XenDesktop 5.6 System Requirements

These topics describe the requirements for installing XenDesktop components, including the Controller, database, Desktop Studio, Desktop Director, Citrix Licensing, and the Virtual Desktop Agent. Active Directory and host requirements are also described, and the client software provided with this version of XenDesktop is listed. For the requirements for other XenDesktop components, see the documentation for each component.

For each requirement the minimum version needed is stated, together with any later versions that are also supported.

Important: Some requirements are for third-party components supplied with XenDesktop. Before using XenDesktop, check whether there are any security updates available from the third party, and install any such updates immediately. For the Java Runtime Environment, Citrix strongly recommends that you install an update immediately before using XenDesktop.

Requirements for Controllers

If you intend to install all XenDesktop server-side components on a single server, this server must meet all the following requirements:

• One of the following operating systems:

  • Windows Server 2008, Standard or Enterprise Edition (32- or 64-bit), with Service Pack 2
  • Windows Server 2008 R2 with Service Pack 1, Standard or Enterprise Edition (64-bit only)Note that you can mix operating systems within a site.

• Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 with Service Pack 1.If you do not have this on your server, it is installed automatically for you. The XenDesktop installation media also contain this installer in the Support\DotNet35SP1 folder.

• Internet Information Services (IIS) and ASP.NET 2.0. IIS is required only if you are installing the Web Interface or Desktop Director:

  • For Windows Server 2008, IIS Version 7.0
  • For Windows Server 2008 R2, IIS Version 7.5If you do not have these on your server, you may be prompted for the Windows Server installation media, and they are installed for you.

• Visual J# 2.0 Redistributable Package, Second Edition.This is required only if the Web Interface is installed on the server. If you do not have this on your server, it is installed automatically for you. The XenDesktop installation media also contain this installer in the Support\JSharp20SE folder.

• Visual C++ 2008 with Service Pack 1 Redistributable Package.If you do not have this on your server, it is installed automatically for you. The XenDesktop installation media also contain this installer in the Support\vcredist\2008_SP1 folder.

• Windows PowerShell version 2.0.

  If you are using Windows Server 2008 (not Windows Server 2008 R2), Windows Management Framework is installed automatically if it is not already present on the server; it includes Windows Powershell 2.0.

  Note: Windows Management Framework must be downloaded, so either ensure an Internet connection is available or pre-install Windows Management Framework.

• One of the following browsers if you are running the License Administration Console on the controller:

  • Internet Explorer 8 or 9
  • Firefox 3 to 8.x
  • Google Chrome

• Disk space requirements:

  • 100 MB for the Controller and SDKs
  • 50 MB for Desktop Studio
  • 50 MB for Desktop Director
  • 40 MB for Citrix Licensing
  • 100 MB for the Web Interface (and client software included in the installation)

Database Requirements

The following versions of SQL Server are supported:

• SQL Server 2008 R2
• SQL Server 2008 R2 Express Edition (installed automatically)
• SQL Server 2008 with Service Pack 3
• SQL Server 2008 with Service Pack 2
• SQL Server 2008 Express Edition with Service Pack 1

Both the 32- and 64-bit versions of SQL Server 2008 and SQL Server 2008 R2 are supported.

Databases are supported in stand-alone, clustered, and mirrored mode (except for SQL Server 2008 R2 Express Edition, which is supported in stand-alone mode only).

Note that you must use Windows authentication when connecting from XenDesktop to an SQL database.

Separate Component Requirements

This topic describes requirements for XenDesktop components that can be installed either on the same server as the Controller or individually, such as Citrix Licensing and Desktop Studio.

The Web Interface can also be installed separately; for information about Web Interface requirements, see Web Interface.

Licensing Requirements

You must use Citrix Licensing 11.10, as supplied with XenDesktop 5.6; XenDesktop 5.6 does not work with older versions.

Before installing Citrix Licensing, see Licensing Your Product for further details and possible updates to licensing requirements.

Desktop Studio Requirements

Computers running Desktop Studio must meet the following criteria:

• One of the following operating systems:
  • Windows XP Professional (32-bit) with Service Pack 3
  • Windows XP Professional (64-bit) with Service Pack 2
  • Windows Vista
  • Windows 7
  • Windows Server 2008
  • Windows Server 2008 R2
• Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 with Service Pack 1If you do not have this on your computer, it is installed automatically for you. The XenDesktop installation media also contain this installer in the Support\DotNet35 folder.
• Microsoft Management Console 3.0 (MMC 3.0)
• Windows PowerShell version 2.0. If you do not have this on your computer, it is installed automatically for you.
• Disk space requirements: 75 MB

Desktop Director Requirements

Computers running Desktop Director must meet the following criteria:

• One of the following operating systems:
  • Windows Server 2008, Standard or Enterprise Edition, with Service Pack 2 (32- or 64-bit)
  • Windows Server 2008 R2, Standard or Enterprise Edition (64-bit only)
• Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 with Service Pack 1If you do not have this on your server, it is installed automatically for you. The XenDesktop installation media also contain this installer in the Support\DotNet35SP1 folder.
• Internet Information Services (IIS) and ASP.NET 2.0:
  • For Windows Server 2008, IIS Version 7.0
  • For Windows Server 2008 R2, IIS Version 7.5If you do not have these on your server, you are prompted for the Windows Server installation media, and they are installed for you.
• Windows Remote Management (WinRM). WinRM is installed automatically as part of Windows Management Framework (WinRM 1.1 for Windows 2008; WinRM 2.0 for Windows 2008 R2).

To view Desktop Director, use one of the following browsers:

• Internet Explorer 8 or 9
• Firefox 8.x
• Safari 5
• Flash Player 10 must be installed to view graphs

Microsoft Group Policy Management Console Requirements

Microsoft Group Policy Management Console (GPMC) is required only if Citrix policy information will be stored in Active Directory, not in the database. For information on the Windows platforms that support GPMC, see your Microsoft documentation.

Active Directory Requirements

Active Directory is required for XenDesktop. The domain controller must run on a server whose operating system is Windows Server 2003 or later; this does not affect the domain functional level, which can still be Windows 2000 native or higher.

Virtual Desktop Agent Requirements

Virtual machines with personal vDisks must run one of the following:

• Windows XP 32-bit with Service Pack 3
• Windows 7 (non-Aero)

Virtual machines with personal vDisks must store user profiles in the default location (for example, C:\Document And Settings\ on Windows XP).

Virtual machines without personal vDisks must run one of the following:

• Windows XP 32-bit with Service Pack 3
• Windows XP 64-bit with Service Pack 2
• Windows Vista (non-Aero) with Service Pack 2
• Windows 7 (non-Aero)

If you use Desktop Director in your deployment, you must install and enable Microsoft Windows Remote Management on the virtual machine before installing the Virtual Desktop Agent:

• WinRM 1.1 for Windows XP or Windows Vista
• WinRM 2.0 for Windows 7

For more information on installing and enabling WinRM, see http://support.citrix.com/article/CTX125243.

Support components, such as the Microsoft .NET Framework and the Visual C++ Runtime Library, are installed automatically if they are not already on the desktop.

Host Requirements

XenDesktop allows you to manage virtual desktops supported on all the hosts described in this topic. For further information on supported and recommended combinations, see http://support.citrix.com/article/CTX131239.

XenServer

• XenServer 6 and 6.0.2 Standard and Enterprise Editions
• XenServer 5.6 with Service Pack 2 Standard and Enterprise Editions

VMware vSphere

•  VMware vSphere 5.0 Update 1 (ESXi 5.0 and vCenter 5.0)
• VMware vSphere 5.0 (ESXi 5.0 and vCenter 5.0)
• VMware vSphere 4.1 Update 1 (ESX 4.1 and vCenter 4.1, and ESXi 4.1 and vCenter 4.1)

No support is provided for vSphere Storage DRS (SDRS). This feature was introduced with vSphere 5.0.

No support is provided for vSphere vCenter Linked Mode operation (see http://www.vmware.com/products/vcenter-server/features.html/).

For vSphere system requirements, see the VMware documentation at http://www.vmware.com/support/pubs/vs_pubs.html/.

System Center Virtual Machine Manager

•  System Center 2012 Virtual Machine Manager; Hyper-V on Windows Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1
• System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2008 R2 Service Pack 1; Hyper-V on Windows Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1

For System Center Virtual Machine Manager system requirements, see the Microsoft documentation athttp://www.microsoft.com/systemcenter/virtualmachinemanager/en/us/default.aspx/.

Host and Storage Technologies for Machine Creation Services

The following combinations of host and storage technology are supported for Machine Creation Services and run-time Active Directory account injection into VMs: