Platform Layers - AL Test
A Platform Layer is a special virtual disk layer that contains configuration settings, tools, and other software necessary to run a published image on a particular platform. For example, a platform layer for XenServer would include the XenTools software. Two platform layer types can be created:
Publishing Platform Layer: This type of Platform Layer is used to include the software required by a target provisioning system, broker, and hypervisor. For example, a publishing Platform Layer to support Provisioning Services on vSphere for Citrix Virtual Apps have the Citrix VDA, and PVS Device Drivers installed. If vSphere is not the same hypervisor where packaging is performed, then this layer also has VMware Tools installed.
Packaging Platform Layer: Packaging Platform Layers are used if a packaging layer is required to support packaging machines.
Typically, App, OS, and User Layers contain OS-specific information, so it is very easy to use the concept of a Platform Layer to move other layers between different hypervisors. Platform Layers enable administrators to update applications and operating systems at one time, and distribute them to multiple sites. The Platform layer has highest priority in Citrix App Layering and plays vital role in running published images on a specific platform. If the Platform layer is not deployed on time, the published images will not run on the platform without the configuration files and tools provided by the Platform Layer. This will adversely delay application delivery, seriously reduce user productivity and degrade user experience. To avoid such unpleasant events, administrators should check the status of the Platform Layer continuously. This check can be easily done using the Platform Layers - AL test.
This test continuously monitors the Platform Layers created using the to the target Citrix App Layering Manager, and for each Platform Layer, reports whether the Platform Layer is available for attaching to the published image. This way, administrators can instantly identify the Platform Layer that is not ready to be attached to the published image and sort-out the issues before end-users notice. In addition, this test reports the number of images to which each Platform Layer is attached and the number of collections and desktops that are currently using each Platform Layer. Using this test, administrators can figure out the Platform Layer that is widely accessed by the users.
Target of the test : Citrix Platform Layering Manager
Agent deploying the test : A remote agent
Outputs of the test : One set of results for each Platform Layer created by the target Citrix Platform Layering Manager
| Parameter | Description |
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Test Period |
How often should the test be executed. |
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Host |
The IP address of the host for which the test is being configured. |
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Port |
The port at which the host listens. By default, this is 443. |
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Username and Password |
To pull out metrics, this test needs to be configured with credentials of a user with Read-only permissions to the target appliance. Specify the Username and Password of such a user in the Username and Password text boxes. |
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Confirm Password |
Confirm the Password by retyping it here. |
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Domain |
Specify the name of the domain to which the specified user belongs to. For instance, eginnovations\mpriya. |
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SSL |
Indicate whether/not Citrix Platform Layering Manager is SSL-enabled. By default, this flag is set to No. |
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Detailed Diagnosis |
To make diagnosis more efficient and accurate, the eG Enterprise embeds an optional detailed diagnostic capability. With this capability, the eG agents can be configured to run detailed, more elaborate tests as and when specific problems are detected. To enable the detailed diagnosis capability of this test for a particular server, choose the On option. To disable the capability, click on the Off option. The option to selectively enable/disable the detailed diagnosis capability will be available only if the following conditions are fulfilled:
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| Measurement | Description | Measurement Unit | Interpretation | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Status |
Indicates the current status of this Platform Layer. |
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The values that this measure reports and their corresponding numeric values are listed in the table below:
Note: By default, this measure reports the Measure Values discussed in the table above. However, the graph of this measure is indicated using the numeric equivalents only. The detailed diagnosis of this measure reveals the name and current status of the Platform Layer, name of the OS layer to which the Platform Layer is attached, name of the template that is being used by each Platform Layer, environment at which a particular Platform Layer is created, maximum layer size and time stamp at which each Platform Layer is created and last modified. |
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Total layer size |
Indicates the total size set for this Platform Layer. |
GB |
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Maximum layer size |
Indicates the Max Layer size set for this Platform Layer. |
GB |
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Collections used |
Indicates the number of collections that are currently using in this Platform Layer. |
Number |
Compare the values of these measures across Platform Layers to identify the that Platform Layer which is frequently used by images, collections and desktops.
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Desktops used |
Indicates the number of desktops that are currently using in this Platform Layer. |
Number |
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Images used |
Indicates the number of images that are currently using in this Platform Layer. |
Number |
Using the detailed diagnosis reported by the Status measure, administrators can find out the name and current status of each Platform Layer, brief description about the Platform Layer, name of the OS layer to which a Platform Layer is attached, name of the template that is being used by each Platform Layer, environment at which a particular Platform Layer is created, whether the Platform Layer is imported or not, maximum layer size and time stamp at which each Platform Layer is created and last modified.
Figure 1 : The detailed diagnosis reported by the Status measure reported by Platform Layers - AL test
