Citrix Image Creation VDA via AWX
Citrix Image Creation VDA
Overview
The Citrix team uses an Ansible playbook and role to create base Windows images for use in the overall Epic environment. These tools have been incorporated into AWX for ease of deployment and automation.
Resources
The Ansible playbook is used for all related templates at the link above. Each template is configured to use its designated variable file within the ansible-playbooks repo at vars and limited to apply against the specific VM used for that application and environment.
Structure
The Ansible role has five main phases (phase0-phase4). Each of them can be targeted using their tags or any number of tags throughout the repo. Phases 1 through 3 are various stages of the VDA install.
Segment Details
Each of the four phases include multiple tasks outlined below and found here
phase0
- Delete RPC Keys
- Domain Join
- DNS Search Domains
- Enable Print Spooler
- Reboot
phase1
- Install Citrix VDA part 1 with reboot
phase2
- Install Citrix VDA part 2 with reboot
phase3
- Install Citrix VDA part 3 with reboot
- Apply Citrix Private DLL Fix
phase4
- Install Optimizer
- Citrix Base Configs
- Install Uber Agent
- Install Kuiper Satellite
- Uninstall Azure CLI
phase4 if util
- Epic Remote Client Config
- Install Putty
- Install mtputty
- Install and configure winscp
- Install Epic Scotty
- Install Epic Studio
- Install ssms
phase4 if hyperdrive
- Install Microsoft Office 2021
- Install and Configure Adobe Reader
- Copy Host to Client Redirection Files
- Install Topaz
- Install BlueFin
- Install and Configure Dragon
- Install Fujitsu7160
- Install Epic Hyland Integration
- Install OCR Font
- Install Zeiss Forum
- Install and Configure Imprivata
Variables
Each template is configured to use its designated variable file within the ansible-playbooks repo at vars and limited to apply against the specific VM used for that application and environment. Limit can be modified at Launch time.
Usage
- Ensure you have a clean VM built fresh from the latest image.
- Log into AWX
- Select Templates from the column on the left.
- The templates for this work begin with "Citrix_". Filter the list for that name and select the template that matches the image you need to build.
- Click Launch
- The first prompt asks for your preference of west or central region for deployment. Leaving it blank is fine and will allow the system to choose at will.
- Note: If there is a current circumstance that would require one particular region, please choose the appropriate Instance Group that matches your need.
- Click Next
- The next prompt gives multiple fields that can be customized. Click Next after reviewing all 5 fields listed and described below.
- Limit
- Ensure the prepopulated field shows the correct VM name.
- NOTE: If this field is blank, these tasks will run against every VM in the entire environment.
- MAKE SURE THE VM NAME IS PRESENT AND ACCURATE.
- Verbosity
- Select the level of verbosity desired.
- Leaving at 0 will provide the least output.
- Increase the verbosity if any troubleshooting is possibly needed.
- Job Tags
- If your deployment needs to be limited to only run against a certain tag or two, place them here. Pressing Enter after each one.
- Launching with tags listed in this field will result in ONLY the tasks with your designated tag running along with any tasks tagged as "always".
- Skip Tags
- Opposite function of "Job Tags"
- Place undesired tags here. Press Enter after each tag that should be skipped.
- Entire Ansible job will run except the tags you designated to be skipped.
- Variables
- This is the designated variable file for the type of image you are wanting to create.
- This field should rarely ever change. Only change with caution.
- Limit
- Review the preview and hit Launch when you are comfortable with all settings for your job.
- Review the output and respond.