StoreFront Resource Availability Test

Using this test administrators can measure the logon experience of users connecting via Citrix StoreFront. This test emulates accesses to specific resources such as applications/desktops published on StoreFront. In the process, the availability, authentication, and enumeration of each application and/or desktop is reported. These metrics offer insights into certain key factors that may influence a StoreFront user's logon experience. This includes the availability and responsiveness of the StoreFront home configuration, the authentication method, the availability of the ICA file and the time taken to download it, and more! These statistics help Citrix administrators to track the complete journey of a Citrix StoreFront user through the Citrix application/desktop delivery landscape and accurately isolate bottlenecks prior to launching the application/desktop.

Target of the test : Citrix StoreFront Server

Agent deploying the test : An internal/remote agent

Outputs of the test : One set of results for every published application and/or virtual desktop

Configurable parameters for the test
Parameters Description

Test Period

This indicates how often should the test be executed.

Host

The host for which the test is to be configured.

Port

The port number at which the specified host listens to. By default, this is 443.

StoreFront URL

Specify the URL of the target Citrix StoreFront server being accessed in this text box. For instance, you can specify the URL in the following format: http://192.168.9.17/citrix/store.

Published resource Names

Here, provide a comma-separated list of Published resources to be launched. The resource can be an application / desktop. When providing application/desktop names, make sure you provide the same name using which the applications/desktops are displayed in the StoreFront web console. Also, make sure that the User you specify is authorized to launch all the applications/desktops configured in the comma-separated list of Published resources.

Domain, User name, Password and Confirm Password

To enable you to log into a Citrix farm via StoreFront and launch a resource, provide the Domain, User Name and Password of a user who has the right to launch all the resources specified against Published Resource Names parameter. Then, confirm the Password by retyping it in the Confirm Password text box.

Web request Timeout

Indicate the duration (in seconds) for which this test should wait for a response from the StoreFront for the web request. By default, this is set to 30 seconds.

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:

  • The eG manager license should allow the detailed diagnosis capability
  • Both the normal and abnormal frequencies configured for the detailed diagnosis measures should not be 0.
Measurements made by the test
Measurement Description Measurement Unit Interpretation

StoreFront URL availability

Indicates whether/not the URL specified against the StoreFront URL parameter is available when attempting to launch this application/desktop.

Percent

The value 100 for this measure indicates that the StoreFront is available to launch the resource, and the value 0 indicates that the StoreFront is unavaialble.

If this measure reports the value 0, then no other measures will be reported for that resource.

StoreFront URL response time

Indicates the time taken to receive response from the StoreFront URL, when attempting to launch this application/desktop.

Seconds

If the Total response time for a resource exceeds its threshold, compare the value of this measure with that of the other response time values reported by the test to know where the bottleneck lies.

StoreFront home configuration availability

Indicates whether/not the home page of the StoreFront web console is available for access when attempting to launch this application/desktop.

Percent

The value 100 for this measure indicates that the StoreFront home page is accessible to launch the resource, and the value 0 indicates that the home page is not accessible.

StoreFront home configuration response time

Indicates the time taken to access the home page of the StoreFront web console.

Seconds

If the Total response time for a resource exceeds its threshold, compare the value of this measure with that of the other response time values reported by the test to know where the bottleneck lies.

Authentication method availability

Indicates whether/not any authentication method is available to login to the StoreFront web console when attempting to launch this application/desktop.

Percent

The value 100 for this measure indicates that login was successful, and the value 0 indicates that login failed.

Authentication method response time

Indicates the time taken by any authentication method to respond to a login request to the StoreFront web console when attempting to launch this application/desktop.

Seconds

Ideally, the value of this measure should be low.

Explicit authentication method availability

Indicates whether/not the explicit authentication method is enabled for the user to launch this application/desktop.

Percent

The value 100 for this measure indicates that login was successful, and the value 0 indicates that login failed.

Explicit authentication method response time

Indicates the time taken by any explicit authentication method to respond to a login request to the StoreFront web console when attempting to launch this application/desktop.

Seconds

Ideally, the value of this measure should be low.

Login availability

Indicates whether/not the user logged into the StoreFront successfully, when attempting to launch this application/desktop.

Percent

The value 100 for this measure indicates that login was successful, and the value 0 indicates that login failed.

Login response time

Indicates the time taken by the user to login to StoreFront, when attempting to launch this application/desktop.

Seconds

Ideally, the value of this measure should be low.

Resource availability

Indicates whether this application/desktop is available to launch or not.

Percent

 

Resource response time

Indicates the time taken by this application/desktop to respond when the user is trying to launch this application/desktop.

Seconds

 

ICA file download availability

Indicates whether the ICA file is available to launch this application/desktop or not.

Percent

When launching an application/desktop from the StoreFront, users are prompted to save or download the launch .ica file. The ICA files contain configuration information about the application/desktop. Therefore, the application/desktop will be launched only if the ICA file is downloaded successfully.

The value 100 for this measure indicates that the ICA is downloaded successfully, and the value 0 indicates that the home page is not accessible.

The value 100 is preferred for this measure indicating that the ICA file was downloaded successfully. If the value 0 is reported for this measure indicates that ICA file download failed.

ICA file download response time

Indicates the time taken to download the ICA file when the user is trying to launch this application/desktop.

Seconds

 

Total response time

Indicates the total time taken to receive response when the user is attempting to launch this application/desktop.

Seconds