While we had been creating HA for PVS for a while. Here I am going to discuss HA for PVS 7.1 at every level. For that I have consider new feature of DHCP 2012 called scope level fail over . I am also explaining new inbuilt feature of NetScaler to load balance TFTP. For PVS data store we have used CIFS share directly from storage. When we have two DHCP server ensure that both the IP address is added as an IP helper in the targets VLAN or else target won’t get IP address. I have created multi-homed PVS , one dedicated for TFTP and other for DHCP traffic. PVS is virtual with 16GB of memory.
To start with we have used two PVS server and install TFTP/DHCP role on it. After creation of scope we configure it for failover. Right click on DHCP scope and then you will get an option to configure failover.
This will bring info about scope
This will prompt for other DHCP server we need to create scope level fail over. Do remind you scope is created on first server and its get replicated to second server. While adding it will list all the authorized DHCP server. In our case we will choose second PVS server.
Once partner is selected
It will prompt for using existing relationship. In my case I wanted to configure DHCP in “Load Balance ” mode rather than “Hot Standby “ mode. This way I want to direct traffic to both the DHCP (PVS ) server.
Once this done it will present summary of what its going to configure
Post finishing config it will congratulate you 
Make changes on one DHCP scope its get replicated by itself or you have an option to replicate the change manually
Now take a route to load balance NetScaler . There are ton’s of method exist and has been documented like this or CTX116337 or wonderful blog from Nick . But with version 10.1 TFTP load balancing had became damn easy. Few click and all done. How about Citrix providing some wizard for this as well…you lazy guys.
To start with create server under Traffic management . Here give IP address of PVS server. Incase PVS is multi homed then we need to supply IP of streaming network. Both the PVS server has been added and green shows SNIP is able to communicate with PVS server.
Now configure service for those PVS server and here don’t forget to choose protocol as TFTP . Under server both the PVS server will be listed which has been created in previous step. Rest all are default. Here green shows all well with service.
Now create vServer and map both the services which we have created in previous step. IP address mention here will be used in DHCP option 66. Rest all setting will be default. I love Round Robin so I have chosen that. That’s it , IP will be ready to be configured under DHCP scope.
Modify the 66 option under scope and you will be ready to test TFTP HA
In the last part I will show how we configure CIFS share to be used as datastore for PVS. On a storage create CIFS share and then create folder as per store create folder. I have create folder by name CTX_ADMIN and mapped it store with same name. Once this is mapped to both the PVS end to end HA can be tested.
When I boot my target its boot fine.
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7 comments:
Thanks a lot :) .
If using DFSR, is it possible to use the DFSR namespace in PVS Store path configuration ?
Thanks again.
Theoretically it should work. Never tried it. Happy to assist if you want to try :)
HI Vikash,
How should i configure this in a DR scenario?? Should i do PVS VM image replication and manually bring up PVS in other site?
Thanks.
Yes you need manually replicate the image across both the site and bring them up when necessary.
Thanks for the Quick reply.
How about a roaming user? I have 2 sites each with users of 500 and PVS at both the locations. I am streaming vDisks to physical desktops. When a user roams from one site to other what happens?
One way i can think of is to give him a physical machine and stream vDisk since it is a common image.
Thanks.
Has anyone tried the DFSR namespace in PVS Store path?
Has anyone yet tried to use the DFS-R namespace in PVS Store path configuration?
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