Working on a PVS / XenApp environment upgrade from 5.0 SP1 to 5.1 I also had to work with the EdgeSight Agent, at first 5.0 SP2 and now 5.1.

XenApp Cloning Tool was previously handling EdgeSight by removing the local DB after stopping the service before creating the XenApp image (or before saving a XenApp Image after some modifications).

It was working flawlessly until EdgeSight 5.0 SP2 came ... As I was facing some previously unseen errors I've opened a support call to talk about this with the support. This ended in a non effective exchange because as stated in the Install Guide, EdgeSight is only supported when the Agent is never run before the Cloning Process. (*caught* some understanding and willing to help finding a solution  would have been appreciated *caught*)

As obviously my customer did not want to uninstall / clean the os / install the EdgeSight XenApp Agent at each image modification, I've started working on providing a solution to ease this process.

So did this new release begin to be imagined.

The solution I've found is quite easy when you think about it, the thoughest part is within the code to find where we are. When we are ? Actually yes, because all I do need, to handle EdgeSight Agent properly and be supported by Citrix, is to be able to run it when my image is in shared mode and not to run it when on master target or when my image is switched back to private for modifications (said like that I do realize it really sounds easy :)

Also, another constraint is that the EdgeSight Agent needs a persistent storage. No problem in my case because my recommendation is to use client hard drive for caching, so I do have my persistent storage. To be sure all is fine for EdgeSight, I've also added in this new release some additional options like creation of the default path for EdgeSight Datas if it does not exists on the persistent storage and also some protections not to try starting the Agent when the cache disk is not available or when the datas folder does not exists.

Cache Disk, here is another new feature. I used to set scripts to intialize and format the cache disk when located on client HDD. I've though it would be a nice feature to integrate directly in the XenApp Cloning Tool. Please let me know what you think about it !

So to sum up, here are the major features of this new release :

• Full Provisioning Server 5.1 Support (4.5 and 5.0 are also supported)

• Full EdgeSight Agent Support within provisioned servers

• New "Execute Only when in Shared Image" feature (for Provisioning Server)

• Fully automated Provisioning Server Client Disk Cache initalization and format with optional EdgeSight persistent data folder creation

• GUI settings will now be retained at next start to ease image modifications process

• Enhanced Citrix Portable Profiles Support

• Enhanced Code for faster execution

• Provisioning Server Image Tuning (Offload and TCP Chimney will be turned off and services timeout increased)

Now, how to use it, mainly for EdgeSight : the most important thing is to ensure EdgeSight will not start after setup, to do so You'll have to run the setup including the following msi property : SERVICE_START_MANUAL="1".

Then the setup will prompt for reboot, you can do so.

Then You'll have to move the EdgeSight Data folder to the future persistent storage (in most cases, the local hdd used for cache). To do so You'll have to edit the registry.

Before creating your Image, install the Cloning Tool and use it to create the image with the appropriate options.

For EdgeSight, be sure to select to launch it only within shared images (default choice).

To create your image, select "PVS Cloning" and if you want answer yes to the first question so that the PVS Image Builder will be launched after the pre cloning process.

When the image will be in shared mode, EdgeSight agent will be started, when in private or within master target, a warning will inform you that the start is skipped.

Please note that for security purposes, Cache Disk init and format will only occur when image is in shared mode.

When you configure this option and deploy your image on a new server, at first boot the cache disk will be initialized and formatted while PVS client will fall back to Server cache mode.

At next reboot, the disk will be used for cache.

As all is about automation, be sure to also check the Cloning Service Configuration Plugin (Updated for PVS 5.1) that'll allow you to automate all the XenApp configuration part seamlessly by embedding it into the image so that you'll be able to deliver real "Swing" XenApp servers, where all you have to do is to boot them on the PVS Image :)

These New Releases are available from Our Downloads Section.