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Configuration of CtxXcXALogonSimTest
This test emulates a user logging into a Citrix farm and launching an application/desktop. In the process, the test reports the total duration of the simulation, time taken for the login to be authenticated, the time taken for application/desktop ennumeration, duration of application/desktop launch, and log out duration. Additionally, the test also captures failures (if any) at each step of the simulation.
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.
Note:
Some parameter changes can sometimes impact the simulation duration. Most often, this can happen in the following situations:
If multiple applications/desktops are configured for launching against PUBLISHED RESOURCES: In this case, the test will repeat the entire sequence of steps for every configured application/desktop - i.e., after an application is launched, the test will logoff and then log in again to attempt the launch of the next application. This can increase the duration of the simulation. If the value of the Launch Timeout and/or the Web Logoff Delay parameters of the test is significantly increased: If this is done, then the simulator will wait that much longer for the application launch or logoff to happen, thereby increasing simulation duration. If the Prompt flag of the test is set to Yes: If this is done, then the simulator will be forced to respond to each message prompt that appears during its interaction with the application. This in turn will increase simulation duration.
Sometimes, these changes can cause the simulation to take more time than the configured TEST PERIOD.
If this happens, the test will fail after logging an error to that effect in the <EG_AGENT_INSTALL_DIR>\agent\error_log file. To avoid this, it would be a good practice to relook at the EST PERIOD configuration every time one of the parameters mentioned above is modified, and increase it if required.
The simulator needs to run in the account of a user who has local administrator rights on the simulation end point - i.e., the system on which the external agent and the Citrix Receiver have been installed. Specify the name of this user in the RECEIVER CONSOLE USERNAME text box. This user should also be logged in at all times for the simulator to run continuously.
If the user specified in RECEIVER CONSOLE USERNAME belongs to a domain, then, specify the name of the domain in the RECEIVER CONSOLE DOMAIN text box. By default, none is specified against this text box.
By default, the LAUNCH TIMEOUT parameter is set to 90 seconds. This implies that the simulator will wait for a maximum of 90 seconds (by default) for an application/desktop to launch. If the application/desktop does not launch even after the 90 seconds have elapsed, then the simulation will be automatically terminated, and the simulator will mark that application/desktop launch as ‘failed’. Accordingly, the Application launch availability measure for that published resource (i.e., application/desktop) will report the value 0, and no launch duration will be reported for the same.
In some environments, one/more published applications may take a little longer to launch than the rest. In such environments, you can instruct the simulator to wait longer for launching each of the configured published resources, by increasing the LAUNCH TIMEOUT. The high time out setting for resource launch ensures that the simulator captures and reports only genuine launch failures, and does not treat a launch delay as a failure.
By default, the WEB LOGOFF DELAY parameter is set to 30 seconds. This implies that the simulator will wait for a maximum of 30 seconds (by default) after each resource launch, for the logoff to occur. If the logoff does not happen even after 30 seconds have elapsed, then the simulation will be automatically terminated, and the simulator will mark the logoff attempt as ‘failed’. A logoff duration will hence not be computed or reported in this case.
In some environments, even during normal operation, logoff may take longer. In such environments, you can instruct the simulator to wait longer for the logoff to occur, by increasing the web logoff delay. The high time out setting for logoff ensures that the simulator waits for the log off to complete and captures and reports the accurate logoff duration.
By default, the PROMPT flag is set to No. This means that, by default, the simulator suppresses all message prompts that may appear during the simulation. If for some reason, you want the simulator to view and handle these message prompts, then set this flag to Yes.
By default, the USE ICA flag is set to Yes, indicating that the eG agent itself automatically logs off the simulated sessions. Sometimes however, the eG agent may not be able to perform clean session logoffs. When this happens, simulated sessions may continue to linger on the server in a disconnected state. In simulations that are performed on-premise, where you have control over the target Citrix infrastructure, you can avoid such disconnected sessions and ensure clean application/desktop logoffs by deploying the light-weight eG Logoff Helper software. To know how to install the software, refer to Monitoring Citrix Logon Simulator document. Once the helper is installed, set the USE ICA flag to No, so that the logoff helper is automatically used for performing session logoffs.
Note:
If the simulation is to be performed on the Citrix Cloud or the Citrix Workspace, where you have no control over the Citrix infrastructure, make sure that the USE ICA flag is set to Yes only.
Set the Hosted on Citrix Cloud flag to Yes if Citrix environment is hosted on Citrix Cloud i.e., the SITE URL for connecting to Storefront/NetScaler is hosted on Citrix Cloud. By default, this flag is set to No.
By default, the Success Screenshot Required flag is set to No indicating that the logon simulator will not capture a screenshot and display the same in the graphical view of the detailed diagnosis if the simulation performed was successful. If you wish to capture a screenshot for successful simulations too and display the same, then, set this flag to Yes.
In the Success Screenshot Frequency text box, specify the frequency i.e., measurement period for which a screenshot captured for a successful simulation should be retained in the layer model/graphical view. By default, this is set to 5 indicating that the screenshot captured for a successful simulation will be displayed for the subsequent 5 measurement periods provided, the logon simulation is successful during all those 5 measurement periods.
For the logon simulation to be successful on the simulation endpoint at all times, it is important to maintain the Windows session in ‘active’ state always. To this effect, the Enable Session Active flag is set to Yes by default.
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:
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.
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