How force different published desktops using same server resource pool

[Andy Vanderbeken]

dears,

 

in the past years using Xenapp 5/6 you could easily have only 1 big pool of virtual xenapp servers and then use this same server pool to publish multiple completely different published desktops like for instance "Desktop main screen" and then "Desktop second screen". Since they would by definition always launch different sessions on different servers end users that had a stuck session on a problem server using one of these desktop icons they could use the other desktop icon to help themselves and force a second completely different session guaranteed on another completely different server. This second option is necessary since clicking the same desktop icon will always send you back to the server where you already have a session active which is a problem in case that specific server or session has a problem.

 

I'm trying to achieve the same functionality using Virtuals apps 7 but apparently multiple different published desktops within a same delivery group 'desktop main screen" always seem to send you back to the same session on the same server which practically means that you would have to make  a second and different delivery group "desktop second screen". However it also seems you cannot reuse the same server pool for a second different delivery group doubling the need for server resources which is not an option either.

 

Does anyone have a good current solution that meets the goal of giving end users back the option to force a new completely different session on a different server without the need for splitting your server pool and thus doubling the resource need ?

[CarlStalhood]

In 7.15 and newer, you can edit a Delivery Group, go to the Desktops tab, and create multiple Desktops.

[Andy Vanderbeken]

23 minutes ago, Carl Stalhood1709151912 said:

In 7.15 and newer, you can edit a Delivery Group, go to the Desktops tab, and create multiple Desktops.

 

hey Carl, those are the exact ones I was talking about. Those send you to the same session and same server anyway instead of allowing to launch a new session. 

[James Kindon]

Tags :)

 

https://www.citrix.com/blogs/2017/04/17/how-to-assign-desktops-to-specific-servers-in-xenapp-7/

[Andy Vanderbeken]

40 minutes ago, James Kindon said:

Tags :)

 

https://www.citrix.com/blogs/2017/04/17/how-to-assign-desktops-to-specific-servers-in-xenapp-7/

 

nope :) I had considered that option before making the post but it basically splits the server pool just as much as making separate delivery groups does since it 'reserves' servers for specific desktops which again splits your server resource pool and total spreading. 

[James Kindon]

Oh I’m with you - apologies 

 

Try setting the entitlement policy to DisconnectedOnly

https://support.citrix.com/article/CTX216441

[Andy Vanderbeken]

29 minutes ago, James Kindon said:

Oh I’m with you - apologies 

 

Try setting the entitlement policy to DisconnectedOnly

https://support.citrix.com/article/CTX216441

 

oh that's an interesting find James. I'll have to check that out for sure although I fear it won't suffice either since such 'stuck' sessions typically can appear in a 'disconnected' state as well as in an 'active' state and even when they are in a disconnected state the end user is still being sent back to try and pick up that disconnected session (which will fail causing their endless loop when working from home at night for instance)

 

However It just occurred to me that even though your previous proposed solution of tags may not allow for 2 published desktop icons with both of them using the entire server resource pool like before it still might be sufficient to achieve the goal of giving end users an option to force a different session whenever 1 virtual xenapp server goes haywire. 

 

I could make 1 single delivery group over the whole server pool containing for instance 3 published icons: 

 

"desktop main screen" icon over all server resources

"desktop second screen" icon which is restricted to the first 50%

"desktop third screen" which is then restricted to the last 50%. Wherever their stuck session is (on whatever virtual xenapp server), one of the 2 additional icons should force a new session on a different server.

 

and since those few that use the extra icons at any given time will never weigh up to the masses which use the "desktop main screen" icon, proper spreading over all server resources will always be guaranteed.