Use Machine Creation Services (MCS) to create Linux VMs

Supported distributions

Supported hypervisors

• AWS
• Citrix Hypervisor
• GCP
• Microsoft Azure
• Nutanix AHV
• VMware vSphere

Unexpected results can occur if you try to prepare a master image on hypervisors other than the supported ones.

Use MCS to create Linux VMs

Considerations

• From Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops 7 2003 through Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops 7 2112, hosting the Linux VDA on Microsoft Azure, AWS, and GCP was supported only for Citrix DaaS (formerly Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops service). Starting with the 2203 release, you can host the Linux VDA on these public clouds for both Citrix DaaS and Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops. To add these public cloud host connections to your Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops deployment, you need Hybrid Rights License. For information about Hybrid Rights License, see Transition and Trade-Up (TTU) with Hybrid Rights.

• Bare metal servers are not supported for use with MCS to create virtual machines.

• Citrix uses the following Centrify versions for initial feature validation on the relevant Linux distributions:

  Linux distribution	Centrify version
  RHEL	5.8.0
  Amazon Linux 2, SUSE	5.7.1
  Debian, Ubuntu	5.6.1

  Using other versions of Centrify might cause errors. Do not use Centrify to join a template machine to a domain.

• 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.

(For Nutanix only) Step 1: Install and register the Nutanix AHV plug-in

Obtain the Nutanix AHV plug-in package from Nutanix. Install and register the plug-in in your Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops environment. For more information, see the Nutanix Acropolis MCS plug-in installation guide, available at the Nutanix Support Portal.

Step 1a: Install and register the Nutanix AHV plug-in for on-premises Delivery Controllers

After you install Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops, select and install the XD MCS AHV Plugin on your Delivery Controllers.

Step 1b: Install and register the Nutanix AHV plug-in for cloud Delivery Controllers

Select and install the CWA MCS AHV Plugin for Citrix Cloud Connectors. Install the plug-in on all Citrix Cloud Connectors that are registered with the Citrix Cloud tenant. You must register Citrix Cloud Connectors even when they serve a resource location without the AHV.

Step 1c: Complete the following steps after installing the plug-in

• Verify that a Nutanix Acropolis folder has been created in C:\Program Files\Common Files\Citrix\HCLPlugins\CitrixMachineCreation\v1.0.0.0.
• Run the "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Citrix\HCLPlugins\RegisterPlugins.exe" -PluginsRoot "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Citrix\HCLPlugins\CitrixMachineCreation\v1.0.0.0" command.

• Restart the Citrix Host, Citrix Broker, and Citrix Machine Creation Services on your on-premises Delivery Controllers or restart the Citrix RemoteHCLServer Service on Citrix Cloud Connectors.

  Tip:

  We recommend that you stop and then restart the Citrix Host, Citrix Broker, and Machine Creation Services when you install or update the Nutanix AHV plug-in.

Step 2: Create a hosting connection

This section walks you through creating a hosting connection to Azure, AWS, GCP, Nutanix AHV, and VMware vSphere:

• Create a hosting connection to Azure in Citrix Studio

• Create a hosting connection to AWS in Citrix Studio

• Create a hosting connection to GCP in Citrix Studio

• Create a hosting connection to Nutanix in Citrix Studio

• Create a hosting connection to VMware in Citrix Studio

Create a hosting connection to Azure in Citrix Studio

1. In Citrix Studio on Citrix Cloud, choose Configuration > Hosting > Add Connection and Resources to create a connection to Azure.

   

2. Choose Microsoft Azure as the connection type.

   

3. Type the subscription ID of your Azure account and your connection name.

   

   A new connection appears in the hosting pane.

   

Create a hosting connection to AWS in Citrix Studio

1. In Citrix Studio on Citrix Cloud, choose Configuration > Hosting > Add Connection and Resources to create a connection to AWS.

   

2. Choose Amazon EC2 as the connection type.

   

3. Type the API key and secret key of your AWS account and type your connection name.

   

   The API key is your access key ID and the Secret key is your secret access key. They are considered as an access key pair. If you lose your secret access key, you can delete the access key and create another one. To create an access key, do the following:

   1. Sign in to the AWS services.
   2. Navigate to the Identity and Access Management (IAM) console.
   3. On the left navigation pane, choose Users.
   4. Select the target user and scroll down to select the Security credentials tab.
   5. Scroll down and click Create access key. A new window appears.
   6. Click Download .csv file and save the access key to a secure location.

   A new connection appears in the hosting pane.

   

Create a hosting connection to GCP in Citrix Studio

Set up your GCP environment according to Google Cloud Platform virtualization environments and then complete the following steps to create a hosting connection to GCP.

1. In Citrix Studio on Citrix Cloud, choose Configuration > Hosting > Add Connection and Resources to create a connection to GCP.

   

2. Choose Google Cloud Platform as the connection type.

   

3. Import the service account key of your GCP account and type your connection name.

   

   A new connection appears in the hosting pane.

   

Create a hosting connection to Nutanix in Citrix Studio

1. For on-premises Delivery Controllers, choose Configuration > Hosting > Add Connection and Resources in the on-premises Citrix Studio. For cloud Delivery Controllers, choose Manage > Hosting > Add Connection and Resources in the web-based Studio console on Citrix Cloud to create a connection to the Nutanix hypervisor.

2. In the Add Connection and Resources wizard, select Nutanix AHV as the connection type on the Connection page, and then specify the hypervisor address, credentials, and your connection name. On the Network page, select a network for the hosting unit.

   For example, in the on-premises Citrix Studio:

   

   For example, in the web-based Studio console on Citrix Cloud:

   

3. On the Network page, select a network for the hosting unit.

Create a hosting connection to VMware in Citrix Studio

1. Install vCenter Server in the vSphere environment. For more information, see VMware vSphere.

2. In Citrix Studio, choose Configuration > Hosting > Add Connection and Resources to create a connection to VMware vSphere.

   

3. Choose VMware vSphere as the connection type.

   

4. Type the connection address (the vCenter Server URL) of your VMware account, your user name and password, and your connection name.

   

   A new connection appears in the hosting pane.

   

Step 3: Prepare a master image

(For Citrix Hypervisor only) Step 3a: 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
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