Citrix Xenapp 4.5 to 5.0 Upgrade -- Confused
I am rather confused. I am running Xenapp 4.5 right now (PSE450W2KR02) with most of my servers running Windows Server 2003 x86 and a couple running Server 2003 x64.
I am preparing to roll out a couple new machines running WIndows Server 2008 x64 R2. It is my understanding that this cannot be done until the Citrix farm has been upgraded to Xenapp 5.0 -- Ok, so I downloaded the Xenapp 5.0 for the appropriate server version and everything in the install package appears to be 4.5 components. Evne when I run the installer, it tells me all the components are already installed.
I doubled and triple checked to make sure I wasn't download the wrong verison, but sure enough I am clicking on the Xenapp 5.0 package, but it still comes up as 4.5.
Now if my farm needs to be running 5.0 in order for me to roll out my new 2008 servers, how do I upgrade my existing servers to the appropriate verison?
FYI -- I have already upgraded my domain from 2003 to 2008 and switched to 2008 native, which was another requirement.
Any information on this topic would certianly be appreciated.
Thanks,
I am preparing to roll out a couple new machines running WIndows Server 2008 x64 R2. It is my understanding that this cannot be done until the Citrix farm has been upgraded to Xenapp 5.0 -- Ok, so I downloaded the Xenapp 5.0 for the appropriate server version and everything in the install package appears to be 4.5 components. Evne when I run the installer, it tells me all the components are already installed.
I doubled and triple checked to make sure I wasn't download the wrong verison, but sure enough I am clicking on the Xenapp 5.0 package, but it still comes up as 4.5.
Now if my farm needs to be running 5.0 in order for me to roll out my new 2008 servers, how do I upgrade my existing servers to the appropriate verison?
FYI -- I have already upgraded my domain from 2003 to 2008 and switched to 2008 native, which was another requirement.
Any information on this topic would certianly be appreciated.
Thanks,
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
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As explained by Sekarc4u, it is strongly recommended that you go for XenApp 6.5, for XenApp 5.0 end of life is close.
However to explain things for you. XenApp 5.0 is nothing but Presentation Server 4.5 FP2 with added features. So it is the same core but with added components like load balancing and the like in addition to support for Windows 2008. So when you install XA 5.0 on Windows 2003 I believe you will find it showing as PS 4.5.7 (or perhaps 4.5.6, I can't really remember; you can check the version). With x.x.7 (or perhaps x.x.6), the last digit will determine that you have XA 5.0 installed.
Hope this clears things.
However to explain things for you. XenApp 5.0 is nothing but Presentation Server 4.5 FP2 with added features. So it is the same core but with added components like load balancing and the like in addition to support for Windows 2008. So when you install XA 5.0 on Windows 2003 I believe you will find it showing as PS 4.5.7 (or perhaps 4.5.6, I can't really remember; you can check the version). With x.x.7 (or perhaps x.x.6), the last digit will determine that you have XA 5.0 installed.
Hope this clears things.
XA 5.0 on Win2k3 is really 4.5 FP3 + extras (Load Balancing has been around since well before MF 1.0)
The highest you can get on Win2k8 is XA 5.0. When you move up to Win2k8R2, then your *only* choices are XA 6.0 or XA 6.5. In both cases, it is a full migration and not an upgrade. In either case, you are looking at a full rebuild. As mentioned above, since you are doing a full rebuild, go straight to XA 6.5. (6.0 requires a new database, and so does 6.5 - those 2 can't even share a database).
As for a migration path, you can build some Win2k8 boxes and install XA 5.0 and join the same farm. They will immediately become your data collectors. Then you upgrade your Win2k3 boxes to XA 5.0, which is a straight forward upgrade. But, as I mentioned.. when you want to go up to Win2k8R2, it is a new database and a new build, there is no upgrade path, just the migration.
Coralon
The highest you can get on Win2k8 is XA 5.0. When you move up to Win2k8R2, then your *only* choices are XA 6.0 or XA 6.5. In both cases, it is a full migration and not an upgrade. In either case, you are looking at a full rebuild. As mentioned above, since you are doing a full rebuild, go straight to XA 6.5. (6.0 requires a new database, and so does 6.5 - those 2 can't even share a database).
As for a migration path, you can build some Win2k8 boxes and install XA 5.0 and join the same farm. They will immediately become your data collectors. Then you upgrade your Win2k3 boxes to XA 5.0, which is a straight forward upgrade. But, as I mentioned.. when you want to go up to Win2k8R2, it is a new database and a new build, there is no upgrade path, just the migration.
Coralon
YES , PS 4.5 and 5.0 are actually the same
Most of your questions are answered here:
http://www.citrix.com/English/ps2/products/qa.asp?contentID=186&faqID=3339&title=%3Cq3%3ECitrix+XenApp+-+Technical+FAQ
http://www.citrix.com/English/ps2/products/qa.asp?contentID=186&faqID=3339&title=%3Cq3%3ECitrix+XenApp+-+Technical+FAQ
Q I am currently using Presentation Server 4.5 on Windows Server 2003. How do I upgrade to XenApp 5 on Windows Server 2008?
A XenApp 5 for Windows Server 2008 does not support an in-place upgrade as XenApp never supports upgrading server operating systems. Please refer to the Technical Guide for Upgrading or Migrating to Citrix XenApp 5 for step by step instructions.
Summary:
4.5/5.0 are the same core product. 5.0 can be installed onto 2003 or 2008. For 2008 R2 you need 6.0 or 6.5 which cannot be installed onto 2003 or 2008.
You can mix 4.5 and 5.0 in the same farm (as they're effectively the same) but cannot mix 6.0 or 6.5 with anything else. There is a migration tool to move from 6.0 to 6.5 but I've not tried it.
4.5/5.0 are the same core product. 5.0 can be installed onto 2003 or 2008. For 2008 R2 you need 6.0 or 6.5 which cannot be installed onto 2003 or 2008.
You can mix 4.5 and 5.0 in the same farm (as they're effectively the same) but cannot mix 6.0 or 6.5 with anything else. There is a migration tool to move from 6.0 to 6.5 but I've not tried it.
ASKER
So my question remains. Why when I download the 5.0 software does it tell me the components are already installed, although the CMC clearly shows I am running version 4.5
With the number of servers, users, and desktop configurations we have it's just not feesible for us to setup a new farm and migrate users over to it. Certainly there must be a better solution to upgrading the existing farm to a version that will allow us to add a couple new 2008 boxes for immediate growth requirements.
I have read a number of articles that talk about migrating 4.5 to 5.0 and using mixed mode 2003/2008 servers -- I am just not finding specific instructions on how to make it happen. The technical guides, unfortunately, don't answer the question on why their 5.0 download package comes up as 4.5 and when running it, no components are upgraded - just tells me components already installed.