Assigning vDisks and versions to target devices

A vDisk version can be assigned and unassigned to a target device.

Accessing a version of the vDisk

Numerous differencing disk versions can exist for a vDisk. Device access to a particular version, or the ability to make updates to that version, depends on that versionsaccess modesetting and thedevice 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 vDiskVersioningdialog. New versions of a vDisk are promoted fromMaintenancetoTest然后进Production. Access mode options include:

• 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.

• Test– read-only version used for test purposes and only available to Test or Maintenance devices.

• 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 theBoot production devicesoption is set toNewest released, the default changes. After the release date and time is reached and all servers are able to access this version, access changes todefault. 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.

• Default– read-only version that is bootable by all device types. The latest released production version is marked with a green checkmark if theBoot production device from versionis set toNewest released. The status is set to default.

• Override– read-only version that is bootable by all device types. If a specific version is selected from theBoot production devicesfrom the version menu, that version is marked with a green checkmark. Access changes toOverride.

• Newest released– read-only version that is bootable by all devices. If a specific version is selected from theBoot production devicesfrom the version menu, that version is marked with a green checkmark. Access changes toOverride.

• 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 theAccess modeselected on theMode to set the vDisk to after automatic mergemenu. Modes are production, maintenance, or test. ThisFarm Propertiessetting is available on thevDisk Versionstab.

Device types

The device type is selected on theTarget Device PropertiesGeneraltab, unless it is an update device, which is created automatically along with the managed vDisk.

Device types include:

• maintenance devices

  Maintenance devices can access any available version of a vDisk. A maintenance device’s primary role is to manually update a vDisk. To manually update a disk, you request a new version from the vDiskVersionsdialog. This process creates a differencing disk and places that newly created version inMaintenance Accessmode. While in maintenance mode, this version of the vDisk is solely accessed by a single maintenance device, which is the first maintenance device that accesses it. Using that device, the vDisk 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:

  InMaintenance Mode, a new version can also be created by merging existing versions into a new version or new base disk image.

• test devices

  While in Test mode, the vDisk 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.

• production devices

  你成功地测试新版本后,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 vDisk, after the updated disk is tested you can change the device to be a vDisk 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 vDisk, which is created automatically when running theManaged vDisk Setup Wizard. Only one updated device exists for each managed vDisk, and that disk and that updated device are given the same name. For more information on managed vDisks, seevDisk Update Management.

Unassigning a vDisk from target device

To unassign a vDisk from a target device:

1. Select the vDisk in the Citrix Provisioning console, then right-click and select theUnassign from Selected DevicesorUnassign from All Site Devicesmenu option.
2. If unassigning from select devices, in theUnassign from Devicesdialog, select the devices to unassign to this vDisk, then clickUnassign. If unassigning from all devices in a site, clickYeson the confirmation dialog that appears.
3. After the target devices are successfully unassigned, close any open dialogs.

Note:

TheUnassign from All site Devicesoption only unassigns vDisks that are not personal vDisks.

vDisk versioning dialog

vDisk versioning is managed from thevDisk Versionsdialog. To open the dialog, right-click on a vDisk in the console, then select theVersions…menu option. The following provides a general description of thevDisk Versionsdialog:

• 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.

• 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 toMaintenancemode. Only a single maintenance device can boot.
  • the magnifying glass icon indicates that this version’s access mode is set toTest. Only a test device can boot.
  • the clock icon indicates that this version’s access mode is set toPending. 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 theBoot production devices from versionmenu. All device types can boot from vDisk 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.

• Created

  Provides the date and the time that this version was created. Date format is YYYY/MM/DD and time format is HH:MM

• 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

• Devices

  The number of target devices streaming sessions for a given version.

• 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 theBoot production devices from versionis set toNewest released,最新发布的生产版本是显著的with a green checkmark. Access is set theDefault.

  Override read-only version that is bootable by all devices. If a specific version is selected from theBoot production devices from versionmenu, the access changes toOverride.

  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 vDisk to after automatic merge menu (Production, Maintenance, or Test). The defaultFarm Propertiessetting is available on thevDisk Versionstab. A wrench icon appears for the merging version.

  Blank, indicates that this version was released to production.

• Type

  Identifies how the vDisk was created. The options include:

  • Manual created using Maintenance mode.

  • Automatic created automatically using an automated update.

  • Merge Created by a partial merge operation.

  • Merge Base Created by a base merge operation (no parent needed).

  • Base The original base image.

• New

  Creates a maintenance version.

• 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.

• 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. ClickingRevertopens a dialog that allows the user to select to revert to test or maintenance.

• 删除

  Clicking删除opens a delete confirmation dialog. ClickOKto delete the selected version. Delete is only available if the latest version or obsolete version doesn’t have target devices currently booted from it.

• Replication

  Selecting a version, then clickingReplicationopens theDisk Versioning Replication Statusdialog. 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 vDisk on each server, right-click on the vDisk in the console, then selectReplication Statusfrom the context menu.

• Properties

  Clicking thePropertiesbutton opens thevDisk Version Propertiesdialog, 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.

• Text

  The text box provides a description of the currently selected version.