Dealing with users who accumulate large Citrix profiles can be a persistent challenge for Citrix administrators. When Citrix User Profile Management (UPM) or Workspace Environment Management (WEM) is employed, a UPM_Profile folder is generated. This folder stores all files and folders within the user’s profile. While desktop, downloads, and document redirection to shared network paths can mitigate profile size issues, some challenges remain.

For example, Visual Studio projects or other software tools often default to saving files within the UPM_Profile folder. If users neglect to move these files to redirected paths like Desktop, Documents, or Downloads, the profile size grows rapidly.

The Issue

When a user’s profile becomes too large, they encounter login problems on their Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI). The login attempt results in a black screen, followed by the desktop viewer closing unexpectedly. Even after rebooting the VDI, the issue persists.

Temporary Solution

Admins must manually transfer data from:

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\\storage_path\folder1\folder2\Username\UPM_Profile

to redirected locations like Desktop, Documents, or Downloads (which are stored on network shares). This allows the user to log in successfully.

However, this is only a short-term fix. As profiles grow again, administrators often need to repeat the process, leading to recurring support tickets from users.

Permanent Solution

A more effective solution involves creating a separate folder (e.g., ApplicationData) within each user’s profile path:

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\\storage_path\folder1\folder2\Username\ApplicationData

This folder is then mapped to the user’s session using a Group Policy Object (GPO) as a network drive (e.g., N:). Users are instructed to save application-related data, such as Visual Studio projects or Git repositories, directly to the N: drive.

Benefits of This Approach:

• Reduced Profile Size: Application data remains outside the UPM_Profile folder, minimizing its size and preventing login issues.
• Better Organization: Separating user files (e.g., documents) from application data ensures better folder management.

Automating the Process

Where possible, automate saving application data to the N: drive. If automation is not feasible, periodic reminder emails to users can encourage them to store relevant data in the appropriate location.

Note on Redirected Folders

While users can technically save application data in Desktop, Documents, or Downloads (since these are redirected to network shares), it is recommended to avoid cluttering these folders with mixed content. Creating the ApplicationData folder under the same user path does not consume additional storage space, and it ensures clean segregation between personal files and application data.

By implementing these steps, administrators can alleviate recurring login issues, streamline profile management, and reduce the burden of ongoing support requests.