eG Monitoring
 

Measures reported by CtxALAppLayerTest

App Layers are used to package most applications. App Layers contain file system and registry objects for an application or group of applications. When creating or editing an App layer, a special virtual machine called Packaging Machine is dynamically created. A virtual disk called Package Disk is attached to the Packaging Machine as the writable volume. The Package Disk captures all the filesystem changes during packaging, and also contains a registry hive (called an RSD hive) used to capture all the registry changes.

App Layers can be assigned as elastic layers to individual users and groups for delivery on demand. Elastic layers allow you to give each user a unique set of applications along with the common apps included in the base image. On session hosts, elastic layers is used across sessions. On standalone desktops, elastic layers are used across floating pools and shared groups. When users log into their session or desktop, icons for elastic layers appear as shortcuts on the desktop. App layers can also be elastically assigned to layered images that use a different OS layer than the one used to create the App Layer. Note that, this can be done only if Allow OS Layer Switching option is selected while creating the App Layer. Using App Layers, administrators can dynamically deliver applications to specific users without any complexities and increasing the number of images required on the desktops/session hosts. When a user logs in to the session hosts/desktops, if an App Layer containing the applications requested by the user is not delivered on time, then, the user experience in accessing the App Layers may suffer to a great extent. To improve the user experience, it is important for the administrators to check on the status of the App Layers continuously . The App Layers - AL test helps administrators in this regard!

This test continuously monitor the App Layers created using the to the target Citrix App Layering Manager and for each App Layer reports the status and also reveals if the App Layer can be attached to the different OS layer or not. In addition, this test reports the number of images to which each App Layer is attached and the number of collections and desktops that are currently using each App Layer. Using this test, administrators can figure out the App Layer that is frequently accessed by the users.

Outputs of the test: One set of results for each App Layer created by the target Citrix App Layering Manager.

Descriptor: App Layer

The measures made by this test are as follows:

Measurement Description Measurement Unit Interpretation
Status Indicates the current status of this App Layer.  

The values that this measure reports and their corresponding numeric values are listed in the table below:

Measure value Numeric Value
Deployable 10
Editing 30
Others 40

Note:

By default, this measure reports the Measure Values discussed in the table above. However, the graph of this measure is indicated using the numeric equivalents only.

The detailed diagnosis of this measure reveals the name and current status of the App Layer, name of the OS layer to which the App Layer is attached, name of the template that is being used by each App Layer, environment at which a particular App Layer is created, maximum layer size and time stamp at which each App Layer is created and last modified.

Os_layer_switch Indicates whether/not Allow OS Layer Switching is enabled for this App Layer.  

The values that this measure reports and their corresponding numeric values are listed in the table below:

Measure value Numeric Value
No 0
Yes 1

Note:

By default, this measure reports the Measure Values discussed in the table above. However, the graph of this measure is indicated using the numeric equivalents only.

Total_layersize Indicates the total size set for this App Layer. GB

 
Maximum_layersize Indicates the Max Layer size set for this App Layer. Number

 
Collections_used Indicates the number of collections that are currently using this App Layer. Number

Compare the values of these measures across App Layers to identify the App Layer that is frequently used by images, collections and desktops.
Desktops_used Indicates the number of desktops that are currently using this App Layer. Number

Compare the values of these measures across App Layers to identify the App Layer that is frequently used by images, collections and desktops.
Images_used Indicates the number of images that are currently using this App Layer. Number

Compare the values of these measures across App Layers to identify the App Layer that is frequently used by images, collections and desktops.