NetScaler has long had the ability to take network traces and analyze it in tools like WireShark. Network traces can be captured in standard tcpdump format or a NetScaler specific format. The NetScaler specific format has additional connection information that makes it easier to troubleshoot issues. For a long while, NetScaler engineers used a modified WireShark version (previously called Ethereal) to view and analyze NetScaler traces.

Recently, our developers contributed this patch to the open source Wireshark development and the next version (1.3.0) of Wireshark will include the ability to understand NetScaler format packet traces. In the interim, the modified Wireshark version is available for download at CTX122313. This version will work on Windows. The article also shows how you can use the NetScaler traces to use the additional data.

To capture a network trace on the NetScaler, you need to log in to the command line interface and get into the shell (by typing shell).
To capture a trace in the NetScaler format, type in
#nstrace.sh -sz 0

-sz 0 captures the full packet. With no argument (default), only the first 164 bytes of the packet are captured.

You can also use the GUI to capture traces (under System/ Diagnostics).
#nstrace.sh -help
details the other options available.

Upload the file to using ftp, scp etc and analyze using the modified Wireshark.

To capture traces in the tcpdump format,
#nstcpdump.sh
(Most standard tcpdump options are supported)

Greg Shields recently posted an article on TechTarget's SearchServerVirtualization.com site listing the "five best free tools for Microsoft Hyper-V management".

Greg included Citrix Essentials for Hyper-V - Express Edition on his excellent list of Hyper-V tools -

Read Greg's entire list here.

Express Edition Download
http://www.citrix.com/ehvexpress

Citrix Essentials for Hyper-V Step by Step Part 1

StorageLink Deep Dive Webinar - http://community.citrix.com/blogs/citrite/barryf/2009/04/13/StorageLink+-+Essentials+for+Hyper-V+Deep+Dive+Webinar

StorageLink Demo Videos
http://www.citrix.com/ehv

StorageLink Overview - http://community.citrix.com/blogs/citrite/barryf/2009/02/23/StorageLink+in+Essentials+for+Hyper-V

Provisoning Services Overview - http://community.citrix.com/blogs/citrite/barryf/2009/03/20/Provisioning+for+Hyper-V+with+Citrix+Essentials

Lab Manager Overview - http://community.citrix.com/blogs/citrite/barryf/2009/03/19/Essentials+for+Hyper-V+with+Lab+Management

StorageLink Install Install Guide - http://support.citrix.com/article/CTX120789
StorageLink User Guide - http://support.citrix.com/article/CTX120791

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When doing Infrastructure Assessments of customer XenApp environments it happens very often that we find out that the servers are not consistent in terms of XenApp Hotfixes and / or Printer Drivers. This is, as everybody can guess, definitively not Best Practice. It can make supporting the farm(s) very hard and can annoy the users as their published desktop / published applications behave differently every day.

Our task here is to document the differences, to enable the customer to homogenize their environment. Documenting this is sometimes very time intensive so I've used the spare time between two projects to build two "documentation" tools.

1. HotfixLister: Nothing really new, but it gives you a comma separated file which can be imported into Excel and shows a matrix of the distribution of hotfixes among the farm. The matrix looks like this:

2. PrinterDriverLister: Again nothing really new, but it gives you a similar matrix like the HotfixLister does:

I've tested the functionality within my test farm but unfortunately it is very small (as you can see), so I cannot test how it performs in larger farms.
So please be careful when running it in larger environments, and if possible drop me a note about how it has performed.

The usage is very simple:

1. Copy all files locally to one of the farm member servers.
2. Execute the tools from there.
3. Import the txt file into Excel.
4. Done.

This zip contains the tools (Download here).

Cheers,

Thomas

To satisfy the legal guys:

Disclaimer Notice

This software / sample code is provided to you "AS IS" with no representations, warranties or conditions of any kind. You may use, modify and distribute it at your own risk. CITRIX DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES WHATSOEVER, EXPRESS, IMPLIED, WRITTEN, ORAL OR STATUTORY, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, TITLE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, you acknowledge and agree that (a) the software / sample code may exhibit errors, design flaws or other problems, possibly resulting in loss of data or damage to property; (b) it may not be possible to make the software / sample code fully functional; and (c) Citrix may, without notice or liability to you, cease to make available the current version and/or any future versions of the software / sample code.  In no event should the software / code be used to support of ultra-hazardous activities, including but not limited to life support or blasting activities.  NEITHER CITRIX NOR ITS AFFILIATES OR AGENTS WILL BE LIABLE, UNDER BREACH OF CONTRACT OR ANY OTHER THEORY OF LIABILITY, FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER ARISING FROM USE OF THE software / SAMPLE CODE, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION DIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, PUNITIVE, CONSEQUENTIAL OR OTHER DAMAGES, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.  Although the copyright in the software / code belongs to Citrix, any distribution of the code should include only your own standard copyright attribution, and not that of Citrix.  You agree to indemnify and defend Citrix against any and all claims arising from your use, modification or distribution of the code.

Introducing RepairCBDChain a Citrix Tool written by Dmitry Vostokov,
a tool that immediately restores clipboard functionality on the client and server.

Have you ever had a problem where the cut and paste clipboard functionality would not work in a ICA session? I know, silly question, of course you have. I would like to introduce you to a tool I use whenever the clipboard functionality stops working. This tool was written by Dmitry Vostokov a Citrix employee in EMEA. I had the pleasure of meeting him while I was over in Dublin, Ireland visiting the Citrix office there. He is an amazing individual with many accomplishments, you should seriously check out his site, Crash Dump Analysis. http://www.dumpanalysis.org/, I'm willing to bet that you will be as awed as I was.

Continue to download RepairCBDChain:

http://support.citrix.com/article/CTX106226 (32-bit)
http://support.citrix.com/article/CTX109234 (64-bit)

Here is a quick snippet from a session that Dmitry Vostokov gave at PubForum 2008 in Dublin this year.
(PS - You may have to turn up the audio to hear it better)

?

Continue to PubForum for the full video and powerpoint:

http://www.pubforum.info/welcome/PFResources/tabid/55/Default.aspx
http://www.pubforum.info/welcome/Portals/0/PubForums/DUB08/PPT/Hyper-V.ppt
http://www.pubforum.org/videos/DUB08/Citrix_Tools.wmv

If you are a Citrix administrator then you should definitely bookmark this link. Whenever I get stuck there is always a utility here which can help get out of my problem.

http://support.citrix.com/article/CTX107572

My favorite tools are

Tool	Description
Repair Clipboard Chain 2.0.1	The RepairCBDChain utility temporarily restores clipboard functionality.Run the RepairCBDChain utility on your workstation and/or inside the session desktop
Project MedEvac 2.11	The MedEvac tool is utilized to run checks against a Presentation Server farm to verify environment health.  CTX108311
FarmAppUtil Tool	The FarmAppUtil tool saves all the application properties with users and servers assigned to those applications in an XML file. The tool also creates a text file with a folder structure. The XML file created from the application can be modified and used for republishing all the applications and also recreate the folder structure in the new farm. The other reason I like this  tool is because I wrote it

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