First worker logon slow

[gnichele]

Hi Folks,

 

We've installed a new farm 2203 LTSR one month ago, the five worker reboots every night.

The first logon in every worker are very slow (90 sec., see the attached screenshot) then it's pretty good between 20 to 30 sec.

The partner told me that is "normal", Google told me that it's an old issue that coming in every release and there is a workaround with phantom autologon script.

 

Is it true that is normal with the last LTSR release at the end of 2023? Is the autologon script the best and only one workaround?

 

Thanks in advance

 

[Jeff Riechers]

This is normal.  Items aren't loaded into the faster cache until they are launched the first time.  You can use the Director Desktop Probe to schedule autologins and launches of particular applications to get them pre-loaded into memory before users start their day.

[James Kindon]

This is a well-known frustration. There are a number of ways to do tackle this:

• You can use something like Desktop Probe via Citrix.
• You can use a logon simulator from Control Up or EG etc.
• You can follow George post here (works a treat) https://jgspiers.com/citrix-director-reduce-logon-times/#Autologon-Account

Other fun one is app-prefetch (loading binaries into memory upfront). A normal pre-logon won't address this unless you execute specific items within the logon itself

• You can script it and run a startup script. Examples here https://github.com/JamesKindon/Citrix/blob/master/PreFetchStartApps.ps1 
• Jeremey Saunders has a framework here  https://www.jhouseconsulting.com/2023/06/27/cold-starting-andor-hydrating-your-applications-to-improve-their-startup-times-2352
• You could drive the process via BIS-F if using PVS https://eucweb.com/kba/281219084515-2

[gnichele]

4 hours ago, Jeff Riechers1709152667 said:

This is normal.  Items aren't loaded into the faster cache until they are launched the first time.  You can use the Director Desktop Probe to schedule autologins and launches of particular applications to get them pre-loaded into memory before users start their day.

Thank you Jeff for the reply, is "director system probe" another tool? Or do you mean the Director web page?

 

EDIT: Seems to be another tool to install..

[gnichele]

On 12/8/2023 at 12:51 AM, James Kindon said:

This is a well-known frustration. There are a number of ways to do tackle this:

• You can use something like Desktop Probe via Citrix.
• You can use a logon simulator from Control Up or EG etc.
• You can follow George post here (works a treat) https://jgspiers.com/citrix-director-reduce-logon-times/#Autologon-Account

Other fun one is app-prefetch (loading binaries into memory upfront). A normal pre-logon won't address this unless you execute specific items within the logon itself

• You can script it and run a startup script. Examples here https://github.com/JamesKindon/Citrix/blob/master/PreFetchStartApps.ps1 
• Jeremey Saunders has a framework here  https://www.jhouseconsulting.com/2023/06/27/cold-starting-andor-hydrating-your-applications-to-improve-their-startup-times-2352
• You could drive the process via BIS-F if using PVS https://eucweb.com/kba/281219084515-2

Very Thank you James for the solutions range, I'm trying the most official way with Desktop probe, but I received an authentication error. We've SAML MFA with Azure AD, I don't know if it can be a concern.

After google it, I tried to fix by set "IP persistence" in Netscaler involved virtual server, but doesn't help.

May be the George way is the better one, then if isn't enough to speed up the logon I'll try the script also.

 

 

[gnichele]

@James KindonThe George autologon procedure works great!

One thing OT, I could noticed the Citrix WEM userlogon service slow my logon also after the auologon procedure, I've found on your blog a 2017 post and next here in the forum a 2019 post where you write thtat it's safe to switch the service in manual.

Just tried and cut my user logon time from 32 to 16 secs after reboot, amazing, but is still true also now the 2017/2019 advice?

 

Thank you in advance and sorry for the OT

[James Kindon]

hrmm it seems strange that you would be impacted by that service, that shouldn't be causing any issues these days.

 

You could try exempting the auto logon user from WEM altogether (the same as you would probably exempt it from profile management etc). You can do that in the WEM console.