Use Machine Creation Services (MCS) to create Linux VMs

Using MCS to create Linux VMs involves the following general steps:

1. Prepare a master image on the template VM of your choice, which can be any VM or a currently running VDA.
2. Create a machine catalog in Citrix Studio.
3. Create a delivery group.

Note:

Unexpected results can occur if you try to prepare a master image on hypervisors other than Citrix Hypervisor, Microsoft Azure, VMware vSphere, AWS, GCP, or Nutanix AHV.

Microsoft Azure, AWS, and GCP are not supported as of Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops 7 2003. But you can continue using the hosts in the Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops service.

Supported distributions

Note:

If you are using PBIS or Centrify for joining MCS-created machines to Windows domains, complete the following tasks:

• On the template machine, configure the PBIS or Centrify package download path in the /etc/xdl/mcs/mcs.conf file or install the PBIS or Centrify package directly.
• Before you run /opt/Citrix/VDA/sbin/deploymcs.sh, create an Organizational Unit (OU) that has write and password reset permissions to all its subordinate, MCS-created machines.
• Before you restart MCS-created machines after /opt/Citrix/VDA/sbin/deploymcs.sh finishes running, run klist -li 0x3e4 purge on your Delivery Controller or on your Citrix Cloud Connector based on your deployment.

Use MCS to create Linux VMs on Citrix Hypervisor

Step 1: Prepare a master image

A master image contains the operating system, non-virtualized applications, VDA, and other software. To prepare a master image, do the following:

Step 1a: Install Citrix VM Tools

Install Citrix VM Tools on the template VM for each VM to use the xe CLI or XenCenter. VM performance can be slow unless you install the tools. Without the tools, you can’t do any of the following:

• Cleanly shut down, restart, or suspend a VM.
• View the VM performance data in XenCenter.
• Migrate a running VM (through XenMotion).
• Create snapshots or snapshots with memory (checkpoints), and revert to snapshots.
• Adjust the number of vCPUs on a running Linux VM.

1. Run the following command to mount Citrix VM Tools named guest-tools.iso.

   sudo mount /dev/cdrom /mnt
   <!--NeedCopy-->