Keeping your Citrix Virtual Delivery Agents (VDAs) up to date with the latest features, functionalities, and fixes is essential for maintaining a high-performing virtual desktop environment. However, the traditional process of upgrading Remote PC Access machines and VDAs in large catalogs of persistent virtual machines has often proven time-consuming, manual, and prone to errors. That is, until now!
We are thrilled to announce the General Availability of the VDA Upgrade Service for Citrix DaaS, a new feature that simplifies and accelerates the VDA upgrade process.
The VDA Upgrade Service is designed to improve operational efficiency for IT admins. It eliminates the need for multiple admins (often across different teams) and complex SCCM or custom scripts, allowing a single Citrix admin to seamlessly complete the entire upgrade process, saving valuable time, effort, and resources.
With an easy-to-use interface through Web Studio, admins can initiate VDA upgrades effortlessly. They have the flexibility to choose individual machines or entire machine catalogs for upgrades. Additionally, upgrades are scheduled to occur automatically when no active user sessions are present. Admins can further streamline and automate the process using PowerShell.
One of the key advantages of the VDA Upgrade Service is minimizing disruptions to end users. By scheduling upgrades during periods of low usage, organizations can reduce downtime and ensure uninterrupted productivity.
Performing upgrades manually often introduces errors and inconsistencies, but with the VDA Upgrade Service, administrators can perform upgrades without the need for manual intervention. This ensures a consistent and reliable VDA environment, reducing the potential for issues caused by human error.
In addition to operational efficiency and user experience improvements, the VDA Upgrade Service helps organizations stay secure and up to date. By ensuring timely upgrades of VDAs, organizations can implement the latest security patches, features, functionalities, and enhancements. This proactive approach helps address vulnerabilities and maintains a robust security posture for the IT infrastructure.
This service ensures a smooth and efficient upgrade process,” says Citrix CTP, Arnaud Pain, after trying out this new feature. “I like the ease of use and the minimal impact on the end-users during the upgrade process.
To get started, check out this video or follow the steps below!
How to set-up the VDA Upgrade Service with Citrix DaaS and Web Studio
Before you get started, ensure that you have the required minimum VDA version: CR 2109 or LTSR 2203 or later.
1. On your MCS golden image, manually provisioned VMs, or physical systems where you have the VDA software or plan to install it, include the VDA Upgrade Agent as part of the Additional Components within the VDA install
2. In the Web Studio Machine Catalog Setup, enable the VDA Upgrade service and select your preferred VDA track (latest CR or LTSR)
3. Once the feature has been enabled, select a catalog in the Machine Catalog view. Check the machine details to see if a VDA upgrade is available for that catalog.
- The VDA Upgrade Service is designed to notify admins when upgrades are available and allow them to choose the appropriate rollout strategy. It will never automatically upgrade VDAs on its own.
4. Right click on the Machine Catalog you want to upgrade, or the specific machine within the catalog you want to upgrade, and select Upgrade VDA
5. Choose to upgrade now or schedule the upgrade later.
- Upgrade will automatically put machine(s) in maintenance mode (you don’t have to do it and shouldn’t per the message to ensure it completes successfully)
- Upgrade will not work if machine is in an active session, even if it’s disconnected
- Upgrade will skip machines in a perpetually active state – it will never kick users off
6. You can confirm or view upgrade status in the machine detail view.
With the VDA Upgrade Service, administrators can also leverage PowerShell to streamline and automate the upgrade process, accessing cmdlets such as Get-VusCatalog to retrieve information about machine catalogs in their Citrix DaaS environment.
Unlock the full potential of your Citrix DaaS deployment
The VDA Upgrade Service for Citrix DaaS transforms the way VDAs are upgraded in large catalogs of persistent virtual machines. It offers a streamlined, efficient, and user-friendly approach, reducing manual work, improving operational efficiency, and minimizing disruptions to end users.
With the ability to schedule upgrades, automate processes, and stay up to date with the latest security patches, organizations can enhance their virtual desktop environments and provide a seamless user experience.
Upgrade your Citrix VDAs effortlessly with the VDA Upgrade Service and unlock the full potential of your Citrix DaaS deployment.
To learn more about the VDA Upgrade Service and its capabilities, visit our Product Documentation today. And don’t forget to stay tuned for updates and other exciting features coming soon to Citrix Cloud by visiting updates.cloud.com.
Spread the word and let your colleagues know about this new service that simplifies VDA upgrades and enhances productivity in your Citrix DaaS environment!
