To perform an unattended installation of Citrix Presentation Server 4.x or XenApp we need to create a response file and run the Citrix installer, it is something quite simple and that we can use to automate Citrix installations and avoid installing it with a CD.

Part of the most important thing is to secure the web interface, since if users are going to access it from the internet, it is important to know that the HTTP protocol (80 TCP) Not at all secure for password traffic, And anyone can get our passwords, what we will do is secure the web interface using SSL, The Secure Layer, with the HTTPS protocol (443 TCP). For this we need a server certificate, We can achieve this with some Internet certificate authority (for a fee) or else, We install a certificate authority (AC) On the web, you don't need to be on any server with Citrix. Anyway, if we are going to use Web Interface over the Internet, it is advisable to do so through a CAG or a CSG.

Once all of the above is configured, we are now going to publish the applications that we want clients to connect to, logically we must first install them on the Presentation Server, In my example, we'll make it easier for customers to access Microsoft Office applications 2003, First then, I will install the Office 2003 so I don't order the CD and I'll update it, Now we're going to publish the apps that I'm interested in users accessing

Esto sólo se debe hacer una vez, en uno de los servidores, lo haremos servidor de licencias. Necesitamos meter un fichero .lic en el servidor, para ello nos debemos registrar en la web de www.citrix.com y crearnos una cuenta (si es que no la tenemos creada) en MyCitrix. Creamos una cuenta para poder descargar la licencia y parches de servidor.

When we have more than one Presentation Server, We run into a problem, when it comes to installing the applications, we have to install them all and configure them the same, As many times as many servers we have. And they all have to be configured in the same way possible, It is best to create installation packages using “Installation Manager” from Citrix, This is, generate MSI packages, MSP or WFS. We can create them with the “Packager” that Citrix comes with or with any other software (e.g. with Veritas WinInstall – HERE). These packages would be created with the configurations already made and it would simply be placed on the servers that interest us.

Whenever we are going to have an installation with more than one server, we have to follow this procedure, We should not do a full installation, With just one component (Presentation Server) It would be enough, and we would need to join the Community, With this, the installation of a second server would suffice, After that, we would need to configure more aspects such as load balancing or the applications themselves.