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How to: #Citrix #XenMobile 8.5 MAM upgrade! Part 2 – #StoreFront, #AppController, #NetScaler
Hi again!
If you haven’t read Part 1 then I highly recommend doing so prior to going directly to the upgrade that we’re covering in this post!
Prepare for a journey in this post about Citrix StoreFront upgrade, uninstallation, console and how messy it could be! NOT all the time, sometimes it “just works”! 😉
My little NetScaler is already upgraded to 10.1 so unfortunately I couldn’t take you on that journey as well, so we’ll start with the StoreFront upgrade from 1.2 to 2.0 in this post. These are the steps that we need to cover as highlighted in the migration guide that seems very short and straight forward:
Upgrade StoreFront 1.2 to 2.0.
- Logon to the StoreFront server console.
- Upgrade StoreFront by running the StoreFront 2.0 installer as an administrator.
- When the upgrade is completed, open StoreFront administration snap-in, remove CloudGateway controller from each store as this will be moved in the migration solution.
- Open NetScaler Gateway Properties and for each gateway defined and change the version field in settings from 9.x to 10.0.x or later.
- Test the configuration by logging on through web browser or Citrix Receiver.
- Verify if the users are able to login and authenticate to StoreFront defined stores configured.
Is it this easy?
Ok, I’ve downloaded the 2.0 installer, and I’m logged on to the server.
Before we even start the upgrade there are things that could go wrong in removal or upgrades of StoreFront. And one that I’ve seen cause a lot of headache for a lot of people out there is that they have the Windows Firewall service disabled. Though the installation and removal wants to delete or add these rules the installation will fail unless this service is running. As you can see in this picture below you see the FW rule added in StoreFront 1.2:
So let’s verify that the Windows FW service is started, and it is!
I’ll now start the installation by double-clicking the StoreFront 2.0 installer!
What is this popup that came directly after starting the installer?
Wait, ok so you guys at Citrix couldn’t ask me whether you could do this for me? My plan is to upgrade, so please just add a little step in your upgrade program that does this for me… change request #1 for the next SF release and it’s upgrade process! Verify pre-requisites or deal with them!
#Citrix #XenMobile 8.5 MAM upgrade! Part 1 – #StoreFront, #AppController, #NetScaler
In this little blog series series you’ll follow a little upgrade process to XenMobile 8.5 for Mobile Application Management (previously known as CloudGateway).
Ok, I don’t exactly know where to begin. I must first say that Citrix is THE master when it comes to renaming products, updating/changing the architecture, changing consoles (claiming to reducing the number of them like every year but at the same time introduce new ones).
How hard can it be to make crystal clear documentation and upgrade processes that works and are easy? I feel already that my tone in this blog post is “a bit” negative… but I think that Citrix actually deserves it this time.
I must now take a step back and calm down and point out that Citrix is delivering some MAJOR changes and good news/features in the new XenMobile 8.5 release though! It’s great (when you’ve got it up and running) and I must say that I don’t see anyone that is near them in delivering all these capabilities in a nice end-to-end delivery!! 🙂
Have a look at everything that is new, deployment scenarios etc. here before you even start thinking to upgrade or change your current NetScaler, StoreFront and AppController environment!
Once you’ve started to read the different design scenarios you’ll see that App Controller can be placed in front of StoreFront, in the back of StoreFront or totally without StoreFront… all the options just make your head spin! Because Citrix doesn’t really make it clear on how all of this should work with a Receiver and Worx Home depending if the device is on the internal network, external through NetScaler or what the capabilities that you need are supported in the different scenarios in a simple way, just text that explains it. And I find the pictures and text a bit misleading:
As you see above the App Controller is added as a “Farm” just as in 2.6, but is that the truth now in version 2.8 of App Controller?
If you have a look at the text from this page it’s getting even more confusing: Read more…
#XenDesktop 7 and #AppController setup – #Citrix, #MAM – via @msandbu
Good job on this blog post by Marius Sandbu!
XenDesktop 7 setup and AppController setup
So the big day is here, XenDesktop 7 is released from Citrix and with it ends the old XenApp architecture.
Support for Server based session hosts is still there but the architecture is merged into XenDesktop.
Other features include:
App-V integration
License console integrated into Studio
Storefront administration also from the same console.
The list goes on and pictures say more than a thousand words.
(Can also say that Citrix also released a new version of the Receiver platform for both Mac and Windows today, which includes support for XenDesktop 7 and Storefront.
http://blogs.citrix.com/2013/06/25/receiver-for-windows-4-0-released-today/
http://blogs.citrix.com/2013/06/25/whats-new-with-receiver-for-mac-11-8/
XenDesktop 7 can be downloaded from Mycitrix.com à
http://www.citrix.com/downloads/xendesktop.html
Now the installation is pretty straight forward just choose Standard delivery controller install and it will include all of the needed components. After they are installed we need to create a deployment.
When you start Desktop Studio we choose create new deployment.
So we create a new site…
Continue reading here!
//Richard
Citrix Worx Apps announced! – part 2, #CitrixSynergy, #BYOD
Hi again,
Ok, yesterday I posted that Citrix announces the Worx apps which I think is a GREAT story and it looks as the killer apps!
Citrix Worx Apps announced! #CitrixSynergy, #BYOD
I got you excited I guess, but this is of course also not something that we’ll see released in May! The first release now in June will release the Worx Enroll and Worx Home apps, but Worx Home will only be the “store” for Mobile and Web apps. The XenDesktop/XenApp integration comes in the next release so until then the Receiver is still the client for that type of delivery.
I got to play around with Worx Home a bit yesterday and I really liked the way it displays the apps and how they easily can be sorted in a groups by type or folder structure. And then when you get XA/XD items in there and they are placed right next to all the other apps on your mobile device and you can launch Excel from you iPad directly instead of going through and opening the Worx Home or Receiver app the integration is really user friendly. But then again; don’t we still for the majority of the use cases think that XA/XD are “legacy” solutions? wouldn’t we rather strive to get into a complete SaaS model instead of adding these expensive hosted solutions? I know it won’t go away and there are great use cases for XA and XD but I would still say it’s legacy, park it and contain it and work on your strategy to change the model and become future ready! 😉
And for those that don’t go off and purchase the Mobile Solution Bundle in the future can continue to use the Receiver for their “legacy” XenApp/XenDesktop service delivery. The question is how this will be evolving though, I foresee a risk that to much of the focus in the future will be agains the Worx apps and that is something that may lead to longer release cycles of fixes and updates of the Receiver. That my of course not be an issue either though many companies today are struggling with that Citrix “goes to fast” and it’s hard to keep up (and Citrix has a hard time keeping up as well).
Stay tuned for a more complete update after Synergy!
//Richard
Citrix Worx Apps announced! #CitrixSynergy, #BYOD
“Worx Enroll” and “Worx Home” apps announced to support the MDM, MAM, Web, Saas and Win apps/desktop (XA/XD) from ONE STORE!!
This is something that we all have been waiting for!! Finally a one-stop-shop/app in where an end user can use their personal devices and consume MAM, MIM and WaaS (Windows as a Service) deliverables without enrolling to a full MDM service. And those devices that are corporate assets enables you to do the same delivery and add the MDM capabilities needed (e.g: geofencing, pass code and other policies and asset mgmt) with the same end user UI!!!
I want to see this in action and get my hands on it NOW! 😉
//Richard
#CitrixSynergy keynote – What will be announced?
So here we are! Keynote is about to start!
what can we expect? This is one thing that I definitely like to see:
– MDM + MAM + MIM + XA/XD= one solution/service! Have they finally made some progress into integrating Zenprise, AppController and StoreFront into one “App Store” and policy governance model so that we have one (1) app that handles both MDM, MAM and MIM from a device/user perspective?
Let the show begin! 🙂
//Richard
Enable Enterprise #Mobility and Secure Android, iOS and Windows Devices – #BYOD
This is a good blog post from Christopher Campbell that also has links to Citrix BYOD Solutions and Citrix BYOD Starter Kit.
Lots of devices with many different operating systems. Lots of users bringing Android, iOS and Windows mobile devices into the workplace. Securing all these devices and the apps and data they’re accessing can make enabling Enterprise Mobility an intimidating task. Is it going to be BYOD, COPE, MDM, MAM, MIM or a combination? One size doesn’t fit all and addressing these challenges can be painful if you’re deploying a multiple vendor solution stack.
Some of the top mobile threats now include but are not limited to:
- Data loss from lost and stolen devices
- Information stealing mobile malware
- Vulnerabilities from device, OS and 3rd party apps
- Insecure Wi-Fi, network access and rogue access points
- Insufficient management tools and capabilities
Join Citrix Chief Security Strategist Kurt Roemer to find out how IT can maintain control and protect business information accessed from Android, iOS and Windows tablets and smartphones.
Watch Now and you will learn:
- Security considerations and risk mitigation options when supporting BYOD
- The architecture required to support tablets and smartphones accessing sensitive business information
- How Citrix BYOD solutions enable secure access to enterprise desktops, apps and files from any device
- Best practices for IT to maintain control over Android, Apple iOS and Windows tablets and smartphones used in the workplace
WATCH ON-DEMAND TODAY and learn how to make a complete end-to-end, fully integrated Enterprise Mobility solution work for the business, user and IT…
Continue reading here!
//Richard
XenMobile product overview… and It’s nice! via @BasvanKaam – #BYOD, #MDM, #Citrix
Wow! I must say that Bas van Kaam has done a great wrap-up here! I highly recommend you to read this blog post!!! 🙂
It was only about a month ago when I was writing my Blog about the CloudGateway that I wondered which route Citrix would take now that they acquired Zenprise, well… here it is… XenMobile, another Xen sibling sees the light! Lets jump right in…
I had the opportunity to make use of one of Citrix’s demo environments to have a closer look at MDM, which is an awesome way to explore new and existing products by the way, if your company is a Citrix partner and has access I definitely recommend having a look. Besides that I used the Citrix E-Docs website as well as Citrix.com to find as much information as possible.
The main focus of this article will be on XenMobile MDM as the Mobile Solutions Bundle (one of the two editions available) focuses primarily on the CloudGateway which I already discussed in one of my previous blogs.
MDM?
MDM stand for Mobile Device Management and it’s just that! Here’s what Citrix has to say about it: As per Citrix: XenMobile MDM is a robust mobile device management solution that delivers role-based management, configuration, and security for both corporate and employee-owned devices. Upon user device enrollment, IT can provision policies and apps to devices automatically, blacklist or whitelist apps, detect and protect against jailbroken or rooted devices, and selectively wipe a device that is lost, stolen, or out of compliance. Users can use any device they choose, while IT can ensure compliance of corporate assets and secure corporate content on the device.
Editions
There are two editions: XenMobile MDM and the Mobile Solutions Bundle. XenMobile MDM primarily focuses on (hardware) device management, more on it’s extensive feature set shortly. Every major platform is supported including: iPhone, iPad, Android, BlackBerry, Symbian and Microsoft Windows 8. It includes the XenMobile Secure Mobile Gateway (SMG) and XenMobile SharePoint Data Leak Prevention (DLP) as well as the XenMobile Mobile Service Provider (ZSM) and the XenMobile Remote Support Application Toolset.
#Citrix #BYOD Architecture overview – #XenMobile, #Mobility
I must say that this blog post is of course Citrix “twisted”, but I really like it! And it shows how Citrix provides a pretty complete offering in order to deliver Mobility- and BYO-compliant services.
The Citrix blog written by Christopher Campbell makes sense and I also agree that a picture is worth a thousand words! 🙂
I’m going to make this real easy and simple. As my grandfather would say “A picture is worth a thousand words”.
If you’re a XenDesktop or XenApp customer this is what your environment probably looks like.
Now this is what you need to enable BYOD and add that MAM, MDM, MIM (Data) and overall EMM functionality you’re looking for.
This is what your environment looks like after you enable BYOD.
Didn’t get that? OK, here is what BYOD looks like with multiple vendors.
Now, here is what BYOD looks like with Citrix.
Got it?
Read the whole blog post here!
//Richard
#Citrix #AppController 2.6 released as part of #MobileSolutions #Bundle #BYOD
As a part of the Mobile Solutions Bundle that now is available on MyCitrix you can find a new version of AppController.
AppController 2.6 supports the following new features:
- Certificate support. When you configure AppController for the first time in the web-based management console, you can add or create certificates on the Active Directory settings page.
- Microsoft Hyper-V support. You can install the AppController 2.6 virtual machine on Windows Server 2012 with Hyper-V enabled or on Microsoft Hyper-V Server 2012.
- Migration support to AppController 2.6. You can upgrade to AppController 2.6 from AppController 2.0 or from AppController 2.5.
- Mobile store support. You can upload mobile apps from the Apple App Store or Google Play to AppController. You can use the Citrix App Preparation Tool to wrap iOS and Android apps from the Apple App Store or Google Play. When you wrap the app, you can secure access and enforce policies. When you upload the app to AppController, you can configure the policies. You can also upload an app from the App Store or Google Play to AppController without using the App Preparation Tool.
- Secure connections to Active Directory. You can configure secure connections to Active Directory when you configure AppController 2.6 for the first time.
- ShareFile updates. In previous AppController versions, when you configured ShareFile, the domain sharefile.com was automatically appended to the domain name. In this release, the domain sharefile.com does not automatically append to the ShareFile domain name. You must enter the entire ShareFile domain name.
- Support for mobile links. You can configure mobile links to retrieve the name and description of apps automatically from the Apple App Store. For apps available through the Google Play Store, you enter the name, description and URL of the app. When you configure mobile links, links appear in Receiver with the Play Store or App Store name.
- Web proxy user name format. When you configure the web proxy, you can use either the SAMAccount format or the User Principal Name (UPN) as the user name.
Read more about it here!
//Richard
The IT Melting Pot! 