CTX119920 Secure Console Access to XenServer Console

When you need to restrict physical console access to your XenServers, you can force a password authentication prompt rather than being presented with the root console directly.

By design, XenCenter provides full control over XenServer hosts and does not, at the time of this writing, provide role-based administration.

Most operations within XenCenter do not require access to the Console and in some scenarios, it is preferable to restrict access to the Console.

Follow the steps below to enable the XenServer Host Console to prompt for the username and password:

Caution! Take extra care in editing this file because improper editing might prevent you from logging on.

1. Using either an SSH session to your XenServer host(s) or using the Console, edit the /etc/securetty file in either vi or nano:
vi /etc/securetty

2. Add the following lines to the bottom of your /etc/securetty file:
pts/0
pts/1
pts/2
pts/3
(repeat this up to pts/15)

3. Save the changes to the securetty file.

4. Open the /usr/lib/xen/bin/dom0term.sh file in an editor (vi or nano):
vi /usr/lib/xen/bin/dom0term.sh

5. Locate the line in this file that reads “exec /bin/login –f root” and place a “#” symbol at the beginning of the line to comment out the line.

6. Below this line, add a line that reads:
exec /bin/login –p

7. Save this file.

8. Once done, in XenCenter, type exit on your Console terminal. At this stage, you are prompted to log on again.



http://support.citrix.com/article/CTX119920

Deploying Citrix Presentation Server 4.5/XenApps using SQL Server 2005 Farm Database Part 1

Have not posted for a while but I am back, this will be part 1 of a series of instructional videos you can use to deploy Citrix Presentation Server. As usual let us go through some of the details we will be needing to setup Citrix Presentation Server which is using a remote farm database such as SQL Server 2005.

If you are not familiar with MS Terminal Services then it is about time you get familiarize with this feature of Windows Server 2003. At the time of this writing as we know Citrix Presentation Server is now known as XenApps and supports installations on Windows Server 2008 systems. The concepts and procedures on this training video will be likely similar to the new version.

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For the infrastructure, your Citrix setup would need a Licensing Server, a Web Interface Server (if you would like you clients to be able to access applications via Web Browser), your Citrix Presentation Server and the farm Database Server.

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Since Citrix rides on top of Terminal Services, we should have our Terminal Services Licensing Server as well.

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I would not discuss Terminal Services and Terminal Services Licensing here, but part 2 will show you how to install prerequisites for your Citrix Presentation Server and that will include enabling Terminal Services on Windows 2003. Part1 of this video will now cover setting up Citrix Licensing Server. The part where you need to register at http://www.mycitrix.com/ and obtain the .lic file is not shown here, but what you need to note is that when you register your Citrix license server, you should make sure that you specify your server host name exactly as the case sensitive host name of the machine. You can go the cmd prompt and type "hostname" and copy paste the resulting name on the mycitrix site to ensure you obtain the correct .lic file in the process. After which you can view Part 1 of the training video shown below. Do note that we are installing the Citrix License Management Console on a separate server from our Presentation Server in this video series.

Citrix Presentation Server Installation fails with Error 26013. Function InitializeTree2 returned failure in CTX_MF_IMA_InitializeTree2

If you encounter an error installing Citrix Presentation Server with a similar screen below informing you that the database username and password that you have entered maybe wrong, put in the domainname\username format on the screen for Data Store Access. I did spend some time figuring this out as I knew I entered in correct credentials. If you see the screen below it also does not mention to enter the domain name. Sometimes the simplest things can make you scratch your head too!

For those that are setting up Citrix Farm with an SQL server as the farm database, here is a good link.

Presentation Server and SQL 2005 Configuration

http://support.citrix.com/article/CTX112524