Archive | November, 2012

Streaming Google Chrome using Citrix Profiler 6.0 and XenApp 6.5 –Step by Step guide

27 Nov

With the increasing popularity of Google Chrome browser and the capabilities it can bring with the usage of its Extensions I thought why not stream Chrome to the end-user devices using the Citrix Profiler 6.0  and XenApp 6.5.

How to Profile the Google Chrome setup?

The most important thing to note here is the normal Chrome setup is available in the online mode. Now the challenge is using the online mode you cannot create the profile for Chrome. The purpose of writing this blog is the older process in which flipping the registries and lengthy process was involved can all be avoided now.

Google Chrome recently introduced a special enterprise MSI  package in which there are no hassles of tweaking the registry. Simply double click on the installer and you can profile the application.

Download Link: http://www.google.com/chrome/eula.html?msi=true.

Google Chrome Enterprise Browser

Using Citrix Profiler how to create the profile?

I am going to attach a step by step guide at the end of this blog. However, I am highlighting some important screens here.

Citrix Profiler 6.0

How to Publish the application on Citrix XenApp 6.5 for Streaming?

I am going to attach a step by step guide at the end of this blog. However, I am highlighting some important screens here.

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Download Link for Step by Step guide Streaming Google Chrome using Citrix Profiler and XenApp

If you like this post please leave your comments below.

Best Regards,
Aresh Sarkari

Google Chrome Remote Desktop Extension – Free Solution for Screen Sharing and Accessing Multiple devices over Internet

14 Nov

Chrome Remote Desktop Extension from Google Chrome Browser is a fantastic solution with which one can access their remote desktop/laptops/servers and also perform user-2-user screen sharing all over the Internet. The best part is the complete package comes for free and the only requirement is Chrome Browser and the extension installed on the PC/MAC/Tablets/Mobile etc.

How to install the Chrome Remote Desktop?

Go the Chrome Web Store located under your browser and search for “Chrome Remote Desktop”. It’s a 21 MB file simply click on “Add to Chrome” to install the extension.

Chrome Web Store

What are the most important features of Chrome Remote Desktop?

There are two important features of this extension as follows. Make sure you have the Google Chrome Browser and Chrome Remote Desktop extension as a pre-requisite.

Remote Assistance: This feature provides the ability to perform user-2-user screen sharing just like other screen sharing software available in the market. Click on the “Share” option it will generate a code that you need to share with the person whom you want to share your screen with. It works like a charm without any latency issues.

My Computer: This feature provides the capability to access all you desktop/laptop/server* devices that has Google Chrome installed with the extension. All you have to do is enable “Enable Remote Connections” on all the devices that you own and now you can access your devices from anywhere on the Internet.

*Servers – I had issues accessing servers I assume it’s a firewall issue as the ports wouldn’t be open for Chrome Remote Desktop

Chrome Remote Desktop

What are the typical Use Cases for such a product?

  • The support organization can use Chrome Remote Desktop to help solving tickets by doing a Screen Share and help end-user in troubleshooting issues
  • End-users want to access their multiple devices over the internet. Now its simple without buying any paid software’s one can access their devices on the Internet.
  • Helping your non-technical parents by viewing their screen and guiding them

My Verdict:
I have been using this extension since last 4 days and performed multiple screen sharing sessions with couple of my friends and accessed my desktop remotely. It was simply awesome, there was no latency issues or any screen refreshing problems. Being a free product I highly recommend trying out the extension.

If you like this post please leave your comments below.

Best Regards,
Aresh Sarkari

Insight into Windows Remote Desktop Services 2012

5 Nov

I managed to install and test the Windows Remote Desktop Services (RDS) 2012 and I would like to share my experiences with the community. If you are looking for step by step installation please check RDS TechNet Lab Guides in this blog. I’m only covering new features, functionality and things I learnt.

RDS Installation

  • With the new Server Manager, installation of Roles & Features has over simplified. Sitting on one server, we could install all the RDS roles such as Connection Broker (CB), Licensing Server, Web Access (WA) and Session Host from one console to all the servers\VM in the environment.
  • All the pre-requisites (IIS, .Net) are installed by the Role & Features wizard automatically.
  • There are two explicit options under the new RDS Wizard – “Session Virtualization” and “Virtual Desktop Infrastructure”. See more details as below.

Session Virtualization

  • After you have installed all the roles such as RDS Licensing, RDS Session Host, RDS Web Access and RDS Licensing, you can see the complete Deployment\Server overview in a picture format of the RDS farm.
RDS Deployment Overview
  • In just one step you can configure the RD Session Host by simply clicking on the “Create a RD Session Collection wizard”. Collection is nothing but the wizard where you need to specify the Users, Applications, Profile and Servers participating in hosting this application.
  • There is a very interesting feature in this wizard such as “User Profile Disks” which can allow you to store the end-user Profile and selection of folders on a centralized file server that can either be clustered or DFS (Distributed File System).
User Profile Disks

Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI)

  • There is a latest addition to the RDS 2012 which allows you to have two types of desktop such as “Pooled Desktop 1xMany” and “Dedicated Desktop 1×1”.
  • For Pooled Desktops, Microsoft uses their own snapshotting technology just like Citrix MCS (Machine Creation Services). There is no dependency on SCVMM, the RD Connection Broker does everything for you.
  • NOTE: My lab activities were stalled because there is a requirement for a dedicated Hyper-V server (RD Virtualization Host) which should be part of the same domain as the other RD components (CB, WA & Licensing). Will perform this test later on and share my learning with everyone.

My Verdict

RDS 2012 is a superb out of the box product which comes at no extra cost other than server infrastructure cost involved in setting up the environment. The much awaited and talked about integration of “User Profile Disk”, “VDI” and “Single Management Console” has brought the product on-par with other market vendors such as Citrix XenApp/XenDesktop, VMware ThinApp/View, Ericom etc. Though, I am not equipped to test the product against its over the WAN capabilities. The flip side that I see today with RDS 2012 is its functionality on non-windows devices and environment such as iOS, Android, BlackBerry & OpenSource. I doubt Microsoft will make a client like Receiver/View for non-windows platforms.

Business Case
The perfect business case is for Application Hosting + VDI for a complete Windows Platform which involves Windows Phone 8, Windows Tablet 8 and Windows PC 8/7. I would strongly recommend RDS 2012 as it is outstanding with no additional cost.

If you like this post please leave your comments below.

Best Regards,
Aresh Sarkari