Assigning virtual disks and versions to target devices
A virtual disk version can be assigned and unassigned to a target device.
Accessing a version of the virtual disk
Numerous differencing disk versions can exist for a virtual disk. Device access to a particular version, or the ability to make updates to that version, depends on that versions access mode setting and the device type. The sections that follow describe the different version access modes and device types and their relationship to each other.
A version’s access mode is managed on the virtual disk Versioning dialog. New versions of a virtual disk are promoted from Maintenance to Test and then into Production. Access mode options include:
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Maintenance – new read/write difference disk version that is only available to the first Maintenance device that selects to boots from it to make updates.
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Test – read-only version used for test purposes and only available to Test or Maintenance devices.
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Pending – read-only version and not yet available for use by production devices. This field indicates that the scheduled release date and time have not been reached. Or, the version is not yet available to all servers in the site. If the Boot production devices option is set to Newest released, the default changes. After the release date and time is reached and all servers are able to access this version, access changes to default. If the access display is blank, this version is considered released to production. However, it is not the version currently selected as the version from which production devices boot.
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Default – read-only version that is bootable by all device types. The latest released production version is marked with a green checkmark if the Boot production device from version is set to Newest released. The status is set to default.
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Override – read-only version that is bootable by all device types. If a specific version is selected from the Boot production devices from the version menu, that version is marked with a green checkmark. Access changes to Override.
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Newest released – read-only version that is bootable by all devices. If a specific version is selected from the Boot production devices from the version menu, that version is marked with a green checkmark. Access changes to Override.
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Merging – a merge is occurring to this new version. This version is unavailable to all device types until the merge completes. After the merge completes, the status of the new version depends on the Access mode selected on the Mode to set the vDisk to after automatic merge menu. Modes are production, maintenance, or test. This Farm Properties setting is available on the vDisk Versions tab.
Device types
The device type is selected on the Target Device Properties General tab, unless it is an update device, which is created automatically along with the managed virtual disk.
Device types include:
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maintenance devices
Maintenance devices can access any available version of a virtual disk. A maintenance device’s primary role is to manually update a virtual disk. To manually update a disk, you request a new version from the virtual disk Versions dialog. This process creates a differencing disk and places that newly created version in Maintenance Access mode. While in maintenance mode, this version of the virtual disk is solely accessed by a single maintenance device, which is the first maintenance device that accesses it. Using that device, the virtual disk is booted and any updates that are made are captured in the new differencing disk version. After updates are complete, the maintenance version can be promoted to Test mode or directly to production mode.
Note:
In Maintenance Mode, a new version can also be created by merging existing versions into a new version or new base disk image.
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test devices
While in Test mode, the virtual disk version can only be streamed to test or maintenance devices to which it is assigned. Streaming in this mode allows the new version to be tested before being released into the production environment. And it permits production devices to continue to stream from the previous version without interruption. If issues are found, this version can be reverted into maintenance mode.
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production devices
After you successfully test the new version, it can be promoted to production mode and made available to product, test, and maintenance devices to which it is assigned. If issues are found, this version can be reverted into either test or maintenance mode. This process only occurs after booted devices accessing this version are shut down.
If a device is assigned a virtual disk, after the updated disk is tested you can change the device to be a virtual disk production device. This cofiguration allows you to continue testing for compatibility within your production environment.
- update devices
Update devices are used to update a managed virtual disk, which is created automatically when running the Managed vDisk Setup Wizard. Only one updated device exists for each managed virtual disk, and that disk and that updated device are given the same name. For more information on managed virtual disks, see virtual disk Update Management.
Unassigning a virtual disk from target device
To unassign a virtual disk from a target device:
- Select the virtual disk in the Citrix Provisioning console, then right-click and select the Unassign from Selected Devices or Unassign from All Site Devices menu option.
- If unassigning from select devices, in the Unassign from Devices dialog, select the devices to unassign to this virtual disk, then click Unassign. If unassigning from all devices in a site, click Yes on the confirmation dialog that appears.
- After the target devices are successfully unassigned, close any open dialogs.
Note:
The Unassign from All site Devices option only unassigns vDisks that are not personal vDisks.
Virtual disk versioning dialog
Virtual disk versioning is managed from the vDisk Versions dialog. To open the dialog, right-click on a virtual disk in the console, then select the Versions… menu option. The following provides a general description of the vDisk Versions dialog:
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Boot production devices from version
From the menu box, select the version to use when booting target devices in production. The default is the newest version.
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Version and status
This column lists versions and the status of each version:
- the wrench icon indicates that this version’s access mode is set to Maintenance mode. Only a single maintenance device can boot.
- the magnifying glass icon indicates that this version’s access mode is set to Test. Only a test device can boot.
- the clock icon indicates that this version’s access mode is set to Pending. A version that is Pending has been promoted to production but the release date and time have not yet been reached.
- the green checkmark icon indicates that this version is the current production version based on settings selected on the Boot production devices from version menu. All device types can boot from virtual disk version that is in production.
- the red X icon indicates that this version is obsolete, no devices are currently booted from it, and that this version can be deleted because a merged base was created, which is more current.
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Created
Provides the date and the time that this version was created. Date format is YYYY/MM/DD and time format is HH:MM
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Released
Provides the date and time that this version is scheduled for release to production. The date format is YYYY/MM/DD and time format is HH:MM
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Devices
The number of target devices streaming sessions for a given version.
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Access
Indicates target device access availability for a given version.
Maintenance read/write version that is available to the first maintenance device that selects to boots from it.
Test read-only version used for test purposes and only available to test or maintenance devices.
Pending read-only and not yet available for use because the scheduled release date and time have not been reached.
Default read-only version that is bootable by all devices. If the Boot production devices from version is set to Newest released, the latest released production version is marked with a green checkmark. Access is set the Default.
Override read-only version that is bootable by all devices. If a specific version is selected from the Boot production devices from version menu, the access changes to Override.
Merging a merge is occurring to this new version. This version is unavailable until the merge completes. After the merge completes, the status of the new version depends on the access mode selected on the Mode to set the virtual disk to after automatic merge menu (Production, Maintenance, or Test). The default Farm Properties setting is available on the vDisk Versions tab. A wrench icon appears for the merging version.
Blank, indicates that this version was released to production.
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Type
Identifies how the virtual disk was created. The options include:
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Manual created using Maintenance mode.
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Automatic created automatically using an automated update.
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Merge Created by a partial merge operation.
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Merge Base Created by a base merge operation (no parent needed).
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Base The original base image.
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New
Creates a maintenance version.
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Promote
Opens a dialog that prompts to promote this version to Test or Production. If Production is selected a release date and time can be set or the default (now) can be accepted.
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Revert
Reverting from Test version: if no maintenance access version exists, revert moves latest test version into Maintenance.
Reverting from Production: any booted device is shut down before reverting. Clicking Revert opens a dialog that allows the user to select to revert to test or maintenance.
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Delete
Clicking Delete opens a delete confirmation dialog. Click OK to delete the selected version. Delete is only available if the latest version or obsolete version doesn’t have target devices currently booted from it.
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Replication
Selecting a version, then clicking Replication opens the Disk Versioning Replication Status dialog. This dialog displays the replication status of this version on each server:
- Blue check next to the server name indicates that the version has been replicated on the server.
- Orange triangle next to the server name indicates that the version has not yet been replicated or there is an issue. Placing the cursor over the triangle displays the related error message.
To view the replication status of all versions of this virtual disk on each server, right-click on the virtual disk in the console, then select Replication Status from the context menu.
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Properties
Clicking the Properties button opens the vDisk Version Properties dialog, which allows you to enter a description related to this version. It also displays availability of a selected version if that version is set for release to production in the future. Or, if no device has booted from that version.
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Text
The text box provides a description of the currently selected version.