First Look: XenApp/XenDesktop 7.6 – Part 5 (Machine Catalogs creation)

9 October 2014 by pawelserwan 9 Comments

That is the fifth part of First Look series regarding new version of XenApp/XenDesktop 7.6. In the previous parts we did the following:

In the first part – we installed first Delivery Controller and setup our new XenDesktop 7.6 site.

In the second part – we have configured first site.

In the third part – we prepared the template image of Windows Server 2012 R2 that will be used by MCS service for creation of new machines that will be hosting user desktops and applications.

In the fourth part – we upgraded XenApp 6.5 server to XenApp 7.6.

In the fifth part – we will create machine catalogs and use previously prepared master image and attach to the site upgraded XenApp 6.5 server.

Let’s start by launching Citrix Studio.

Then in the up right corner we have to choose “Create Machine Catalog”.

Machine Catalog Setup wizard starts.

Choose Windows Server OS.

In next step we have to specify how our machines will be managed. In this case we would like to use out master image prepared in part 3. We will deploy machines using Machine Creation Services and our hypervisor – in my case it’s XenServer.

Next we have to choose master image that will be used by MCS service. I have 2 available images. We would like to use prepared earlier Windows Server 2012 image. We would like to install as well the newest version of VDA agent.

Next window allows to specify number of VMs we would like to create as well as their hardware configuration.

In the next step we need to define where our newly created machines will be set in Active Directory structure. We can define if we would like to use existing (pre-populated computer accounts) or create new one in the specified Organizational Unit. Additionally if we have chosen to create new AD accounts we can specify account naming scheme.

The last thing we need to define on the Summary page apart from reviewing configuration is to give name to our Machine Catalog and it’s description.

We can finally click Finish and the creation of Machine Catalog begins.

After few minutes our newly created Machine Catalog is ready for use.

Let’s add now our upgraded XenApp 7.6 server. One more time we start by clicking “Create Machine Catalog” and choosing Windows Server OS. In the next window we should specify machine management and specify that we already have prepared machine.

In the next step we have to add our former XenApp 6.5 server – in our case it’s name is XA65.

And finally we get to the summary page. One more time we need to name our machine catalog, add it’s description and review our configuration. Click Finish and wait till the catalog will create.

After few minutes our machine catalog is created and our former XenApp 6.5 is now full member of our XenApp/XenDesktop 7.6 site.

We can click on our catalog and check it’s details.

As you see our server is there and we are ready now to publish applications for end users. But this will happen in the next part of our series. Stay tuned!

Please check other parts of the series as well:

In the first part – we installed first Delivery Controller and setup our new XenDesktop 7.6 site.

In the second part – we have configured first site.

In the third part – we prepared the template image of Windows Server 2012 R2 that will be used by MCS service for creation of new machines that will be hosting user desktops and applications.

In the fourth part – we upgraded XenApp 6.5 server to XenApp 7.6.

In the fifth part – we created machine catalogs and used previously prepared master image. We attached to the site as well upgraded XenApp 6.5 server.

In the sixth part – we delivered applications to the end users by creating delivery groups.

In the seventh part – we will configure StoreFront so that end users could launch their apps.

In the eighth part – we checked how Connection Leasing really works.

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