Unable to Change Citrix XenApp Farm

This issue occurred to me a few years back, when we started enrolling Windows Server 2008. When I tried to change my Citrix XenApp server to another farm, CHFARM.exe crashed and I could not do it. Because I was using GUi rather than command line during that time, so I could capture below detail.

I did not have any issues in changing farm for XenApp in Server 2003, and my home lab (with Windows Server 2008) also gave a positive result. As I only can see this error on Server 2008 (security permission on my home lab was more relaxed - UAC disabled) and but not on Server 2003 (and my home lab), thus to me it was safe to narrow down the root cause to security permission on Server 2008 (to be exact : User Acess Control) that cause the problem.

Issues :

CHFARM crashed in the middle of changing Citrix XenApp farm (on Windows Server 2008).

Troubleshooting 

1.  RDP to the server, launch RUN, type secpol.msc, and press OK.
   
   
   
   
2. (First hint) At this window, click at I want to complete this action.
   
   
   
   
3.  Press Control+Alt+End at your keyboard to proceed.
   
   
   
   
4. Click at Continue.
   
   
   
   
5. Local Security Policy window appeared. Browse to Security Settings > Local Policies > Security Options
   
   
   
   
6.  Look for this option, you will find it Enabled
   Option : User Account Control: Run all administrators in Admin Approval Mode
   
   
   
   

Resolution :


**Depending on you organization security policies, you may want to consult with your Security team first before performing these steps.

1.  Right click at the option, and click on Properties
   
   
   
   
2.  From Enabled, change it too Disabled. Press Apply and OK. Reboot the server before proceed to change the XenApp farm. You may want to re-enable it once done.
   
   
   
   
3.  This explains in detail on the options. Note that Microsoft already stated that changing this setting requires a system reboot.
   

 p/s : You may find the option set to Not Configured. Try to check GPO applied to the server.

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Citrix Support Tools

I just realized that Citrix has listed all its support tools under a page. Admins can easily download all those tools and utilized them in their environments.

You can download those tools from here.

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How To Enable / Disable Time Zone Redirection

There will be situation where Business wants users' Citrix sessions to reflect server time zone, especially when the datacenter location and users' locations are at different time zones. These steps are also applicable to provide local time zone to Citrix / TS users.

Description :
To provide server / local time zone to users' Citrix sessions.


How To Do :

1.  Launch Citrix AppCenter, and go to Policies node.
   
   
   
   
2. From there, click at Users tab.
   
   
   
   
3.  Depending whether to create a new policy or edit current one, choose the option accordingly. In this case, we create a new one.
   
   
   
   
4.  Configure policy name
   
   
   
   
5.  Browse to All Settings > ICA > Time Zone Control
   
   
   
   
6.   Add Use local time of client policy
   
   
   
   
7.  Choose desired option, whether to use server time or local time, then press OK
   
   
   
   
8.  Press Next to proceed
   
   
   
   
9.  Configure filtering accordingly.
   
   
   
   
10.  Enable and create the Citrix policy.
    
    
    
    
11. Go to Group Policy Management Console, and create a new policy or edit current policy. In this case, we edit current policy.
    
    
    
    
12.  Browse to User Configuration > Policies > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Remote Desktop Services > Remote Destop Session Host > Device and Resource Redirection
    
    
    
    
13.  Right click at Allow time zone redirection, and press Edit
    
    
    
    
14.  Choose to enable or disable time zone redirection accordingly. Press Apply and OK.
    
    
    
    
15.  This is the outcomes. 
    
    
    
    

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How To Generate Configuration Logging report - XenApp 5.0 for Server 2003

In previous post, i explained on how to enable Configuration Logging on XenApp 5.0 for Server 2003. In this post, I will explain on how to generate Configuration Logging report.

Description :
Generating Configuration Logging report  - XenApp 5.0 for Server 2003.


How To Do :

1.  Firstly, login to workstation using the ID that has access to the DB. This Citrix blog explains well on the access required.
2.  Launch Citrix Console, right click at Report Center > choose Generate Report
   
   
   
3. Choose Configuration Logging Report, and press Next
   
   
   
   
   
4.  If no specification being created yet, choose Create and use a new specification, press Next
   
5.  Put the connection name, in this case the connection name is ConfigLogging. Click at Create
   
6.   This window popped out, at Provider tab, choose Microsoft OLE DB Provider for SQL Server, and press Next >>
   
7.  At Connection tab, properly specify the server name, credential, and the database. For credential (point #2 in the picture), choose Use Windows NT Integrated security (which is why I asked to login to the machine with that particular ID as step #1). Once all done, click at Test Connection.
   
8.  If everything went well, this message will pop-up. Press OK.
   
9.  We will be back to this screen, press OK.
   
10.  Once we finished creating connection, we will be back to this screen. Press Next
    
11.  Select the required farm, press Next
    
12.  This screen will appear. Choose Use all available data, and press OK.
    
13.  Customize the time accordingly, and press Next
    
14.  Publish the report by choosing Publish report option, and specify the location by pressing the Add button. Once done, press Next
    
15.  It is always best to save the specification, so we can easily generate the report again later on. Give the specification a name, and press Next
    
16.  Everything will be summarize here, press Next.
    
17.  All done. You may refer to Job view within Report Center node to check the progress.
    

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How To Set up Configuration Logging for XenApp 5 for Server 2003

In this Kb, Citrix explains on how to set up a Configuration Logging for XenApp 6.5. In this 
post, I will show on how to set up the same for XenApp 5 for Server 2003.

Description :
Set up Configuration Logging for XenApp 5 for Server 2003.



How To Do :

1.  Launch Citrix Console, right click at <FarmName>, and choose Properties.
   
   
   
   
   
   
2.  Browse to Farm-Wide > Configuration Logging.
   
   
   
   
   
   
3.  Click at Configure Database.
   
   
   
   
   
4.  Choose connection type (in this case, it is SQL Server), DB Server name, and credential (in this case, I used Windows Integrated security). Press Next
   
   
   
5.   Speficy the database name, and press Next
   
   
   
6.  Leave all settings as default, but change "Use encryption" to No. Press Next
   
   
   
7.  Press Test Database Connection in order to test the connection
   
   
   
   
   
   
8.  You will see this screen if the testing is successful. Press OK
   
   
   
   
9. Now we are good, Configuration Logging properly set up. press OK.
   

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