Dear Andy,
Thanks for Your post.
The documentation will be released soon. I've been working on many tools these days and now I'll take some time to write all Docs.
Actually Yes, the tool is similar to the manual process but also does extra things.
When You'll run it, it'll shutdown all Citrix Services and set them to manual startup (depending on Your Version : HealthCheck, XML, SMA, IMA, Spooler, CPSVC)
It'll also manage XenApp sessions Cleaner if Installed.
Then the tool will purges caches (dsmaint recreatelhc and recreaterade) and Generalize MF20.dsn and RadeOffline.dsn (Replacing the ServerName by %COMPUTERNAME%)
At the end, it'll set its own service to automatic startup for next reboot.
If You run the PVS option, it'll launch the Provisionning Server Image Builder Tool.
Then You are ready to launch Your sysprep and then Shutdown Your Server.
At Next Reboot, the Tool Service will Start and :
- Delete RM Local Database
- Modify All reg values with the new serverName (just like in the KB)
- Recreate the STA file with the Server's Mac Adress embedded in STAID
- Start All Services
- If You're in standard mode, all services startup will be set to automatic again and the tool service will be configured to manual startup so that it won't intefere at next reboot
- If You are in Provisionning Server Mode, the tool Service Startup will remain to Automatic.
I've tested this tool on XenApp 4.0 and 4.5, in standard imaging and also with Provisionning Server 4.5 SP1 Imaging.
Regarding XenAppPrep, the tools could be considered as "designed in the same way" as this idea raised before Shannon decided to launch his tool.
The main difference is that I found that it is better to also handle spooler and cpsvc (moreover in Provisionning Servers Environments), but also heathmon (for it not to raise events and try to restart services) and XML (to be sure STA file is always accessible and that the modified version is correctly loaded).
It is also managing XenApp Sessions Cleaner (which XenAppPrep should not be able to manage because it is not a Citrix Official tool).
I also needed a more versatile tool as I'm working on next version to be able to launch tasks from XenApp Cloning Tool to be able to automatically configure the New Server when entering the Farm and eventually add published applications (very useful for Provisionning Server Images and "On Demand" Image Launch).
Just let me know if You have further questions.
Best Regards,
Pierre