Citrix XenDesktop Licensing Explained

Summary

This document provides information related to Citrix XenDesktop 2.0 licensing.

Note: Before installing Citrix Licensing it is recommended that you consult the Getting Started with Citrix Licensing Guide, which you can download from http://support.citrix.com/article/CTX109108 for an overview.

Details

License Server:

XenDesktop 2.0 introduces a new version of the Citrix license server (v11.5.0.0), which is a requirement for your XenDesktop environment. The license server is used by most of the components provided with the XenDesktop 2.0 solution.

Depending on the installation options selected, the XenDesktop wizard prompts for the location of the Citrix license server. The license server can either exist on the XenDesktop server or on a dedicated license server.

After pointing XenDesktop to a valid license server, a 96-hour out-of-box grace period is provided to ensure that a valid license file is present on the license server. This grace period allows two concurrent connections until a valid license is retrieved from the license server.

License File:

Currently a XenDesktop 2.0 license file contains license increments for each component provided with the specific edition.

An example would be XenDesktop Platinum edition which include license increments for XenDesktop, XenApp, Provisioning Server, EdgeSight and EasyCall.

XenServer, Access Gateway, and WANScaler require individual licenses to be uploaded to the server/device.

License Consumption:

All retail editions of XenDesktop are licensed based on the number of concurrent user’s desktops. In other words, a XenDesktop license is consumed for every virtual desktop session started by a user. The XenDesktop license is returned to the license pool when the delivered desktop in not in use.

XenDesktop Editions:

The XenDesktop 2.0 Edition is set at a farm level and cannot be set on individual controllers in the farm. The edition of the XenDesktop farm can be viewed in the Access Management Console in the read only properties of the farm.

XenDesktop 2.0 is available in five editions. These editions are outlined in the table below. Each edition has a licensing impact or requirement shown below.

XenDesktop Express:

Express edition is available as a free download from www.citrix.com and is limited to 10 concurrent delivered desktops.

This edition includes XenServer 4.1 Express edition, which is limited to four (4) virtual machines running concurrently.

The XenDesktop express license file contains 10 concurrent user licenses and is not bound to a hostname.

XenServer express does not require a license and defaults to Express edition without any license applied.

XenDesktop Standard:

XenDesktop Standard Edition provides licensing for SSL-VPN tunneling of XenDesktop ICA traffic using a Standard Edition Access Gateway appliance.

An Access Gateway license is provided for this edition, however, the purchase of a hardware appliance is required to take advantage of this license.

This edition also includes of XenServer Standard Edition 4.1 which allows multi server management, VLAN support, and in addition, but not limited to, removes the four (4) concurrent virtual machine limitation of the Express Edition.

XenDesktop Advanced:

XenDesktop Advanced Edition provides licensing for SSL-VPN tunneling of XenDesktop ICA traffic using a Standard Edition Access Gateway appliance.

XenServer 4.1 Enterprise Edition is included, which allows for additional XenServer features such as XenMotion and Resource Pools.

This edition includes Provisioning Server 4.5 Service Pack 1 for operating system streaming.

XenDesktop Enterprise:

XenDesktop Enterprise Edition provides licensing for SSL-VPN tunneling of XenDesktop ICA traffic using a Standard Edition Access Gateway appliance, XenServer 4.1 Enterprise Edition and application delivery power by XenApp 4.5 Feature Pack 1.

The use of application delivery using XenApp (formerly Citrix Presentation Server) in this edition is limited for use with XenDesktop delivered desktops only.

XenDesktop Enterprise Edition includes Provisioning Server 4.5 Service Pack 1 for operating system streaming.

XenDesktop Platinum:

XenDesktop Platinum Edition provides all components for an end-to-end desktop delivery solution. Products included in this edition are:

XenServer 4.1Enterprise Edition

Information in relation to XenServer Enterprise edition can be found on the Citrix.com site http://citrix.com/English/ps2/products/subfeature.asp?contentID=683150

Access Gateway

A Universal Access Gateway license is provided with XenDesktop Platinum.

This license enables the appliance to support a specific number of concurrent users. In other words, the total number of concurrent SSL VPN user sessions on the appliance cannot exceed the license count defined in the Access Gateway universal license.

The purchase of a hardware appliance is required to take advantage of the licenses.

Access Gateway Standard and Enterprise require license files uploaded to the devices. Access Gateway Advanced edition utilizes Citrix Licensing Server.

Information in relation to Access Gateway Enterprise edition can be found on the Citrix.com site http://citrix.com/English/ps2/products/feature.asp?contentID=26144

Provisioning Server 4.5 Service Pack 1

Information in relation to Provisioning Server can be found on the Citrix.com site http://citrix.com/English/ps2/products/product.asp?contentID=1297541

XenApp 4.5 Feature Pack 1

The delivery of applications with XenApp included in XenDesktop Platinum is limited to XenDesktop delivered desktops only.

EdgeSight for Endpoints

Information in relation to EdgeSight can be found on the Citrix.com site target="_top">http://www.citrix.com/English/ps2/products/subfeature.asp?contentID=1297902

WANScaler

A universal license for WANScaler is provided with XenDesktop Platinum.

Information in relation to WANScaler can be found on the Citrix.com site http://citrix.com/English/ps2/products/product.asp?contentID=33886

GoToAssist

A GoToAssist license (1) will be provided for each 200 XenDesktop Platinum user licenses.

EasyCall

Information in relation to EasyCall can be found on the Citrix.com site http://citrix.com/English/ps2/products/product.asp?contentID=683164

Changing the XenDesktop Edition:

A utility provided by Citrix (ProductEdition.exe) can be used to verify and change the edition after installation if required. This utility is located in the default install path C:\Program Files\Citrix\Desktop Delivery Controller

The syntax of the ProductEdition.exe command is:

[ GETEDITION | SETEDITION | HELP ]

Use PRODUCTEDITION HELP <COMMAND> for help on a specific command

[LOGFILE=logfilepath] [VERBOSE] are also valid on all commands

The GETEDITION command parameter displays the current edition of the farm.

Example:

ProductEdition GETEDITION

The SETEDITION command parameter allows the farm edition to be changed or set.

The Edition naming convention is listed below and can be confirmed in license file itself.

STD (Standard edition)
ADV (Advanced edition)
ENT (Enterprise edition)
PLT (Platinum edition)

The syntax of this command is:

ProductEdition SETEDITION EDITION=editionString

Example:

ProductEdition SETEDITION EDITION=ENT

Note: XenDesktop 2.0 does not fall back to a lower edition if it does not detect the required license for the specified edition.

More Information

CTX110846 – Licensing: Licensing and Subscription Advantage

CTX109108 – Getting Started with Citrix Licensing Guide

CTX108655 – Licensing: Migrating, Upgrading, and Renaming

CTX108662 – Licensing: Troubleshooting