ESX – Tips for running Citrix on VM

This is a collection of tips I’ve collected (from various sources) over time for running Citrix on an ESX virtual machine. I currently use all of these items in my environment.

1. Use Windows Server 2003 or 2008. Do not use Windows 2000!
2. Start with one vCPU. You may need a second, depending on your environment.
3. Specify the correct HAL (single processor or multiprocessor) via device manager of your windows OS.
4. Use 2GB of memory to start. Increase memory as needed (based off performance logs, charts, etc.).
5. Split your OS, Data, and Page partitions onto separate VMDK files. If at all possible, put these on separate LUNs (you can used a tiered storage strategy so not all of your VMDKs are on FC disk).
6. Disconnect  any mounted floppy disks or CDs.
7. Disable sound for applications (via the Citrix Management Console)
8. When installing VMware Tools, do a custom install. Do not install the memory ballooning driver.
9. Disable COM ports, hyper-threading, visual effects & use speed-screen technology where possible.
10. Disable the “Show VMware Tools icon” in the VMware Tools properties. This will prevent users from seeing the icon when launching applications.
11. Remove all hardware devices that are not required on your VM (serial ports, parallel ports, etc.).
12. Do not P2V Citrix Servers!!! You’ll get a better performing system if you build it from scratch.

This list will be modified as I come along more tips/tricks. It is a work in progress!

Tags: Citrix, citrix servers, Disable, environment, esx, HAL, increase memory, Memory, parallel ports, performance logs, Split, tiered storage strategy, Tools, Use, V Citrix, virtual machine, VMware, vmware tools, Windows

This entry was posted on Sunday, June 14th, 2009 at 1:13 am and is filed under VMware, vSphere/ESX. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.