Agents Administration - Tests
 

Configuration of AppLaunchTest

This test auto-discovers all the applications that are currently launched on the Citrix server, and for each discovered application, reports the average and maximum time that application took to launch. This way, the test points administrators to applications that are slow in launching. Detailed diagnostics provided by the test also reveals the users who are currently accessing the applications and the launch time of the application as perceived by each user session; in the process, the test can accurately pinpoint which which user was attempting to launch the application when the slowness was observed.

The default parameters associated with this test are:

  • The TEST PERIOD list box helps the user to decide how often this test needs to be executed.

  • Specify the host for which the test is to be configured, in the HOST text box.

  • Enter the port to which the specified HOST listens to, in the PORT text box. By default, this is 1494.

  • A Citrix XenApp server (v6.5) can run in the controller mode or the worker mode. In the controller mode, the XenApp server can perform all farm management tasks. However, in the worker mode, a XenApp server can only host user sessions.

    By default, the DOMAIN NAME, DOMAIN USER, DOMAIN PASSWORD, and CONFIRM PASSWORD parameters are set to none. If the XenApp server being monitored is the controller in a farm, then this default value will automatically apply. In other words, in this case, you can leave the values of these parameters as none. On the other hand, if the target XenApp server is a worker in the farm, then first, you will have to configure the name of the domain in which the XenApp server operates in the DOMAIN NAME text box. Then, you need to configure the test with the credentials of a user with Citrix Farm Administrator rights, using the DOMAIN USER and DOMAIN PASSWORD text boxes. Finally, you will have to confirm the DOMAIN PASSWORD by retyping it in the CONFIRM PASSWORD text box.

    Note:

    If the XenApp server is a worker in the farm, then, in addition to configuring the DOMAIN NAME, DOMAIN USER, DOMAIN PASSWORD parameters, the following pre-requisites should also be fulfilled for this test to report metrics:

    • Make sure that the Citrix XenApp Commands Remoting service is running in the Controller server.

    • The port 2513 must be open on the Controller server in the farm.

  • By default, the REPORT BY DOMAIN NAME flag is set to Yes. This implies that by default, the detailed diagnosis of this test will display the domainname\username of each user session that logged out. This default setting ensures that administrators are able to quickly determine the domains to which the users who logged out belonged. You can set this flag to No if you want detailed diagnosis to display only the username of the users who logged out.

  • By default, REPORT BY CLIENT NAME flag is set to No. If set to Yes, this test will report metrics for each client machine from which users logged into the XenApp server - i.e., the host name of the client machines will be the descriptors of this test. In this case therefore, the User name column of the detailed diagnosis of this test will indicate the names of the users who logged into the XenApp server.

  • By default, the SERVER VERSION parameter is set to XA6 for this test. Do not change this default setting.

  • By default, the EXCLUDE parameter is set to none. This means that the test will monitor all the applications that are launched on the XenApp server, by default. If you want the test to disregard certain applications when monitoring, then provide a comma-separated list of process names that correspond to the applications you want to ignore, in the EXCLUDE text box. For instance, your specification can be: winword.exe,js.exe,taskmgr.exe. Your specification can include wild card patterns as well. For example: *win*,js*,*task

  • The DD FREQUENCY refers to the frequency with which detailed diagnosis measures are to be generated for this test. The default is 1:1. This indicates that, by default, detailed measures will be generated every time this test runs, and also every time the test detects a problem. You can modify this frequency, if you so desire. Also, if you intend to disable the detailed diagnosis capability for this test, you can do so by specifying none against DD FREQUENCY.

  • To make diagnosis more efficient and accurate, the eG Enterprise suite embeds an optional detailed diagnostic capability. With this capability, the eG agents can be configured to run detailed, more elaborate tests as and when specific problems are detected. To enable the detailed diagnosis capability of this test for a particular server, choose the On option. To disable the capability, click on the Off option.

    The option to selectively enable/disable the detailed diagnosis capability will be available only if the following conditions are fulfilled:

    • The eG manager license should allow the detailed diagnosis capability.

    • Both the normal and abnormal frequencies configured for the detailed diagnosis measures should not be 0.

  • If multiple components of the same component type are awaiting configuration, then an APPLY TO OTHER COMPONENTS check box will appear in this page. Clicking on this check box will allow you to apply the configuration to all/selected components of that type.

  • Once the necessary values have been provided, clicking on the UPDATE button will register the changes made.

When changing the configuration for specific servers, a “*” beside the text box corresponding to the parameter signifies that these values have to be manually configured by the user. The parameter values that require to be configured will typically be prefixed with a “$” or contain a series of “*”. A value of "none" in the parameter value indicates that the corresponding parameter value can be changed if required.