This article describes how to create only one customized management console with all the Windows and Citrix consoles so the administrator can publish only one Microsoft Management Console (MMC).

Since the Delivery Services Console for XenApp is not registered by default as a snap-in on the Windows server, the users cannot create a customized MMC with the Delivery Services Console or Web Interface Console. If the user tries to create a custom MMC and look for the desired snap-ins, the Citrix consoles are not listed. Attempting to do a File > Open and Browse to C:\Program Files (x86)\Citrix\Citrix Delivery Services Console\Framework\Cmi60.msc displays the following error message:

“MMC could not create the snap-in.”

There are also issues following CTX112473 – How to Publish the Access Management Console on Presentation Server 4.5 and UAC (User Access Control) in Windows 2008 and non-administrative users.

Non-administrative users who launch cmilaunch.exe are always challenged with an administrative account and password.
Note: For non-Administrator Add read permissions to the MMC and add user to the distributed com user group on the XML server.

Publishing an application C:\windows\system32\mmc.exe “C:\Program Files (x86)\Citrix\Citrix Delivery Services Console\Framework\Cmi60.msc” bypasses the UAC issue and then, after the first configuration, subsequent launches reuse the .msc created in the users \appdata\roaming\microsoft\mmc folder.

This article helps the administrators to have one console to access all the desired components and at the same time publish the MMC so it can be accessed from anywhere by the administrator.

Instructions

Complete the following steps to create the custom Microsoft Management Console:

1. Log on to the XenApp server and create a folder on the root driver of the server. For example, C:\CustomConsoles\.

2. Locate the Delivery Services Console *.msc file under "C:\Program Files\Citrix\Desktop studio\Studio.msc". Copy the file to the recently created folder C:\CustomConsoles.

   Citrix XenApp 6.0 Windows 2008 Server R2

   Cmi60.msc

   C:\Program Files (x86)\Citrix\Citrix Delivery Services Console\Framework\

3. Right-click on the file and select Author mode; the console opens with all the author options that can be customized.

   

4. The first time the console is opened the server discovery starts. Follow the normal process for the discovery and ensure to select the required options so that the discovery wizard runs automatically the next time you open the console. That way, the user only has to configure discovery the first time the console is opened.

   

   Ensure to select the desired options for the console when the discovery process is executed.

5. Go to File > Add/Remove Snap-In. The snap-ins to be changed are listed. If you add the new snap-ins to the console you only see the Delivery Services Console in the tree. The configuration of the pre-existing Delivery Services Console snap-in does not allow showing others. The newly added snap-ins are hidden. To fix this, clear the configuration, remove the Delivery Services Console snap-ins and add them back again. This causes a new configuration of the snap-ins and you can add others snap-ins and see them. If desired, you can save the .msc file to record the changes. You can Save as and change the name of the file, for example, CustomDSC.msc.

   

   

6. The following screen shot contains a list of recommended snap-ins that you must add to the console.

   

   • Citrix Web Interface: Only if the web Interface is installed on the same server where it is going to be published.

   • Group Policy Management: Required to work with Active Directory, GPO, or Citrix GPOs.

   • Event Viewer: View event logs of the server. The user can use the Connect To option to change servers inside the console.

   • Services: View services of the desired server. The user can use the Connect To option to change servers inside the console.

   • Local Users and Groups: View local users, groups, and the permissions. The user can use the Connect To option to change servers inside the console.

7. Close the console and open it normally. Do not use Author mode. When it opens, ensure all the desired settings are as expected. If a discovery is requested, run it again, save, and close the console.

   

8. Open the console in Author mode again. Go to File>Options, make the following changes.

   1. Title description of the console.

   2. Console icon.

   3. Change console mode to User mode – limited access, single windows. This setting blocks users from making changes to the console settings and views.

   4. Select Do not save changes to this console. If the user is able to make changes, any changes to the setting are not saved. This is the reason that discovery must be tested before enabling these options. If the discovery is not configured beforehand, every time the user opens the console, the discovery wizard opens.

   5. Clear Allow the user to customize views option. This allows the user to customize the view of the console.

      

9. Publish the custom console. Open the Delivery Services Console of the server and add a new published application. Write the application name and description of the console.

   

   

10. Configure the applications to access the applications installed on the server. On the next page, browse for mmc.exe inside the System32 folder of Windows and add the path of the custom *.msc file as a parameter. Ensure the working directory matches the locations of mmc.exe. Because you are using a custom console, you must name it with the mmc.exe to launch it.

    

    

11. Add the servers or workgroup to handle the console. Because it is an administration console for the farm, it is recommended that you add all the servers, and all the servers must have the custom console copied to the same locations.

    

12. Add the administrators that have permissions to access the components of the console.

    

13. Change the icon to match the Delivery Services Console (this is optional). Click Next and click Finish to complete the configuration.

    

Now there is a custom access-to-all administration console for the administrators of the farm. When giving permissions for the administration of XenApp, be cautious not to give excessive access to non-administrators.

This procedure has been tested with Citrix XenApp 6.5 console Citrix AppCenter, the same procedure works with no issue.

CTX127619 – Hotfix XA600W2K8R2X64019 - For Citrix XenApp 6.0 for Windows Server 2008 R2 - Spanish resolved an issue in which an administrator level account was unable to launch the application, the published application name may not show in the Discovery Services Console, CTX128945 – Hotfix XA600W2K8R2X64056 - For Citrix XenApp 6.0 for Windows Server 2008 R2 - English.

The Elder Geek - Microsoft Management Console Basics - This is a third party article of other customization concepts for Microsoft Management Console.