How to install Citrix XenApp/ XenDesktop 7.8 on Windows Server 2012 R2

How to install Citrix XenApp/ XenDesktop 7.8 on Windows Server 2012 R2

In this post, we’ll learn the steps to install Citrix XenApp/ XenDesktop 7.8 on Windows Server 2012 R2. Citrix recently released Citrix XenApp / XenDesktop 7.8. Citrix XenDesktop 7.8 can be used to deliver Virtual Desktop and applications from the single console.

Before we start with the steps to install Citrix XenDesktop 7.8, let’s make a scenario to ensure we all are on same page. Create below mentioned servers:
– Domain Controller: Domain Controller is required for authentication and single sign-on.
– Hypervisor: VMWare ESXi, Hyper-V or XenServer can be used host Virtual Desktops. In this practical, we’ll use VMWare ESXi.
– vCenter Server: vCenter Server is required to connect and manage VMWare ESXi server.
– Delivery Controller: This server would be used to install and manage Citrix XenApp and XenDesktop

Steps to install Citrix XenApp/ XenDesktop 7.8 in Windows server 2012 R2

1.  To install Citrix application virtualization, insert the DVD of Citrix XenApp 7.8 or copy and run the executable of XenDesktop 7.8 to Windows Server 2012 R2.

2. To install Citrix XenApp 7.8/ XenDesktop 7.8, right click on DVD and click on  “Install or run program from media”.

3.  In Installation console, we have two options both are the same product, only different name is shown. We are installing  XenDesktop Deliver applications and desktops for application Virtualization and Virtual Desktops. Click on start to continue.

4. Here, we have to install delivery controller from the available options are showing. Each XenDesktop infrastructure requires, at least, one Delivery Controller. Through this option, some other essential services also install like- License Server and StoreFront (StoreFront is an organization app store, that helps users to work from anywhere, any device).

Delivery Controller will install Directory, License Server, Storefront and Studio on the same server. However, you can install above mentioned components on different servers. For this practical, we’ll install all these components on the same server.

5. On “Software licensing Agreement” console, check the option “I read, understand and accept the terms of the license agreement”, if you agree with the license and then click on Next. Console would not allow you to install Citrix XenApp 7.8/ XenDesktop 7.8 if you don’t accept the license.

6. On “Core Component” console, Select all  the components are Delivery controller , Studio, Director, License Server and StoreFront.

Delivery Controller – It distributes the applications and desktops, manages user access and optimizes the connections.

Studio – It is management console of XenDesktop 7.8 which is used to create, configure and manage the infrastructure components, application, and desktops.

Director – Director console is available for monitoring and troubleshooting purposes.

License Server –  It manages citrix product licenses and each citrix environment requires a License Server. Thirty days of trial licenses are provided.

StoreFront – StoreFront provides authentication and resource delivery services for Citrix receiver, enabling you to centralized enterprise stores to deliver applications, desktops, and other resources to users on any device, anywhere.

Click on Next to continue.

7. On “Features” console, Select both the options Install Microsoft SQl Server 2012 SP2 Express and Install Windows Remote Assistance. This is test environment therefore we are installing SQL Express, in case of production environment you can install SQL Server on separate server and don’t check this option to install SQL Express. Windows Remote Assistance is used for shadowing, will talk about this in future articles. Click on Next to continue.

8. On “Firewall” console, Port 80 and 443 is used by Delivery controller for communication and In Configure firewall rules, Select the “Automatically” option for creating the rules in the windows firewall. The firewall rules will be created even if the Windows firewall is turned off.

9. In “summary” console, We can review all the prerequisites and confirm the components which we are installing. Click on Install.

10. On “Installing” console, we can see that all the components are installing, which we selected earlier. Even SQL Server 2012 SP2 Express is also installed.

11. Installation of Citrix XenDesktop/ XenApp is completed successfully. Click on Finish and it would launch the Studio to start the configuration steps.

Hope you understood the steps, feel free to comment if you have any questions or suggestions.