TRBPackagesample.doc

TRB PACKAGE

POINT PAPER ON XenApp DESIGN Indicate if review is

PRELIMINARY __X___

CRITICAL _____

BACKGROUND:

Please insert background information here: Below is a sample background

USDA OCIO is driving an agency-wide initiative to implement thin client and server based computing throughout USDA. At present the version of Citrix XenApp deployed in our production environment today is rapidly approaching end of life to ensure continuous operations and align our agency with the USDA Information Technologies long-term vision we would like to upgrade to Citrix XenApp 6.5

NFC ITSD OSB Team successfully completed a Citrix XenApp proof of concept project which demonstrated a Citrix Application Delivery solution, which will benefit USDA NFC stakeholders perform their day-to-day operations remotely. The OSB team successfully demonstrated Thin Client computing could improve operating efficiencies and provide a means to control many of the security challenges we face. This project will serve as a model for further expansion of Thin Client computing to the user community and the design of the architecture for a Thin Client Solution for the entire agency.

USDA NFC will implement an initial XenApp Infrastructure in their Primary data center to support end users with the potential to increase the concurrent users based on procurement submitted 2/20/2013 for (Phase 1) using an existing server within the Citrix environment today. The restructure will have two Dedicated Zone Data Collectors/Secure Ticket Authority Servers to enumerate user applications on the Citrix Web Interface. Using the existing Citrix Provisioning Servers will provide the hard disk for the XenApp Servers with Citrix Flex Cast streaming technology. The XenApp Servers will perform a PXE boot to register with the Provisioning Server, and by virtue of their MAC address in the database, assigned to the proper hard disk. Only the XenApp Servers will have access to the streaming VLAN where the Provisioning Servers reside. The Provisioning Servers will use a DHCP server to provide dynamic IP addressing for the XenApp Servers. USDA NFC will require SQL Server 2012 to conform to Citrix Best Practices. The SQL Server is used to store Citrix XenApp Farm details, ranging from Publish Applications to XenApp Servers that are joined to the NFC XenApp Farm.

All users will access published applications in the environment using a pair of load balanced Citrix Web Interface Servers. Before connecting to applications, users will authenticate with their Active Directory usernames and passwords, once authenticated the users is presented their applications via the Citrix Web Interface Servers. The goal is to allow secure access to applications that are centrally managed within the datacenter. This will enable OSB to publish application updates in a rapid method to all end users; this will also expedite application retirement.

To support 1000 users (Phase 2), additional XenServer hosts would be necessary, to be presented in a new and separate TRB Package.

DISCUSSION:

Provide a narrative of how the proposed Engineering Change Proposal (ECP) was identified and vetted. Identify the major NFC stakeholders and how the ECP affects them and their resources. Discuss the requirement and why a TRB is required; what changes are necessary and why; pros and cons; and a conclusion.

The enclosed proposal is based upon the findings of the Citrix Assessment. The long-term vision is to decrease operational costs simplifying the management of images, applications and data, as well as reduce field service, and support costs while enhancing security controls. The design of this project incorporates the information and recommendations we received from an end to assessment in conjunction with Citrix, and Microsoft industry best practices. XenApp 6.5 supports an optimized approach to application deployment with enhanced security controls. By transforming complex, distributed desktops into a simple, on-demand service, XenApp frees you from the costs and constraints of traditional computing architectures. Centralized delivery, management and control of applications bring new levels of efficiency to our organization while streamlining security and compliance. Self-service application provisioning, simplified help desk support and support for mobile and virtual initiatives provide a foundation to leverage USDA’s information technology strategies and long-term vision.

RECOMMENDATION:

Describe the recommended course of action to be approved.

Request approval of the architecture designed, identified in the enclosed design document.

Requestor __John Doe________ Date ____3-1-13_________ Branch: No Where

Telephone number 999 99-999 Manager: Jane Doe

CLIENT DESCRIPTION

Machine Name

XXXXX

XXXXX

XXXXX

XXXXX

XXXXX

XXXXX

XXXXX

XXXXX

XXXXX

XXXXX

XXXXX

Is this a cluster? Yes __ no _ X_ (For TSM Administrator use) Node name if different than machine name _____________

Project or application ____________SAMPLE _________________________________________________

Operating System:

Windows _X_

AIX __

Linux __ Other (specify) ___________________ Operating System Level _______ ________________________

Database:

None __ Oracle __ Oracle with SAP __ DB2 __ Exchange __

Other (specify) ______SQL_______X_____________________________ Network Location:

IP address ___________TBD_________________________

Denver _X_ New Orleans __ St. Louis__ Other (specify) ____ ________________

Network connection speed _____10Gbps___________

Client’s total disk space (gigabytes) ________

Percent annual growth expected ___10%_______ Is the client SAN attached? yes __ no _x_

Is remote replication in use or planned? Yes _X_ no __

Is encrypted transmission required? Yes _X_ no __

Off-site storage required (DR Purposes)? Yes _X_ no __

PREFERRED BACKUP SCHEDULE

Backup Days M__T__W__ T__F__S__S__

Optimum Backup Time _______ (default is between 8PM and 3AM)

Any time that backup is restricted between 8PM and 3AM As best meets Division Scheduling

RETENTION INFORMATION

Regular Data Backups

Versions Data Exists - maximum number of versions to retain of a changed file that exists on the client (This is usually set to 2)

__2_ Retain Extra Versions - number of days to keep the older versions (the current version is always kept, the default is 30) _30_

Versions Data Deleted - number of versions to retain of a file that has been deleted from the client (This is usually set to 1)

_2__

Retain Only Version - number of days to keep the last version of the deleted file (the default is 60)

90_ Database Backups

Frequency of full backups ____weekly_____________

Type of backup Cold/OS _____

Hot/TDPO _X_

Fully qualified backup file name format, for use in client options “include” statement (with all subdirectories shown)

Number of versions to retain of a database that exists on the client __2_ Versions Data Deleted - number of days to keep the last copy of a database that has been deleted from the client __60___

Database Log Files

Frequency of log file creation

Log file name format, for use in client options “include” statement

Number of days the log files are kept on the client

_7_

Data Archives

Retain Archive Copy - the number of days to keep an Archive Copy __365___

DEFINITIONS

Operational Backup and Restore of Data:

Data Back/Ups – A copy of the data located on all local drives, stored on off-line media. The intent is to restore a server or a file in the event of an accidental loss of that data.

Data Restores – The offline copy of the data can be used to restore data back to its original location (default) or a different server, or location.

TDPO – Tivoli Data Protection, used to backup always on applications through an API that allows data to be backed up while the application is active.

Vital Record Retention, Archive and Retrieval:

Data Archives – A copy of the data that needs to be retained for an extended period of time to meet legal or regulatory requirements.

Data Retrieval – The archived copy of the data can be retrieved at any point in time, and restored to either its original location or an alternate location.

pre-BUILD CHECKLIST

Licensing

1. Verify the case-sensitive server name of the Citrix License Server (NetBIOS).

2. Log on to My Citrix and select the Activation System/Manage Licenses toolbox.

3. Select the Download License Files tool.

4. Select all required licenses by checking all check boxes in front of the licenses, license by license throughout all pages. After you have selected all the check boxes, click Download on the bottom of the My Citrix page.

MEDIA

Network

· The DHCP server must be configured to provide BootP and DHCP client addresses.

· All normal DHCP scope options for Default Gateway, DNS, DNS suffix, etc. will need to be provided for the DHCP clients.

· Scope Options 66 and 67 must be set so the BootP clients on each network can find the TFTP servers, with Option 66 being the load-balanced VIP address of the 2 PVS servers.

SQL

Storage

· For 100 virtual servers: (100*15)=1.5 TB for virtual server VMs

· For server infrastructure: See Hardware Storage Calculator

Directory Services

· Note: any Active Directory service account used for the solution may require temporary elevated permissions within SQL to successfully create the application’s database.

· A service account will be required for use with the XenApp Infrastructure. This service account must have DB_Owner Permissions to the SQL Database specific to XenApp and administrative permissions on the Desktop Delivery Controller servers.

· This service account must have the permissions mentioned in XenCenter and XenApp Configuration in order to communicate with the XenApp farm, the SQL server and XenCenter. Note that this account will have to be configured in XenCenter if it has not already been configured.

· A service account will be required for use with the Provisioning Server Infrastructure. This service account must have DB Owner Permissions to the SQL Database Specific to the Provisioning Server. It must also have Full Control to the Images store location. The account must also have the delegated permissions to the Active Directory OUs mentioned above.

· A service account will be required for use with the Access Gateway infrastructure for LDAP queries to the Active Directory Domain Controller. This service account may already have been created but must have the permissions as noted in: CTX113368

· Domain member: Disable machine account password changes Enabled

· Domain member: Maximum machine account password age 999 days

Virtual machines

· 2 vCPU

· 8 GB of RAM

· 30 GB System Drive

· 1 Network Interface Connection on the server infrastructure network

· 4 vCPU

· 16 GB of RAM

· 30 GB System Drive

· 400 GB Secondary Drive for Storing PVS Images

· 200 GB Secondary Drive for Storing PVS Images

· 1 Network Interface Connections on the virtual server network to which it is assigned

Virtual Server Windows 2008 R2 64bit 1 Windows 2008R2 Virtual Machine with the following specifications (To be scaled to 20-50 Desktops)

· 2 vCPU

· 8 GB of RAM

· 32 GB System Drive

· 1 Network Interface Connection on virtual desktop network to which it is assigned

BUILD NOTES

Architecture:

Policy Domain – A policy object that contains Management Classes that define how data is managed for a group of nodes. Here at the NFC there are multiple Policy Domains so when possible like servers are grouped together.

Management Class – A policy object contained within a policy domain that is used to specify how TSM manages the nodes data. Multiple management classes with a policy domain can be used to manipulate backup or archive copies to meet different requirements for different TSM Client servers, however there is only one management class in a policy domain that is the default. Any deviations to meet other than the defined standard retentions require an override, usually satisfied by an alternate management class. Alternate management classes must be manually specified on the client. Include statements on the client are used if the management class needs to be associated with particular files or directories.

Management class attributes control how backup copies or archive copies are generated, where they reside (which storage pools) and the retention period (or when the data will expire).

The retention attributes are:

VDE (Versions Data Exists) The maximum number of versions to retain for files that are on the client file system.

VDD (Versions Data Deleted) The maximum number of versions to retain for files that have been deleted from the client file system.

REV (Retain Extra Versions) The number of days to retain a version after that version has become inactive (newer version has been backed up).

ROV (Retain Only Version) The number of days to retain the last backup version of a file that has been deleted from the client file system.

RETV (Retain Archive Copy) The number of days to keep an Archive Copy.

For example, the current NFC default management classes are:

Point Paper Completed

Affects Certification & Accreditation

New/newly configured H/W and/or S/W integrates into NTWK

Current bandwidth is sufficient

Firewall port(s) identified

New port(s) required

IP address(es) identified

New protocols required

Protocols identified

New/newly configured H/W and/or S/W interoperable w/ existing infrastructure

Software licensing source identified

Software license requirement (#) identified

SAN Storage requirements identified

Physical location per site (PCF, BCF, BOF, etc.) identified

Current HVAC and power is sufficient

Component Diagram included (Pg 3-5)

Component Diagram included (Pg 6)

Component Diagram included (Pg 7)

XenServer Host Diagram included (Pg 8)

TSM Backup Request Form (Pg 6)

Computer Room Hardware Power/Space Request (NFC 1360) (Pg 9)

Logistics/shipping issues identified

SLA(s) exist

Impacts SLA(s)

Procurement Requirements:

Longest Lead Item

Min Lead Time

Note – Any item marked with other than an “N/A” response must be addressed in the TRB review.

Name of project/initiative/task - _____________________________________________________

APPROVED:

TRB Chair ____________________________________

Date _______________________