This post will look at creating a machine catalog in XenDesktop 7.5, following on from my recent posts on installing XenDesktop and installing the VDA in a ‘master’ virtual machine. A machine catalog helps tie the previous two posts together, as we use the master VM, with the installed VDA, to create a machine catalog. Once that is complete we can look at assigning the VMs to the end users which I will pick up in a later post. For now, I’ll start with creating the catalog.
Start by opening Desktop Studio on the XenDesktop controller. If you’ve been following these posts, you’ll know that a site is already in place. so the next step in setting up the site is to create the catalog:
After the welcome/splash screen, the first choice to make is the type of machine catalog to create. There are three options available here:
- Windows Server OS – For a XenApp type hosted desktop deployment
- Windows Desktop OS – For VDI desktops
- Remote PC Access – Physical PCs that have the VDA installed
As I am building a VDI environment in my lab, I will select ‘Windows Desktop OS’:
Next up, on the Machine Management page, choose the machine type (Physical or Virtual), followed by the deployment technology it be used. In my lab, I don’t have Citrix PVS deployed and so will be using MCS (Machine Creation Services):
Next, choose whether to used how the desktops will be handed out – either randomly each time a user logs on, or desktops can be statically assigned to users. In my lab I have chosen to have desktops randomly assigned to users:
On the next screen you should be presented with a list of VMs on your chosen virtual platform. Select the virtual machine on which you have installed the VDA. This will be the master virtual machine for this catalog – all VDIs created in this catalog will be created from this virtual machine:
Next, choose how many virtual machines to create in this catalog:
Finally, configure where you want to place the AD machine accounts for the VDI desktops, along with the naming convention to be used:
On the summary screen, review the settings, and set a name and description for the machine catalog. Once ready, click ‘Finish’ to begin creating the catalog:
Checking vCenter at this point, you should see Snapshot and VMDK copy tasks:
Once the tasks complete you should see the following in Desktop Studio:
Hopefully this has helped your understanding of how to create a machine catalog. For more detail on this topic, check out the official documentation from Citrix.