Clone/Copy Citrix PS4.5 Member Server in VMWARE ESX3
Use this manual to clone or copy CPS 4.0 or CPS 4.5 servers in a VMWare ESX3 environment
1. Logon as local administrator.
2. Set the “Citrix Independent Management Architecture” service to disabled in services.
3. Delete all locally stored user profiles.
4. Run the drive cleanup wizard on all drives and remove all temporary and recycled files.
5. Delete the server name from the WSID value of C:\Program Files\Citrix\Independent Management Architecture\MF20.DSN
6. Ensure file system is clear of all unnecessary files.
7. Copy Sysprep for Windows 2003 to C:\Temp.
8. Run Sysprep. Choose the option to seal for end user distribution (not factory mode). Also set system to reboot.
Perform the following after cloning the image ;
1. Run through Windows 2003 mini-setup and fill in all of the requested details. Reboot when complete
2. Add the server name into the WSID value of C:\Program Files\Citrix\Independent Management Architecture\MF20.DSN
3. Set the “Citrix Independent Management Architecture” service start-up type to “Automatic” (do not start the service).
5. Modify the following registry values:-
a. HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Citrix\IMA
change value “ServerHost” to “[newservername]”
b. HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AppID\{BBBF5400-E091-11D8-AD76-005056C00008} – (note: this subkey may be alphanumerically different- you may need to search for Ctx_SmaUser to find the correct sub key) change value “RunAs” to “ [newservername]\Ctx_SmaUser” (PS4 Only)
c. HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Citrix\XTEConfig Change DefaultICAAddress to server’s IP.
6. Edit %ProgramFiles%\Citrix\System32\CtxSta.config and change the “UID” field to a random value.
7. Check Page File values are correct.
8. Reboot.
Hi
Great article, but let me tell you about my plan:
- I need to clone an existing Virtual PS4.5 server.
This is my plan:
- Clone this server to template
- Deploy the server from template
- Change SSID
- chfarm /add
What you think?
Thanks
Ismael
Hi Ismael,
Did you ever heard of XenApp Prep? Please read the following article on my blog it’s a wonderfull tool that saves you a lot of time and gives you the ability to make a sysprep of your VM. After the reboot you only have to do a mini setup and it automaticly deploys itself to the farm.
Have a look at:
http://digipulse.nl/2008/10/29/xenappprep-released/
Hi Edwin
Thanks for the quick reply… it’s 18:00 in UK and everybody is going home… and it’s cold.
Anyways… Let me tell you about my plan:
I need to clone a virtual citrix ps4.5 server, this is not the server that hosts the ds (MF20.dsn)
I need to clone this to another VM Host server and add this clone to the citrix farm.
Will this tool help me do this without having to follow your guide (posted above)?
How does it work?
Thanks once again
ii
Hi Ismael,
You have to follow these steps otherwise you gonna get a lot of problems you can not explain. The XenApp prep tool is doing that stuff for you so you don’t have to do it by hand.
So first you install XenApp prep on you Citrix Server (not the datacollector). You create a folder in C:\ called sysprep and put the sysprep files in there ( download at http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=A34EDCF2-EBFD-4F99-BBC4-E93154C332D6&displaylang=en).
Then you run the XenApp Prep tool and after that you start sysprep with a shutdown and minisetup command. Then you clone it with VMware.
After that you have an “image”(template). If you want to role out a new server then clone the template, run it, walk through the mini setup and voila you have a new server in the farm.
That is the best way and is a proven technology.
Thanks
Will I have to chfarm the source server and the cloned server?
Or is this done by the XenApp prep tool?
Will I have to change anything on the datastore?
Ismael
I’ve run into a problem that I’m not sure how to resolve. The issue is with a remapped XenApp server. Sysprep resets the drive letters from M: to C:, which then causes an error when the gina tries to access M:\. I’ve tried a diskpart script (see http://forums.techarena.in/server-deployment/491210.htm ), but it must load after the gina or there is a silent error I’m not seeing. I’m trying a “driveremap.exe /drive:M /drive:C” now.