Machine Creation Services (MCS)

Citrix XenDesktop 5

Jits Langedijk

Sr. Consultant Application & Desktop Delivery [email protected]

@JRLangedijk JitsLangedijk

Agenda

• Citrix XenDesktop 5.

x

• Why MCS?

• Where can I “find” MCS?

• What does MCS do exactly?

• How does MCS work?

• What is IntelliCache?

• What about PVS?

Citrix XenDesktop 5

(december 2010) XenDesktop 4 • Farm • Desktop Group • DDC / Broker / Controller • IMA datastore • Terminal Services XenDesktop 5 • Site • Catalog with Desktop Group • XenDesktop Controller • SQL database • Removed Dependency

XenDesktop 5.5

(August 2011) • Second Generation Flash Redirection • Windows Media Redirection • Multi-Stream ICA (UDP for audio) • MS RemoteFX Support • Windows 7 Aero Redirection • HDX 3D Pro • HDX Plug-N-Play • Desktop Director 2.0

XenDesktop 5.6

(march 2012) • Personal vDisk (RingCube) • SCCM 2012 support • Virtual Desktop Agent (5.5.100) • Desktop Director 2.1

Why MCS?

• Single image management • Less complex infrastructure • Easy to deploy • Citrix IntelliCache

Where can I find MCS?

• MCS is integrated in to XenDesktop 5.0 >

MCS based Virtual Desktops Direct copies of the master VM. Changes are not persisted. (Random / Static) Permanently assigned to individual users. Changes are persisted.

VM’s that were previously created.

Desktops hosted on dedicated blade servers vDisk imaged from a master target device with PVS

New Desktop Machine Types XD 5.6

• Pooled with personal vDisk • Streamed with personal vDisk

Personal vDisk session 15:30 hr

MCS Desktop Machine Types XD 5.6

• Pooled (Stateless) – Random – Static – Users are randomly assigned a machine at logon – Users are assigned the same machine at logon • Dedicated (Stateful) • Pooled with personal vDisk (next session)

Create Catalog with MCS

• Machine Type

Type Master Image

• Master Image • Number of VMs

VMs

• Create accounts

Accounts Admini stration

• Administration

Summary

• Summary

Create Catalog with MCS

• Create machine accounts • Create a proviosiong scheme by copying master VM • Create machines using the provisioning scheme • Add machines to the broker catalog

What does MCS do exactly?

1 2 3 Hypervisor 4

Admin selects “Golden Master Image”, this is copied as Full Clone and becomes the “Golden Master VM Image” Admin Provisions ‘x’ VM’s MCS creates an ID Disk and a Difference Disk and attaches them to each VM ID DIFF ID DIFF ID DIFF ID DIFF MCS Powers up the VM, obtains Identity from the ID Disk OS Reads come from the Base OS Writes go to the Diff Disk

Storage

What does MCS do exectly?

Each VM consists of three “parts” 1 – Master VM 2 – Difference Disk (diff disk) 3 – Identidy Disk (ID disk)

The ID Disk

• The Identidy disk • 16 MB in size • • Contains the “Identidy” of the virtual machine A file called ‘CTXSOSID.INI’, The ListOfDDCs key • Attached as a second disk to the VM at creation • Remains untouched for the lifetime of the VM

The Diff Disk

• The Difference disk • The “primary” disk for the provisioned machine • Created by making a difference disk to the master image • Destroyed at VM boot (Pooled) • Persistent at VM Boot (Dedicated)

Citrix XenDesktop 5.6 “Small Overview”

Desktop Studio Desktop Director Machine Creation Service

XenDesktop Controller

AD Identity Service Machine Identity Service Machine Creation Services Broker Service Broker Services Host Service Configuration Service Infrastructure Services SQL Server Virtual Desktop Agent

Machine Creation Services consists of…

• • Machine Creation Service Responsible for the creation of the VMs • • AD Identity Service Creates / Manages AD computer accounts and passwords of VM.

• • • Machine Identity Service Create DIFF and ID disks for VMs Manages storage attached to provisioned VMs • • • Machine Identity Agent (VDA based) Component that resides on the VDA that ensures VDA Identity within the domain Maintains the computer AD password of the Virtual Desktop

Machine Creation Process

• Provisioning process consists of 2 mechanisms • Creation of a Provisioning Scheme • Creation of Machines • • The Provisioning Scheme defines Name, CPU Count, Memory size, Master Image VM, Identity Pool, Hosting Unit, Boot Behaviour • Tasks on the Provisioning Scheme are synchronous • i.e. you cannot provision and delete at the same time

Master VM consolidate Snapshot chain is consolidated for performance into new Golden Master VM Image Desktop Group is updated to reference new Golden Master VM Image New “image” is propagated to Virtual Machines at reboot

IntelliCache

XenDesktop NFS Based Storage 1.

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Master Image created through XenDesktop MCS VM is configured to use Master Image VM using Master Image is started XenServer creates read cache object on local storage Reads in VM being done from local cache Additional Reads done from SAN when required Writes will happen in VHD child per VM Local “write” cache is deleted when VM is shutdown/restarted Additional VMs will use same read cache

What about PVS?

Provisioning Services: Hypervisor(s) Provisioning Services Storage • Caches ‘base image’ in RAM for fast delivery Machine Creation Service: Hypervisor(s) RAM Cache Storage • Caches ‘base image’ in RAM for fast delivery

What about IOPS?

XenDesktop MCS produces about 1.5x more IOPS than PVS 1100 Desktops on XS Total IOPS Read:Write IOPS ratio Average IOPS per desktop MCS 18,000 50:50

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PVS 11,000 10:90

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Stated by Citrix!!

Summary

• Citrix XenDesktop 5.6

• Why MCS?

• Where can I “find” MCS?

• What does MCS do exactly?

• How does MCS work • IntelliCache

Thanks for your patience!

[email protected]