Creating a XenApp Web Site

To create a new site, William needs to open the Citrix Web Interface Management console, click on XenApp Web Site, and then click on Create Site on the right-hand side panel. The Set as the default page for the IIS site checkbox is used if we have multiple sites.

Here he can leave the default authentication (at Web Interface) because he is going to access the Web Interface internally only. Then, he clicks on the Next button to continue.

He clicks on the Next button until the site is successfully created.

Now, William needs to enter the Farm Name and the name of at least one XenApp server running the XML service. William can only add server defined as Controller (Session-host and controller role) through the XenApp setup.

In small or medium production environments, it is recommended to have two or more XML servers. In large farms, Citrix recommends at least two or more dedicated XML servers.

Check the XML Service port is the right for your environment (usually XML port is 80 (default) or 8080 (recommended by Citrix).

Now he needs to configure Authentication Methods:

Explicit (XenApp Web sites) or Prompt (XenApp Services sites): Users need to log in using a username and a password. Authentication options are User Principal Name (UPN), Microsoft domain-based authentication, and Novell Directory Services (NDS).

Pass-through: Users can authenticate using the credentials they provided when they logged on to their Windows desktop machines. The Citrix Client sends their credentials to the Web Interface server and their resource set appears automatically.

Pass-through with smart card: Users are authenticated by inserting a smart card in a smart card reader attached to the user desktop machine or mobile device. If users have installed the Citrix Receiver 3.x (formerly Citrix Online Plug-In on XenApp 6.0), they are prompted for their smart card PIN when they log in to the client device. After logging in, users can access their resources without additional logon prompts. Users accessing XenApp Web sites are not asked for a PIN.

Smart card: Users use a smart card to authenticate. The user is asked for the smart card PIN.

Anonymous: Anonymous users can log on without providing a username and password, and access resources published only for anonymous users. This is a pretty uncommon scenario and is not recommended.

William can restrict the list of domains with permissions to login to the Citrix Web Interface, as shown in the following screenshot. When we set Domain Restriction, the Web Interface will only ask for username and password. This option is useful to simplify user login.

Here, he needs to choose the Logon Screen Appearance: the default option is Minimal. He decides to use the Full version for his Lab.

Now he needs to choose the Published Resource Type option supported by the site. Options are as follows:

Online: Users access applications, content, and desktops hosted on remote servers. Users need a network connection to XenApp servers to access their resources.

Offline: XenApp streams applications to their desktops and opens them locally. Users need a network connection to log on to the site and start their applications. When the applications are running, the network connection is not required.

Dual mode: Users access both online and offline applications, content, and desktops.

William clicks on the Finish button to complete the configuration.

Creating a XenApp Services Site

To create a new site, William needs to open the Citrix Web Interface Management console, click on the XenApp Services Site, and then click on Create Site in right panel.

He clicks on the Next button, until the site is successfully created.

He needs to enter the Farm Name and the name of at least one XenApp server running the XML service. As we mentioned before, William can only add a server defined as Controller (Session-host and controller role) through the XenApp setup.

In small or medium production environments, it is recommended to have two or more XML servers. In large farms, Citrix recommends at least two or more dedicated XML servers.

Check if the XML Service port is right for your environment (usually XML port is 80 or 8080).

Now, he needs to choose Published Resource Types supported by the site. The options are the same as that to those XenApp Web Site.

He clicks on the Finish button to complete the configuration.