The following content is a brief and unofficial prerequisites guide to setup, configure and test StoreFront 2.5, 2.5.2 prior to deploying in a PoC, Pilot or Production environment by the author of this entry. The views, opinions and concepts expressed are those by the author of this entry only and do not necessary conform to industry descriptions or best practises.
Shortened Names
XENMOBILE APPCONTROLLER – xac
XENDESKTOP – xd
XENAPP – xa
CERTIFICATE SIGNING REQUEST – csr
VDI-IN-A-BOX – viab
FULLY QUALIFIED DOMAIN NAME – fqdn
RECEIVER FOR WEB – rfw
CERTIFICATE AUTHORITY – ca
STOREFRONT SERVICES – sfs
WEB INTERFACE – wif
NETSCALER GATEWAY – nsg
SECURE TICKET AUTHORITY – sta
DOMAIN NAME SERVER – dns
What’s New
1: StoreFront API for an architecture overview and what capabilities are now available check out – http://blogs.citrix.com/2014/06/19/introducing-storefront-web-api/.
2: Update to the HTML5 Receiver Citrix’s agent free method to connected Web, SaaS, Windows Apps and Desktops (Server & Desktop VDI) checkout – http://support.citrix.com/proddocs/topic/receiver-html5-13a/receiver-html5-13-about.html#receiver-html5-13-about and also take a look at – http://blogs.citrix.com/2014/04/02/zero-install-receiver-for-html5-1-3-gives-enhanced-xenapp-and-xendesktop-experience/.
3: Improved customisation via cfg files to adjust the overall look and feel of Receiver for Web.
4: Folder View for Receiver for Web (RfW) checkout – http://blogs.citrix.com/2014/06/23/receiver-for-web-folder-view/. This does require a download from – https://www.citrix.com/downloads/storefront-web-interface/product-software.html with a valid Citrix.com account.
Installing & Deploying StoreFront
1: Review the System Requirements for StoreFront at – http://support.citrix.com/proddocs/topic/dws-storefront-25/dws-system-requirements.html and remember to make a note of the required ports for internal SFS communication & the HTML5 Receiver if your going to deploy it. It is also worth ensuring that you have the correct infrastructure requirements in place e.g version of XenApp, XenDestop e.tc that is supported by StoreFront 2.5 ref – http://support.citrix.com/proddocs/topic/dws-storefront-25/dws-system-requirements-server.html, last but no least ensure your endpoint clients are updated accordingly to the lastest supported Citrix Receiver agent, HTML5 support Web Browser ref – http://support.citrix.com/proddocs/topic/dws-storefront-25/dws-system-requirements-client.html.
2: I would recommend that you download and read through the StroreFront Planning Guide available at – http://support.citrix.com/article/CTX136547, which covers off authentication between WiF and StoreFront, single and high-available deployments between two data centres leveraging a NetScaler Gateway which also includes deployment sizing from 500 through to 10000 users, how-to use features such as KEYWORDS:prefer=”application” when configuring SFS and the document contains a lot of useful information. *
3: Next download https://support.citrix.com/article/CTX133185 which will get your through an architectural overview and how-to install and configure SFS with an SSL certificates, NetScaler Gateway & STA for remote access, joining StoreFront servers to form a StoreFront cluster and much more. *
4: Finally howto customise your StoreFront 2.5 implementation end to end – http://blogs.citrix.com/2014/04/04/customizing-receiver-for-web-2-5/ from background re-branding, pre-announcements (pre-login), server side ASPX cfgs, language support and so much more.
5: *This CTX article is based off StoreFront 2.0 however I believe it still contains very useful information and resources.
Enhance The User’s Experience
A simple SRV record entry added to your DNS can make your users experience all that better and easier as all they need to remember essentially is there organisational email addr, password and optionally organisation specific a soft token e.g Symantec VIP or RSA SecureID.
If using the Citrix Receiver agent when logging in with the above access details it will auto configure the Store information for Citrix Receiver and you be able to launch resources delivered from XenApp, XenDesktop, XenMobile AppController and ViaB and if your where connecting using the agent less method i.e the HTML5 Receiver you will be able to the exact same resources launch directly from within any HTML5 web browser.
How do I enable the App tab by default in RfW, add drop down domains at the login web page, displayed user login id/name instead of display name, how do I hide Active, move the Apps and Desktops tab to an alt location and more so checkout – http://blogs.citrix.com/2014/06/20/receiver-for-web-faq/.
Create a StoreFront Cluster
http://support.citrix.com/proddocs/topic/dws-storefront-25/dws-configure-server-group.html & http://support.citrix.com/proddocs/topic/dws-storefront-25/dws-deploy-join.html.
Creating a High-Available & Load Balancing StoreFront Cluster
Firstly take a look at this diagram at – http://support.citrix.com/proddocs/topic/dws-storefront-25/dws-configure-ha-example.html then follow process documented at – http://support.citrix.com/proddocs/topic/dws-storefront-25/dws-configure-ha-lb.html.
How to Configure XenApp 6.5 and StoreFront 2.0 for Direct HTML5 1.0/1.1 Receiver Connections
http://support.citrix.com/article/CTX139239.