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Exercise 1
Microsoft Lync Optimization
Overview
In this exercise, you will see the difference made by the Lync Optimization Pack in the quality and
stability of communications through Microsoft’s Lync enterprise communications platform. While it
will be possible to initiate and connect a voice and video call, using the “Generic HDX” method, with
Lync installed on a virtual desktop, the quality will be very low. Once you have implemented the
Lync Optimization Pack, you will note the substantial difference in call quality; both in audio clarity
and video stream performance.
Step by step guidance
Estimated time to complete this lab: 30 minutes.
To complete this lab, it is REQUIRED to have external access to a production Lync organization. Step
Action
1.
Begin by opening XenCenter to manage the assigned XenServer.
2.
Right click on the assigned XenServer and click connect to attach the assigned XenServer to
XenCenter.
3.
Use the credentials provided from the student portal to login to the assigned XenServer. See
example screen shot below.
Sample credential screen shot:
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4.
Confirm that the following virtual machines are powered on. All other Virtual Machines should
be powered off.
To power on a powered off VM, right click the respective VM and click Start. To Power off the VM on the powered on VM and select S hutdown. | 2 |
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5.
Minimize XenCenter and open the Remote Desktop Connection Manager to RDP to the SF1
server and apply the assigned public IP to storefront used for Access Gateway.
6.
Select the SF1 server to initiate an RDP session to the SF1 server.
7.
Open the Citrix StoreFront console on SF1.
8.
Navigate to NetScaler Gateway, select the Primary Gateway, and choose Change General
Settings.
All lab environments are assigned unique public IP addresses. Currently set is a generic URL of https://xxx-­‐xxx-­‐xxx-­‐xxx.mycitrixtraining.net. IP3 shown on the login portal m ust be used. | 4 |
9.
Modify the NetScaler Gateway URL to reflect IP3 displayed on the login portal of the lab
environment and click OK.
The IP Address used in this screen shot is unique to the lab provisioned. Please be sure to use IP3 for your NetScaler Gateway URL. Example: https://184-173-121-205.mycitrixtraining.net
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10. Confirm that the URL has been changed to refect the IP3 URL.
The NS1 NetScaler found in this lab environment has been pre-­‐configured to work directly with the URL entered on the SF1 server. No configuration of the NS1 NetScaler is needed. | 6 |
11. Navigate to Server Group, select Propagate Changes, and select Yes to reflect all changes to
the second StoreFront server (SF2) in the lab envrionment.
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12. Close the Citrix StoreFront console and sign out of the SF1 server and close the Remote
Desktop Connection Manager.
13. Using your local workstation open a web browser and navigate the IP3 URL.
Example: https://184-173-121-205.mycitrixtraining.net
Citrix Receiver is required on the host computer to complete the remaining steps in this lab. Citrix Receiver can be download at www.citrix.com/go/receiver.html | 8 |
14. Sign in to the Citrix NetScaler Gateway as the following user and click Log On.
User Name: user1
Password: Citrix123
15. From the bottom of the Citrix Receiver page click Apps to add the Lync application to the list of
avaliable apps.
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16. Click the + symbol on the left side.
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17. Select All Apps followed by Lync 2013 completeing the addition to the Lync 2013 to the list of
avaliable applications.
18. Click Lync 2013 to launch the application.
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19. Once the application is launched click Ask me later followed by Accept to the Lync applications
update settings.
20. Select Permit use to grant the HDX protcol access to your local workstation’s microphone and
webcam.
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21. Navigate to the add buddy icon followed by Add a Contact Not in My Organization > Lync.
Although User2 is associated with the same organization this user account will b e added as a user NOT in the organization to bypass address book synchronization. | 13 |
22. Enter the following information to add User2 ([email protected]) to your buddy list and click
OK.
IM Address: [email protected]
Set privacy relationship: Workgroup
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23. Confirm that User Two is shown under Other Contacts.
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24. Navigate back to the Citrix Receiver Web site and select Desktops on the bottom of the site to
launch a VDI session for a second Lync session. The first initial Xenapp session and second
XenDesktop session (VDI Session) will allow the ability of a call between User One and User
Two leveraging the local host hardware.
25. Click the Win81 MCS Desktop to launch a Windows 8.1 Desktop session.
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26. Click the down arrow, search for “lync”, and launch the Lync 2013 application within the VDI
session.
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27. Once the application is launched click Ask me later followed by Accept to the Lync applications
update settings.
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28. Navigate to the down arrow next to the gear symbol followed by File > Sign Out to sign out of
Lync as User One.
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29. Sign in as [email protected] by adding the following Sign-in address and clicking Sign in.
Sign in Address: [email protected]
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30. Enter the following Password.
Password: Citrix123
Click Yes to the Sign-in info pop up window.
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31. Navigate to the add buddy icon followed by Add a Contact Not in My Organization > Lync.
Although User 1 is associated with the same organization, the user account will be added as a user NOT in the organization to bypass address b ook synchronization. | 22 |
32. Enter the following information to add User2 ([email protected]) to your buddy list and click
OK.
IM Address: [email protected]
Set privacy relationship: Workgroup
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33. Confirm that User Two is shown under Other Contacts.
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34. Initiate a call to User One by right clicking on the User One user found on the buddy list and
clicking on Call followed by Lync Call.
35. Accept the call from the Xenapp session by clicking the phone symbol.
It is HIGHLY recommended to MUTE all computer speakers prior to answering the call as both initiated calls can cause an echo. | 25 |
36. Confirm that the call between User One and User Two has initiated.
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37. Minimize the Lync call in the VDI session and launch the Citrix HDX Monitor to view the Audio
bandwidth utilize during the Lync call.
Click Read/write access to permit your virtual desktop to read and write to your local files.
HDX Monitor 3.x is a helpful monitoring and diagnostic tool for HDX components. HDX Monitor 3.x is available at http://taas.citrix.com/hdx/download/. | 27 |
38. Confirm that the target selected is the local System, WIN81MCS01 and click Open.
39. Select the Audio settings to view the HDX Audio details.
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40. Confirm the value of the Maximum input and output bandwidth used. Once confirmed click the
Network performance link to show the network bandwidth utilized.
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41.
Task manager can also be utilized to view performance m etrics reflected on the VDA where making the call. Administrators typically note high CPU utilization of the Lync.exe process during simultaneous sessions. End the call between User One and User Two. Ending the call will make the Audio Virtual
Channel Idle.
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42. Navigate back to the HDX Monitor and click Home.
Confirm that the Audio channel is now idle showing the Lync call is confirmed ended.
43. Proceed back to XenCenter to manage the assigned XenServer.
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44. Within the Student Desktop that you logged into at the start of this lab right click on the assigned
XenServer and click connect to attach the assigned XenServer to XenCenter.
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45. Use the credentials provided from the student portal to login to the assigned XenServer. See
example screen shot below.
Sample credential screen shot:
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46. Select the Win81MCS01 virtual machine and proceed to the Console tab.
47. Use the drop down menu to select the LyncOptimizationPack2.iso
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48. Proceed back to the VDI session and exit the Lync application by navigating to the gear symbol
followed by File > Exit.
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49. Right click the start button and select
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50. Select the CD Drive (D:) and install the HDX RealTime Connector LC 2013-2 MSI file.
The client component, called Citrix HDX RealTime Media Engine (Citrix HDX RealTime Media Engine-­‐2.MSI), integrates with Citrix Receiver on the endpoint device and performs all signaling and m edia processing directly on the user device itself, offloading from the server for maximum scalability, minimizing network bandwidth consumption and ensuring optimal audio-­‐video quality. The server-­‐side (and virtual desktop) component, Citrix HDX RealTime Connector for Lync (HDX RealTime Connector LC 2013-­‐2), is a connector to the Microsoft Lync client that drives the RealTime Media Engine on the endpoint. RealTime Connector runs in the virtual server environment alongside Microsoft Lync and communicates signaling information over a Citrix ICA virtual channel to the RealTime Media Engine running on the user device. | 37 |
51. Click Next, accept the license agreement, and choose all default settings for this installation.
User access control will prompt for administrative credentials. Enter the following credentials. Username: Administrator Password: Citrix123 | 38 |
52. Click Finish to complete the HDX RealTime Connector LC 2013-2 installation.
53. Right click on start and Shutdown or sign out and choose sign out to log off of the VDI
session. Be sure to close all Citrix applications to proceed with the next step, IE: Close down the
Lync XenApp session and your Student virutal desktop.
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54. On your local workstation download the Citrix HDX RealTime Media Engine (Citrix HDX
RealTime Media Engine-2.MSI) to begin the installation on your local workstation.
IT IS IMPORTANT THAT ALL CITRIX APPLICATIONS ARE CLOSED DURING THE INSTALLATION AS IT WILL ADD FUNCTIONALITY TO CITRIX RECEIVER. Download Link: https://citrix.sharefile.com/d/s97d74b96b554989a
55. On your local PC, Click the Citrix HDX RealTime Media Engine-2.msi and click Next, accept the
license agreement, and choose all default settings to complete installation of the Citrix HDX
RealTime Media Engine (Citrix HDX RealTime Media Engine-2.MSI).
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56.
Click Finish to complete the Citrix HDX RealTime Media Engine (Citrix HDX RealTime Media
Engine-2.MSI) installation.
57. Using your local workstation open a web browser and enter the IP3 URL.
Example: https://184-173-121-205.mycitrixtraining.net
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58. Sign back in to the Citrix NetScaler Gateway as the following user and click Log On.
User Name: user1
Password: Citrix123
59. Click the Win81 MCS Desktop to re-launch a Windows 8.1 Desktop session.
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60. Click the downward arrow, search for “lync”, and launch the Lync 2013 application within the
VDI session.
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61. Once the application is launched click Ask me later followed by Accept to the Lync applications
update settings if prompted.
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62. Navigate to the gear symbol followed by File > Sign Out to sign out of Lync as User One.
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63. Due to restrictions with the lab training system, the next step needs to be performed with a
publically accessible Lync system. Sign into your external corporate Lync environment using
your company provided credentials.
Your external environment may require NTLM authentication and may prompt an error for the
correct credentials. Please be sure to use the example below to properly sign into your
corporate environment.
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64. If prompted, re-sign to your corporate Lync environment. Re-authentication is required for the
Lync optimization pack. Re-authenticating allows the local workstation to create a connection to
your corporate Lync Edge server.
65. Click the Monitor/Speaker symbol on the bottom of the screen followed by About. Confirm that
your Lync client is showing the following information confirming the Lync optimization pack is
fully registered.
Status: Registered
Connection type: Secured
Mode: Optimized
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66. Contact a colleague within your corporate organization by initiating a call with Lync client within
the VDI session. It is important to remember that due to the Lync optimization pack you must
initiate the call via the instant message window.
Lync pre-­‐service p ack 1 caller controls were not present via the IM window. All machines hosting Lync must have service pack 1 or greater to show caller controls via the IM window d ue to a bug on previous builds of Lync 2013. | 48 |
67. Minimize the Lync call in the VDI session and launch the Citrix HDX Monitor to view the Audio
bandwidth utilize during the Lync call.
Click Read/write access to permit your virtual desktop to read and write to your local files.
HDX Monitor 3.x is a helpful monitoring and diagnostic tool for HDX components. HDX Monitor 3.x is available at http://taas.citrix.com/hdx/download/. | 49 |
68. Confirm that the target selected is the local System, WIN81MCS01 and click Open.
69. Confirm that the Audio channel is idle. This will confirm that the Lync call has been optimized.
The call is now going directly to the other party, not “hair-pinning” via ICA and the VDA in the
Data Center.
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70. Select the Audio settings to view more details.
71. Click the Network performance link to view network performance details.
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72. Note that no traffic is being sent via the HDX audio channel because the call is now optimised.
Audio/video traffic is occurring peer-to-peer with the other caller.
73. At anytime while the Lync call is active as a troubleshooting technique users are able to select
ALT+N on the keyboard to display Network Health statics allowing administrators the ability to
troubleshoot connection related issues.
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74. Within the Virtual Desktop right click on Start and choose Run. In the run window type the
following file location to view log files kept for troubleshooting purposes.
Location of log files: %temp%\citrix\HDXRTConnectorLC13
Exercise Summary
In this exercise, you learned how to implement and configure the Lync Optimization Pack. You
used Microsoft Lync 2013 to make a call before the installation of the Lync Optimization Pack, and
noted the inferior audio and video signal quality. After implementing and properly configuring the
components of the Lync Optimization Pack, you made another call through Microsoft Lync and
noted the substantial improvement in audio and visual signal quality. This was due to the
audio/video being processed on the endpoint as well as allowing conversations to happen directly
between endpoints.
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