environments, and can be found in the Citrix Folder on the start menu (Windows 2008), or in the Citrix Apps (Windows 2012).

Note: The following message appears if you attempt to start Scout on a machine where a supported version of XenDesktop or XenApp is not installed.

Supported Citrix Product Versions

• XenDesktop 5.x, 7.x
• XenApp 6.x, 7.x

For XenDesktop 7.1 upwards, and also for XenApp 7.5 upwards, Scout download is not required – Scout is pre-installed on all controllers in these environments, and can be found in the Citrix Folder on the start menu (Windows 2008), or in the Citrix Apps (Windows 2012).

Note: The following message appears if you attempt to start Scout on a machine where a supported version of XenDesktop or XenApp is not installed.

Installing Scout

To install Scout, unzip the Citrix Scout package to a folder, such as Desktop. To overwrite the existing version of Scout, unzip it in the C:\Program Files (x86)\Citrix\Scout folder.

How to use Scout & Citrix Insight Services (CIS) to analyze your environment

This video https://youtu.be/oMkegjDaFiM explains how to use Scout & CIS

To Start Scout

Navigate to the folder where you unzipped the download and click Run.

Once signed in, select a customer:

Scout will open so you can continue to perform the appropriate configuration.

Note: Cloud deployments can only collect information from VDAs (Controller(s) information will not be captured)

To Set Scout Configuration Options

1. From the menu bar, click Config > Settings.

2. Make any required changes to the default settings:

To Capture a CDF Trace

1. Click Start CDF Trace.

2. Select up to 10 target computers, and then click Continue.

To Collect and Upload Environment Information

1. Click Collect & Upload.

2. Select up to 10 target computers, and then click Continue.

3. If necessary, click the Settings icon to enable WinRM remotely or XenDesktop service logging for VDAs and Controllers.

NB: Once you have successfully uploaded your data, the results file you saved locally will be deleted upon exiting Scout. This is a security measure to ensure the security of the system information gathered for CIS. If you wish to keep a copy of this file, please un-tick the “Delete saved collection results on exit” option presented when exiting Scout.

If you do not have Internet Access on your Controller, you can upload the saved results file manually by copying the saved file to a location with Internet access, and then logging onto cis.citrix.com and clicking the “Health Check” button or using the “Upload Data” option in Tools.

To Check for Updates to Scout

1. If the Local and Server versions do not match, click Download.
   Note: To check the current installed version of Scout, click Help > About.

To Open and Review a Saved Report after Closing Scout

1. Click File > Open, and navigate to the location of the saved report.
2. Use the left navigation pane to select and expand the environment nodes.

To Upload a Saved Report after Closing Scout

1. Click File > Upload.
2. Navigate to the location of the saved report, select the file, and then click Open.
   When the Upload to cis.citrix.com dialog appears, enter your My Citrix ID and password.

Data Modified by Scout

Scout does not make any system modifications. Only data and log files are captured.

How to Undo the Changes Made by Scout

If you enable additional logging for your XenDesktop environment during your collection, you will be prompted to turn this off afterwards. Some logs can be quite verbose, so it is best practice to turn off any such logs once troubleshooting is complete.

Using Scout in Command-line mode

In the V2.20 release, a command-line execution option was added to Scout to allow for unattended and scripted execution of Scout.

To run Scout in command-line mode, simply copy Scout to a convenient location on the required XA or XD controller, and open a command prompt to that location:

Once you enter these successfully, Scout will retrieve a token to allow it make uploads on your behalf, without need for username & password input each time. The token will expire after 6 months, and you will be prompted to enter your credentials after this to retrieve a new token.

Once the token has been retrieved, Scout will run silently in the background, and will upload once the collection is complete.

Please Note: Commandline Scout will only collect data from the local controller, and the site or farm. It will not collect data from any other Controllers, so you will need to run commandline Scout on each Controller you wish to collect data from. Commandline scout does not collect data from VDAs, as Scout can only execute on Controllers.

If you do not have internet access on a Controller, Command-line Scout will fail to execute properly, as it needs internet both to retrieve the upload token, and also to upload the results afterwards.

An instructional video on Command-line Scout usage is available at:

Uninstalling Scout

To uninstall Scout, delete the folder created after unzipping the download.

Blocking Scout from collecting Data

For some customers it may be desirable to prevent Scout data capture from specific machines. To prevent Scout from capturing data (remotely or locally) from a specific server or VDA, you can add a registry key entry that Scout will read before allowing data collection.

HKLM\Software\Citrix\PreventScoutDataCapture

Reg_DWORD

Value = 1

Proxy Internet Support

For some customers Internet access from Servers is restricted by proxy servers and/or proxy authentication. To ensure that Scout can upload the collection bundle, you may add proxy details on the Config à Settings menu. If you do not wish to add proxy settings, you may still choose to save the collection locally, and upload it manually to cis.citrix.com from another machine with Internet access.

Disclaimer

This software application is provided to you as is with no representations, warranties or conditions of any kind. You may use and distribute it at your own risk. CITRIX DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES WHATSOEVER, EXPRESS, IMPLIED, WRITTEN, ORAL OR STATUTORY, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, TITLE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, you acknowledge and agree that (a) the software application may exhibit errors, design flaws or other problems, possibly resulting in loss of data or damage to property; (b) it may not be possible to make the software application fully functional; and (c) Citrix may, without notice or liability to you, cease to make available the current version and/or any future versions of the software application. In no event should the code be used to support of ultra-hazardous activities, including but not limited to life support or blasting activities. NEITHER CITRIX NOR ITS AFFILIATES OR AGENTS WILL BE LIABLE, UNDER BREACH OF CONTRACT OR ANY OTHER THEORY OF LIABILITY, FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER ARISING FROM USE OF THE SOFTWARE APPLICATION, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION DIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, PUNITIVE, CONSEQUENTIAL OR OTHER DAMAGES, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. You agree to indemnify and defend Citrix against any and all claims arising from your use, modification or distribution of the code.