MSIX App Attach with Windows 10 Version 2004 in Citrix Environments

With the latest version of Windows 10 (version 2004) it is finally possible to use MSIX App Attach in Citrix without any special adaptation.

MSIX App Attach allows you to store applications for virtual environments outside a virtual machine in a VHD/X file. Such an application can thus be integrated into the user session if required.

What is MSIX App Attach ?

MSIX App Attach is based on the concept where the application is stored in MSIX format in a central location and integrated into the operating system. After embedding, applications look like locally installed applications to both the user and the operating system. When combining FSLogix Profile Containers and MSIX App Attach, the Golden Master Image’s operating system remains completely clean and data, profiles and applications are completely separated.

FSLogix App Masking in Citrix Environments

What is App Masking and what do we need it for?

App Masking minimize the number of Golden Images required, by allowing all applications to be installed in a single Golden Image. The mapping and separation of applications (as well as printers, fonts, office add-ins, Internet Explorer plug-ins, etc.) is done without packaging, sequencing, backend infrastructure or virtualization.

This is achieved by granular access control of the installed applications through App Masking Rules. These rules can be used to completely hide the application in an user runtime, so that it no longer appears in the file system, registry or under programs and features.

Because no additional ressources are required by the system when using the rules, applications run at their native speed.

ADV190023 – Enable LDAPS in Windows DC and Citrix ADC

Important Info:
The scheduled update (ADV190023), regarding LDAP Signing and Channel Binding for new and existing domain controllers, scheduled for March 10, 2020, has been postponed to the second half of calendar year 2020. The March 2020 update will only provide additional auditing capabilities to identify and configure LDAP systems before they become inaccessible with the later update.

The later update results in no more connections to the domain controller, via unsigned / Clear Text LDAP on port 389. Then it is only possible to use either LDAPS via port 636 or Signed LDAP (StartTLS) on port 389.

Install Teams & OneDrive in Citrix (Machine-Based)

Update of the existing article to the latest requirements and features.

Microsoft Teams

User Based Microsoft Teams

The standard installation that the user can perform, e.g. via the Microsoft365 Apps portal, is a user-based installation. In the Citrix environment, this is only recommended for desktop operating systems (pooled or personal desktop).

A User-Based Installation can be detected very quickly in the User Profile, because data are then located under AppDataLocalMicrosoftTeams.

This type of installation in a worker with server operating system has many cons:

No control over the installed version
Several different versions possible installed on the same worker
Complete data (~1 GB) are in the user profile

Upgrade to Virtual Apps and Desktops Version 1912 LTSR

On December 18, Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops (CVAD) version 1912 was released. Following a little guide to the update to the latest version.

Link to Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops Documentation