Question

Connecting a XenApp 5 farm node to a a replicated database

Asked by: Brainstormer

I have used chfarm tool to successfully connect to the XenApp 5 farm using the publisher database (dedicated SQL server 2005), however the node is on a WAN connection and different zone/IP subnet than the rest of the XenApp servers, and also the DB server. Using Citrix database replication documentation we have created a replicated DB in a local SQL server to the node, however I have tried both chfarm and dsmaint utilities without sucess. The IMA service fails to start when the node points to the replicated DB. What's funny is I have another server that joined fine to the replicated db using chfarm, then dsmaint tools. Any help is appreciated.

I have used chfarm in both direct and indirect methods, and dsmaint

*********************** CHFARM DIRECT SCRIPT *********************************
@echo off
set dsnpath=c:\DSNfiles
@echo.
COPY "MF20_NewFarm_direct.dsn" "%dsnpath%\MF20.DSN" && @echo WSID=%COMPUTERNAME% >> "%dsnpath%\MF20.DSN"
chfarm /joinfarm /ddsc:"SQL Server" /odbcuser:citrix /odbcpwd:"<password>" /dsnfile:"%dsnpath%\MF20.DSN"
**********************************************************************************
 
*******************************CHFARM INDIRECT SCRIPT ********************************
@echo off
set dsnpath=c:\DSNfiles
@echo.
COPY "MF20_NewFarm_repl.dsn" "%dsnpath%\MF20.DSN" && @echo WSID=%COMPUTERNAME% >> "%dsnpath%\MF20.DSN"
chfarm /joinfarm /ldsc:<XENAPP-SERVER-IN-RELICATED-DB> /user:DOMAIN\administrator /pwd:"<userpass>"
*****************************************************************************************
 
****************************** USING DSMAINT **************************************
@echo off
set dsnpath=%PROGRAMFILES%\Citrix\Independent Management Architecture
@echo.
IF NOT EXIST "%dsnpath%\MF20_backup.DSN" REN "%dsnpath%\MF20.DSN" "MF20_backup.DSN"
COPY "MF20_NewFarm_repl.dsn" "%dsnpath%\MF20.DSN"
@echo WSID=%COMPUTERNAME% >> "%dsnpath%\MF20.DSN"
DSMAINT CONFIG /user:citrix /pwd:"<password>" /dsn:"%dsnpath%\MF20.DSN"
NET STOP "Citrix SMA Service"
NET STOP "Citrix WMI Service"
NET STOP "Citrix Independent Management Architecture"
NET START "Citrix Independent Management Architecture"
NET START "Citrix WMI Service"
NET START "Citrix SMA Service"
pause
**************************************************************************************************
 
*********************** DSN FILE EXAMPLE ************************************************
[ODBC]
DRIVER=SQL Server
UID=citrix
DATABASE=CitrixPS_replicated
APP=Citrix IMA
SERVER=SQLSERVER
Description=citrix
**************************************************************************************************

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Asked On: 2009-08-20 at 12:32:18ID24669320
Tags: zenapp
,; chfarm
,; dsmaint
,; presentation server
,; windows 2003
,; sql server 2005
,; datastore replication
Topics: Citrix
,; XenServer
Participating Experts: 1
Points: 250
Comments: 10

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Answers

by: CarlWebsterPosted on 2009-08-26 at 07:22:49ID: 25187966

Here are some articles you may want to read:

http://support.citrix.com/proddocs/index.jsp?topic=/xenapp5fp-w2k8/ps-datastore-ms-sql-srvr-v2.html

Have you used TCPView to see what is happening when the connection is attempted?

by: BrainstormerPosted on 2009-08-26 at 08:13:45ID: 25188562

Thanks Carl,

I already performed all necessary steps on the SQL Server to have the databases replicated. There is plenty of information from Citrix on that.

I am looking for the next step: How to point the remote nodes to the replicated database? There is not a single Citrix article on this that I can find.

by: CarlWebsterPosted on 2009-08-26 at 10:12:08ID: 25189956

I e-mailed the guy in charge of running Citrix's server farm and he pointed me to this article:

http://support.citrix.com/article/CTX101739

by: CarlWebsterPosted on 2009-08-26 at 10:21:17ID: 25190029

I just asked him about the IMA Service failing to start. His response:

If you are using Windows security it is probably this:

Due to Microsoft security concerns, the SA account password is not passed to the subscription SQL server during the replication process so the following command must be run from the Query Analyzer tool on the subscriber pointing to the MetaFrame XP data store database on the subscription SQL2000 server:
sp_link_publication '<Distributor>, '<Database>', '<Publication>', 0, 'SA', '<Pwd>'
Where:
" Distributor = The name of the distributor server
" Database = The name of the published database on the distributor
" Publication = The name of the publication that is to be linked
" Pwd = The password for the SA account on the distributor

Important: If the IMA data store is not installed on the default instance of the SQL server, for <Distributor> value, please type <Distributor\Instance> in the above stored procedure. E.g. sp_link_publication MySQLServer\SecondInstance,IMADatabase,MyPublication,0,SA,MyPassword

From Microsoft SQL Books Online:

When setting up a push subscription using the Push Subscription Wizard in SQL Server Enterprise Manager or the sp_addsubscription stored procedure, the default configuration uses dynamic RPC at the Subscriber. The dynamic RPC defaults to using the sa login with no password. This is done to avoid sending logins or passwords over the network, and can be changed at the Subscriber using sp_link_publication.

SQL 2005 with windows security is a real bear. I used the SA account for that replication. Try using the SA account and see if it works. Most of the time when IMA fails to start replication is not working properly.

Some other tools / info:

http://support.citrix.com/article/ctx111656

http://support.citrix.com/article/ctx118229

http://support.citrix.com/article/ctx118849

Hope all this helps you. The info I just gave you is direct from the man in charge of all the servers for Citrix itself.

by: BrainstormerPosted on 2009-08-26 at 12:33:14ID: 25191343

We basically followed the "Datastore Replication with XenApp 5.0 using SQL 2005 SP2 with Windows Authentication" article from http://support.citrix.com/article/ctx118229

I will take a look at the SQL Replication Test Tool. I still think Citrix lacks a proper document beyond this point what command to use on the nodes to point them to the replicated DB, is it chfarm or dsmaint or something else.

by: CarlWebsterPosted on 2009-08-26 at 13:02:47ID: 25191640

"For a server in the current farm that will be configured to use the new database, create a new dsn file on the server which points to the eplicated SQL server. Then use the dsmaint config command from a command prompt to re-point the IMA Service to the new data store."

by: CarlWebsterPosted on 2009-08-26 at 13:04:57ID: 25191660

I will add this to my list of article ideas. I can see this will be a "fun" one to write.

by: BrainstormerPosted on 2009-08-27 at 06:49:47ID: 25198091

Well, after a lot of trial and error I feel confident the replicated database is now working. I ran the following commands:

in a Citrix node, as a database sysadmin account
DSMAINT PUBLISHSQLDS /USER:citrix /PWD:<password>

It should say: publication MFXPDS was created

Then I ran the Citrix DSRepCheck tool in SQL Server Management as per documentation.

Failed with:

Test inserting new data
Msg 21079, Level 16, State 1, Procedure sp_getpublisherlink, Line 52
The RPC security information for the Publisher is missing or invalid. Use sp_link_publication to specify it.
Msg 20512, Level 16, State 1, Procedure sp_MSreplraiserror, Line 8
Updateable Subscriptions: Rolling back transaction.
Msg 3609, Level 16, State 1, Procedure dsrepcheck, Line 124
The transaction ended in the trigger. The batch has been aborted.

Dug some more, found http://www.sqlserverdba.co.cc/2008/11/transactional-replication-with.html and from there http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms174991.aspx

Then I ran in SQL Server Management

sp_link_publication @publisher = '<PUBLISHER\INSTANCE'
, @publisher_db = 'database'
, @publication = 'Publication Name'
, @security_mode = '1'
, @login = 'citrix'
, @password = '<password>'

Which completed sucessfully, some data below

-------------------------------------
Test inserting new data

(1 row(s) affected)

(1 row(s) affected)
Insert Test Passed !

(1 row(s) affected)

(1 row(s) affected)
Update Test Passed !

(1 row(s) affected)

(1 row(s) affected)
Delete Test Passed !

-------------------------------------
Checking DTC
If successful 10 records from the Keytable tables from will be displayed
nodeid imalock
----------- -----------
1 3499625
913 46390
914 46390
916 46406
915 46515
8196 535359
8197 535359
8202 535937
8203 535937
2610 930156

(10 row(s) affected)

Now it's time to create a new DSN and use DSMAINT tool to point the remote servers to the replicated database

I will post on the sucess/failure of the process.

****************************** USING DSMAINT **************************************
@echo off
set dsnpath=%PROGRAMFILES%\Citrix\Independent Management Architecture
@echo.
IF NOT EXIST "%dsnpath%\MF20_backup.DSN" REN "%dsnpath%\MF20.DSN" "MF20_backup.DSN"
COPY "MF20_NewFarm_repl.dsn" "%dsnpath%\MF20.DSN"
@echo WSID=%COMPUTERNAME% >> "%dsnpath%\MF20.DSN"
DSMAINT CONFIG /user:citrix /pwd:"<password>" /dsn:"%dsnpath%\MF20.DSN"
NET STOP "Citrix SMA Service"
NET STOP "Citrix WMI Service"
NET STOP "Citrix Independent Management Architecture"
NET START "Citrix Independent Management Architecture"
NET START "Citrix WMI Service"
NET START "Citrix SMA Service"
pause
**************************************************************************************************
 
*********************** DSN FILE EXAMPLE ************************************************
[ODBC]
DRIVER=SQL Server
UID=citrix
DATABASE=CitrixPS_replicated
APP=Citrix IMA
SERVER=SQLSERVER
Description=citrix
**************************************************************************************************

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by: CarlWebsterPosted on 2009-08-27 at 07:00:25ID: 25198231

Thanks for the report.

by: BrainstormerPosted on 2009-08-30 at 09:43:49ID: 31622250

The transition was sucessful. If anyone else is looking for this see my last comments. Thank you Carl for your help.

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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Connecting a XenApp 5 farm node to a a replicated database

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