Windows Apps as a Service

This blueprint documents deploying Citrix XenApp in a public cloud environment to deliver Windows applications from the cloud. Citrix XenApp is provided as an Amazon Machine Image (AMI) running in Amazon EC2. With Citrix XenApp AMI, both hosted application and streaming application is supported. Customers and prospects will benefit from using this blueprint to gain experience with hosting applications, streaming applications and for testing applications prior to delivering them in their corporate environment.

Technical Overview

In this scenario, a single XenApp image instance can be started on Amazon EC2 infrastructure to deliver application content (hosted and streamed). The Application Streaming Profiler has been installed on the same XenApp server providing instant ability to configure application profiles for Streaming.

You can use this demo server to test pre-configured hosted applications. To do this, point your browser to the public IP of your instance. Log in with the local administrator username and password.

• Add the URL for the Web Interface site (http://\[Instance-IP-Address\]) to your browser's Trusted sites list
• Install the XenApp Hosted plugin on your client device

You can also use this machine to install and publish your own applications in XenApp.  Everything you will need to do this is already pre-installed.  Just add your application to the server.  Use the Administrator's Guides on the Citrix Knowledge Base located at support.citrix.com for step by step setup instructions on publishing applications.

Locating and Starting Citrix AMI's:

The Citrix AMI's can be located in the Amazon Console (http://console.aws.amazon.com) by navigating to "AMIs" Enter "Citrix" in the Viewing field. The Citrix Open Cloud images will be listed. You can launch any of them by performing a right-click and selecting "Launch Instance of this AMI."

Domain Authentication:

This AMI is not a domain controller. You should, however, be able to authenticate to a domain controller in the cloud, or at the datacenter over a VPN.

Computer Name:

The computer name or hostname of this machine is tied to the Citrix XenApp License file, and you should not change the name.

AMI Specifications:

Platform:

Windows Server 2008 R2. These AMI's are based on or built on the Amazon base AMI's. These machines are not part of a domain, and use a local hostname - XA6.

Citrix Components

The following Citrix components are installed on this Server:

• XenApp 6.0 for Windows Server 2008R2
• Web Interface 5.4
• Citrix license Server 11.6.1
• Citrix Online Plugin 12.1
  

Licenses:

BYOL - Bring Your Own Licenses.

• You will need a license for Citrix XenApp, this image contains a developer license.
• You will need a license for Microsoft Terminal Services.

Citrix Configurations

For external client access:
The XenApp server is already setup for external client access. Client's simply need to open a browser, and enter the URL http://<public-server-address>/Citrix/XenApp.

For internal client access:
Select Manage secure client access -> Edit secure client access settings.
Set "Add". Type in the Client IP Address, and Mask.
Note: An entry will need to be made for this XenApp server, and all other machines on the cloud internal network, if they want to access this XenApp server through the Web Interface.

Port Numbers:
Make sure the Amazon Security Group, in addition to your firewall and Router allows the following ports to pass through:
Tcp port 1494 citrix ica
Tcp port 2598 citrix session reliability
Tcp port 80 http
Tcp port 443 https
Tcp port 3389 rdp

Citrix Applications

There are two Web Interface sites created on this server. One Web Interface site and one XenApp Services site. Clients connect to the Web Interface site using a web browser. Clients connect to the XenApp Services site using the Citrix Online Plugin.

The following applications are published on the XenApp server:

• Installed Applications: Wordpad, Internet Explorer, Desktop