Overview
The Cisco HyperFlex System supports the capability to connect to Citrix Workspaces and associated Citrix Cloud subscription services such as Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops Services (formerly XenApp and XenDesktop services). You can register the Cisco HyperFlex environment as a Citrix resource location directly from the HyperFlex Connect GUI, and the automation built into Cisco HyperFlex management delivers hybrid-cloud flexibility without having to install, maintain, or upgrade the infrastructure.
The Citrix Ready HCI Workspace Appliance program enables a Cisco HyperFlex System deployed on Microsoft Hyper-V to connect to Citrix Cloud. In this application, the Cisco HyperFlex System operates as an integrated Citrix Workspace Appliance to automate the delivery of high-performance virtual applications and desktops to subscribers of Citrix Cloud services.
Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops Services simplify the delivery of applications and desktops as a centrally managed cloud service by having the Citrix Cloud host these infrastructure components instead of those services being located on the on-premises data center. The Cisco HyperFlex System’s ability to access the Citrix Cloud services enables subscribers to leverage Citrix Workspace subscription services while running their virtual application servers and virtual desktop workloads on-premises. This offloads management of the Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) process while maintaining control of where applications and data reside—on-premises and behind security layers.
The Citrix Ready HCI Workspace Appliance program requires two critical components to deliver high-performance virtual applications and desktops: the Citrix Cloud control plane and the on-premises Citrix Workspace Appliance. The Citrix Cloud Connector functions as a communications channel to connect the HyperFlex System and integrated Citrix Workspace Appliance as a resource location to the Citrix Cloud control plane. Installation of a Cloud Connector is mandatory at the on-premises side to act as a proxy and agent for communication between the Citrix Cloud control plane and the on-premises Citrix Workspace Appliance. Once the Cloud Connector is registered, the on-premises resource appears in the Citrix Cloud account as a registered resource location.
Based on the customer ID, client ID, and client secret obtained from a Citrix Cloud account, HyperFlex Connect initiates an installation sequence that automates the following Citrix Cloud Connector deployment sequence:
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Exports the base VM by copying its contents.
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Imports the copied base VM contents to create a new (cloned) connector VM. The connector agent is installed on the cloned connector VM.
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Performs a series of networking configurations in the Microsoft Hyper-V cluster:
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Attach the connector VM to a vSwitch in the HyperFlex System.
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Join the connector VM to the Active Directory (AD) domain.
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Registers the connector VM to the failover cluster.
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Downloads the Citrix Cloud Connector.
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Installs the Citrix Cloud Connector in the connector VM.