1912 LTSR (initial release)
About this release
The Long Term Service Release (LTSR) program for Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops provides stability and long-term support for Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops releases.
LTSRs are currently available for Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops 7 1912 (this release), and for XenApp and XenDesktop Versions 7.6 and 7.15. If you are new to the LTSR program, you can install Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops 7 1912 from scratch. If you are on one of the earlier LTSRs, you can upgrade from there, including from any Cumulative Update (CU). For additional information about supported upgrade paths, see the Upgrade Guide.
In addition, Citrix also recommends specific versions of Citrix Workspace app and other components. While not required for LTSR compliance, upgrading to the recommended versions of those components ensures further ease of maintenance and the availability of the latest fixes in your deployment.
For an overview of the features in Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops 7 1912 that have been added since earlier releases, see the Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops Feature Summary Comparison table.
This Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops release includes new versions of the Windows Virtual Delivery Agents (VDAs) and new versions of several core components. You can:
-
Install or upgrade a site
Use the ISO for this release to install or upgrade core components and VDAs. Installing or upgrading to the latest version allows you to use all the latest features.
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Install or upgrade VDAs in an existing site
If you already have a deployment, and aren’t ready to upgrade your core components, you can still use several of the latest HDX features by installing (or upgrading to) a new VDA. Upgrading only the VDAs is often helpful when you want to test enhancements in a non-production environment.
After upgrading your VDAs to this version (from version 7.9 or later), you do not need to update the machine catalog’s functional level. The 7.9 (or later) value remains the default functional level, and is valid for this release. For more information, see VDA versions and functional levels.
For instructions:
- If you are building a new site, follow the sequence in Install and configure.
- If you are upgrading a site, see Upgrade a deployment.
Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops 7 1912 LTSR
Important notice about upgrading VDAs
If the Personal vDisk (PvD) component was ever installed on a VDA, that VDA cannot be upgraded to version 1912 LTSR or later. To use the new VDA, you must uninstall the current VDA and then install the new VDA.
This instruction applies even if you installed PvD but never used it.
Learn if you’re affected
How PvD might have been installed in earlier versions:
- In the VDA installer’s graphical interface, PvD was an option on the Additional Components page. The 7.15 LTSR and earlier 7.x releases enabled this option by default. So, if you accepted the defaults (or explicitly enabled the option in any release), PvD was installed.
- On the command line, the
/baseimageoption installed PvD. If you specified this option, or used a script that contained this option, PvD was installed.
If you don’t know whether your VDA has PvD installed, run the installer for the new VDA (1912 LTSR or later) on the machine or image.
- If PvD is installed, a message appears, indicating there is an incompatible component.
- For the graphical interface, click Cancel on the page containing the message, and then confirm that you want to close the installer.
- From the CLI, the command simply fails with the displayed message.
- If PvD is not installed, the upgrade proceeds.
What to do
If the VDA does not have PvD installed, follow the usual upgrade procedure.
If the VDA has PvD installed:
- Uninstall the current VDA. For details, see Remove components.
- Install the new VDA.
If you want to continue using PvD on your Windows 7 or Windows 10 (1607 and earlier, without updates) machines, VDA 7.15 LTSR is the latest supported version.
Install and upgrade: New user personalization layer component in single-session VDAs
When installing or upgrading a single-session VDA, you can include the user personalization layer component. This feature is powered by Citrix App Layering, On non-persistent machines, the feature preserves users’ data and locally installed applications across sessions.
This feature replaces Personal vDisk, which has been deprecated. If you are upgrading a VDA that previously had PvD installed, see Important notice about upgrading VDAs.
For details about the new feature, see the user personalization layer documentation. For VDA installation guidance, see Install VDAs.
Install and upgrade: Microsoft Visual C++ Runtime 2017 prerequisite
When installing a Delivery Controller or Windows VDA, Microsoft Visual C++ Runtime 2017 is installed automatically if it (or a later supported version) is not already installed. This is a newer Visual C++ Runtime version than the version installed in earlier Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops releases.
Install and upgrade: SQL Server Express version
When installing the first Delivery Controller, you can choose to have Citrix install Microsoft SQL Server Express on the same machine, for use as the site database. As of this release, for new installations, we install SQL Server Express 2017 with Cumulative Update 16. This is a newer version than in earlier Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops releases. For upgrades, we do not upgrade any SQL Server Express version that is already installed.
When you install a Controller, Microsoft SQL Server Express LocalDB is installed automatically for use with Local Host Cache. (This installation is separate from the SQL Server Express used for the site database.) For a new installation, we install SQL Server Express LocalDB 2017 with Cumulative Update 16. This is a newer version than in earlier Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops releases. For upgrades, we do not upgrade any SQL Server Express LocalDB version that is already installed.
Install and upgrade: Supported Windows 10 versions for VDAs
This release supports Windows 10 32-bit (x86) and 64-bit (x64) OSs. Windows 10 32-bit is supported only for 18 months from the initial release of the 1912 LTSR. Windows 10 32-bit is supported only on Windows 10 Enterprise 2019 LTSC. For Windows 10 machines, Citrix recommends using 64-bit (x64).
Install and upgrade: Prevent pending reboot check
When installing or upgrading core components, the installer stops if it detects that a restart is pending from a previous Windows installation on the machine. Now, when using the command-line interface, you can prevent the check for a pending restart by including the /no_pending_reboot_check option in the command. For more information, see During installation of any component.
VDAs and machine catalogs: Operating system name changes
Operating system names for VDAs and machine catalogs have changed.
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Multi-session OS (formerly Server OS): The multi-session OS machine catalog provides hosted shared desktops for a large-scale deployment of standardized Windows multi-session or Linux OS machines.
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Single-session OS (formerly Desktop OS): The single-session OS machine catalog provides VDI desktops ideal for various users.
Component version number: Change to on-premises value
In a product and component version number (YYMM.c.m.b), the value of c is 0 for an on-premises release. For example, in Apps & features, this version appears as 1912.0.0.build number.
In earlier on-premises releases, and in Citrix Cloud releases, the value of c is 1.
For more information, see Product and component version numbers.
Citrix Studio
Support for provisioning Linux machines on Amazon Web Services
Citrix Studio now supports using Machine Creation Services (MCS) to provision Linux machines on Amazon Web Services (AWS). For more information, see Use MCS to create Linux VMs.
Virtual Delivery Agents (VDAs) 1912
Version 1912 of the VDA for Multi-session OS and the VDA for Single-session OS includes the following enhancements (in addition to the VDA installation and upgrade items listed previously in this article):
Note:
Although VDA version number displays indicate “Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops 7 1912 LTSR”, the VDAs are supported for LTSR and CR deployments.
Support for Local Security Authority (LSA) protection
We now support the use of Local Security Authority (LSA) protection on a multi-session server OS and a single-session desktop OS for standard authentication, Federated Authentication Service (FAS) authentication, and Smart Card authentication. For more information about LSA protection, see the Microsoft article Configuring Additional LSA Protection.
App protection
This release introduces an add-on feature that enhances security when using Citrix Workspace app. New policies provide anti-keylogging and anti-screen-capturing capabilities in a session. The new policies along with Citrix Workspace app 1912 or later for Windows can help protect data from keyloggers and screen scrapers. For more information, see App protection.
Citrix Licensing 11.16.3.0 Build 29000
Citrix Licensing 11.16.3.0 Build 29000 contains new features and fixed and known issues.
Citrix Federated Authentication Service 1912
Citrix Federated Authentication Service (FAS) 1912 contains new features.
More information
- Be sure to check Deprecation for any changes to announcement and removal versions.
- For information about product name and version number changes that were introduced in 2018, see New names and numbers.
Baseline components
| 1912 LTSR baseline component | Version | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Single-session VDA | 1912.0 | |
| Multi-session VDA | 1912.0 | |
| Delivery Controller | 1912.0.0 | |
| Citrix Studio | 7.24.0 | |
| Citrix Director | 7.24.0 | |
| Group Policy Management Experience | 7.24.0 | |
| StoreFront | 19.12.0.0 | |
| Provisioning Services | 1912 | |
| Universal Print Server | 7.24.0 | |
| Session Recording | 1912.0.0 | |
| Linux VDA | 1912.0.0 | See the Linux VDA documentation for supported platforms |
| Profile Management | 1912.0.0 | |
| Federated Authentication Service | 7.24.0 | |
| Browser Content Redirection | 15.19.0 |
Compatible components
The following components - at the versions given below - are compatible with LTSR environments. They are not eligible for the LTSR benefits (extended lifecycle and fix-only cumulative updates). Citrix might ask you to upgrade to a newer version of these components within your 1912 LTSR environments.
| Compatible components and features | Version |
|---|---|
| App Layering | 19.11.0 |
| App protection policies | 1912.0.0 |
| HDX RealTime Optimization Pack | 2.8 |
| License Server | 11.16.3.0 Build 29000 |
| User personalization layer | 19.11.0 |
| Session Recording web player | 1912.0.0 |
| Teams optimization | 1912.0.0 |
| Self-Service Password Reset | 1.1 |
| Windows 10 32-bit | |
| Workspace Environment Management | 1912.0.0 |
| XenApp & XenDesktop 7.15 LTSR VDA (latest release)* | Latest Cumulative Update only |
Note:
Windows 10 32-bit is supported only for 18 months from the initial release of 1912 LTSR. Windows 10 32-bit is supported only on Windows 10 Enterprise 2019 LTSC.
* XenApp and XenDesktop 7.15 LTSR VDA support in this case is for Windows 7 and Windows 2008 R2 only. XenApp and XenDesktop 7.15 LTSR support ends on August 2022. Citrix support for Windows 7 and Windows 2008 R2 ends when Microsoft ends support for the OS or when XenApp and XenDesktop 7.15 LTSR support ends, whichever comes first. For more information, see the Citrix Product Matrix.
Compatible versions of Citrix Workspace app
All currently supported versions of Citrix Workspace app are compatible with the Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops 1912 LTSR. For information about the lifecycle of Citrix Workspace app, see Lifecycle Milestones for Citrix Workspace app & Citrix Receiver.
For your convenience, consider subscribing to the Citrix Workspace app RSS feed to receive a notification when a new version of Citrix Workspace app becomes available.
Notable exclusions
The following features, components, and platforms are not eligible for 1912 LTSR lifecycle milestones and benefits. Specifically, cumulative updates and extended lifecycle benefits are excluded. Updates to excluded features and components are available through regular current releases.
| Excluded components and features |
|---|
| AppDisks |
| AppDNA |
| Citrix SCOM Management Pack |
| Framehawk |
| Personal vDisk |
| StoreFront Citrix Online Integration |
| Excluded Windows platforms * |
|---|
| Windows 2008 32-bit (for Universal Print Server) |
* Citrix reserves the right to update platform support based on third-party vendors’ lifecycle milestones.
Install and upgrade analytics
When you use the full-product installer to deploy or upgrade XenApp or XenDesktop components, anonymous information about the installation process is gathered and stored on the machine where you are installing/upgrading the component. This data is used to help Citrix improve its customers’ installation experiences.
XenApp 6.5 migration
The XenApp 6.5 migration process helps you more efficiently and quickly transition from a XenApp 6.5 farm to a site running 1912 LTSR. This is helpful in deployments that contain large numbers of applications and Citrix group policies, lowering the risk of inadvertently introducing errors when manually moving applications and Citrix group policies to the new XenApp site.
After you install the XenApp 1912 LTSR core components and create a site, the migration process follows this sequence:
- Run the 1912 installer on each XenApp 6.5 worker, which automatically upgrades it to a new Virtual Delivery Agent for Server OS for use in the new site.
- Run PowerShell export cmdlets on a XenApp 6.5 controller, which exports application and Citrix policy settings to XML files.
- Edit the XML files, if desired, to refine what you want to import to the new site. By tailoring the files, you can import policy and application settings into your 1912 LTSR site in stages: some now and others later.
- Run PowerShell import cmdlets on the new 1912 Controller, which import settings from the XML files to the new XenApp site.
Reconfigure the new site as needed, and then test it.
For more information, see Migrate XenApp 6.x.
In this article
- About this release
- Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops 7 1912 LTSR
- Citrix Studio
- Virtual Delivery Agents (VDAs) 1912
- Citrix Licensing 11.16.3.0 Build 29000
- Citrix Federated Authentication Service 1912
- More information
- Baseline components
- Compatible components
- Notable exclusions
- Install and upgrade analytics
- XenApp 6.5 migration