Earlier this year, at the Nutanix .NEXT 2024 event, we announced a significant step in our partnership with Nutanix to support hybrid multi-cloud environments. Today, I’m excited to share that the public tech preview of Citrix integration with Nutanix Prism Central (PC) on AHV is now available. This integration brings more flexibility to Citrix admins, making it easier to manage Citrix workloads on Nutanix’s hybrid multi-cloud environments.

What’s New?

With this tech preview, we’re expanding Citrix’s capabilities to work directly with Nutanix Prism Central in hybrid and multi-cloud environments, including on-premises AHV, NC2 on Azure, and NC2 on AWS. Here’s what’s now possible:

  • Seamless Integration: Citrix DaaS can now manage the power and lifecycle of Citrix VDAs hosted on the Nutanix hybrid multi-cloud AHV environments through a new host connection type—Nutanix AHV Prism Central. This integration leverages a Citrix-managed Nutanix Prism Central plugin, streamlining the management process.
  • Simplified Certificate Trust: Trusting Prism Central’s TLS certificates is now easier, thanks to a streamlined user interface process that reduces the need for complex manual configurations.
  • Unified Deployment Process: We’ve integrated the deployment process into the Citrix metainstaller, eliminating separate installations on DDC and Cloud Connector. This simplifies setup and reduces deployment time.
  • Cross-Cluster Master Image Sharing: Master images can now be shared across clusters using AHV Templates. This automates a previously manual process, making image management more efficient.

How It Works

The new integration introduces a Nutanix AHV Prism Central host connection type, which allows Citrix DaaS to manage the power and lifecycle of Citrix VDAs across Nutanix’s environments. Existing objects in Nutanix NC2 on Azure will be migrated seamlessly, ensuring that there’s no disruption to current operations.

How to Enable the Tech Preview

Enabling this tech preview in Citrix DaaS is straightforward, allowing you to easily enroll or rollback as needed.

  1. Activate the Feature: Navigate to Preview features tab on DaaS web console, enable Citrix Integration with Nutanix Prism Central on AHV using the toggle button.
    Software interface showing 'Citrix Integration with Nutanix Prism Central on AHV' feature highlighted.
  2. Edit Host Connections: This step is only needed for customers who have existing Citrix host connections connecting to Nutanix NC2 on Azure using Nutanix AHV PC plugin.
    1. Navigate to the Hosting tab, select an existing host connection connecting to NC2 on Azure, and click on Edit Connection.
      Screenshot of a software interface with 'Edit Connection' option highlighted in a dropdown menu.
    2. Click on Edit Settings.
      Interface screen showing 'Edit Connection' page with blurred fields for host address, username, and password.
    3. Enter Prism Central address and credential of connection account.
      Dialog box titled "Edit Connection Settings" with fields for Address, User, and Password.
    4. Select Trust certificate check box for Prism Central’s TLS certificate.
      Warning message about a self-signed certificate with options to trust or cancel the connection.

Rollback

  1. Deactivate the Feature: Switch off the feature toggle in the DaaS Web Console.
  2. Revert Management: Objects in NC2 on Azure previously managed by the Nutanix-published AHV PC plugin will be seamlessly rolled back if the plugin is still installed.

Citrix and Nutanix Better Together

This tech preview is a big step in our ongoing partnership with Nutanix to deliver more flexibility and simplified management for hybrid multi-cloud environments. Please refer to the Citrix product documentation and feature video for more details and a step-by-step guide about this feature.  I encourage you to explore this new integration and share your feedback using this form. We’re committed to continuously improving our offerings, and your input helps shape the future of Citrix and Nutanix solutions.

Stay tuned for more updates as we prepare for general availability, as we will be adding more features to this integration. Together, Citrix and Nutanix are shaping the future of cloud and hypervisor flexibility.

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