Installation Guide for Goliath Logon Simulator for Citrix v1.0
Document Date: May 2015
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Contents
I.
Introduction to Goliath Logon Simulator for Citrix ........................................................................................... 4
II.
Deployment Architecture .................................................................................................................................. 5
A. Standalone .................................................................................................................................................5
B. Integrated with Goliath Performance Monitor .........................................................................................6
III. Goliath Logon Simulator for Citrix Prerequisites ............................................................................................... 7
IV. Deployment Scenarios....................................................................................................................................... 8
A. Logon Simulator Standalone: Testing the Citrix Delivery Infrastructure for Local and Remote Users .....8
B. Logon Simulator Integrated with GPM: End User Troubleshooting for Local and Remote Users ..........10
V.
Logon Simulator Server Installation ................................................................................................................ 12
VI. Prepare the Simulation Endpoint to Launch Simulations ............................................................................... 19
VII. Prepare the Citrix Environment for Logon Simulations................................................................................... 21
A. Deploy Agent to the Citrix Delivery Controller ........................................................................................21
B. Enable Logon Simulator Session Handler to Logoff sessions at the end of simulations ..........................23
VIII. Configure Simulations ..................................................................................................................................... 24
A. Create a new Citrix Logon Simulator Monitoring Rule .............................................................................24
B. Configure Scheduling ................................................................................................................................26
C. Testing the Simulations ............................................................................................................................27
D. Common Problems ...................................................................................................................................27
IX. Alerting ............................................................................................................................................................ 28
X.
Reporting ......................................................................................................................................................... 29
XI. Abbreviations and Acronyms .......................................................................................................................... 30
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I.
Introduction to Goliath Logon Simulator for Citrix
The Goliath Logon Simulator enables a Citrix Administrator to:




Simulate the logon process locally, remotely, or in the cloud.
Generate failure and application/desktop availability alerts.
Identify the root cause of issues encounters.
Troubleshoot and resolve these issues prior to end users being impacted.
Much more than a point-in-time testing utility or traditional load testing tool, the Goliath Logon Simulator is a musthave proactive performance tool for Citrix Administrators that can be integrated into the ongoing IT operations
toolset.
When Citrix logon issues occur, they are usually a result of problems in one of these three areas:



Remote location connectivity.
Application or desktop availability
The Citrix delivery infrastructure
The Goliath Logon Simulator facilitates continuous and real-time testing of the Citrix delivery infrastructure by
simulating the exact same steps a user would take during the logon process. By launching real sessions with test
user accounts, the Goliath Logon Simulator provides visibility into all applications and desktops being launched and
whether they are succeeding, failing or slow. This allows the Goliath Logon Simulator to alert the Citrix administrator
to a problem the moment it occurs.
If there is a logon failure, an administrator will be alerted immediately and pinpoint where the failure occurred and
the root cause. In cases where the logon is simply slow, the administrator can see the breakdown of the logon
process, in real-time, to determine where in the process the slowness occurred. For example, group policy
processing, scripts and profile loading.
If you require assistance during the installation and configuration of the Logon Simulator, please contact Support
using the information below:
Goliath Logon Simulator Proof of Concept Limitations
Goliath Logon Simulator Proof of Concepts (POC) will be limited to launching a single Citrix XenApp or XenDesktop
application or desktop from one location.
If your evaluation or POC process requires a different configuration than the licensing allows for, please contact
your account manager or Goliath Sales or Support as follows for assistance:
Sales
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 1-855-465-4284
Support
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 1-855-465-4282
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II.
Deployment Architecture
There are two different ways to deploy Logon Simulator:
A. Standalone
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B. Integrated with Goliath Performance Monitor
LOGON SIMULATOR + PERFORMANCE MONITOR
INTEGRATED DEPLOYMENT ARCHITECTURE
GOLIATH INFRASTRUCTURE
REMOTE SQL SERVER *
MS SQL Server
2008 - 2014
WEB CONSOLE
Service Account
with DBO rights
TCP: 80
Configuration
Scheduling
Alert Configuration
Reporting
LOGON SIMULATOR &
PERFORMANCE MONITOR
SERVER
TCP: 82
Windows 2008R2 – 2012R2
Minimum of 4 vCPUs & 8 GB Memory
25 GB of Disk Space
.NET 3.5 SP1
TCP: 82
XENAPP SESSION
HOST
TCP: 82
TCP: 82
VDI
CITRIX DELIVERY CONTROLLERS
XENAPP ZDC/DC
**
4.5 – 7.6
.NET 3.5 SP1
TCP: 80/443
XENDESKTOP
DDC/DC
**
5.5 – 7.6
.NET 3.5 SP1
REMOTE CITRIX
ENVIROMENT
LOCAL CITRIX
ENVIROMENT
WORKSTATION
WORKSTATION
TCP
80/443
TCP
80/443
NETSCALER
SERVER
SERVER
TCP
80/443
TCP
80/443
STOREFRONT /
WEB INTERFACE
VM
VM
LEGEND
* Agents deployed to XenApp and XenDesktop controllers ensure simulated users are logging off correctly following simulations
** For evaluation, Goliath ships with embedded SQL Express 2008R2 database
NOTE: The ports and protocols displayed are the defaults. They can be modified if desired.
Citrix Receiver
Goliath Intelligent Agent: very light weight, it uses 0.1% CPU, 1.5 MB size on Disk, about 25 MB RAM
Goliath Logon Simulator Agent for Citrix
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III.
Goliath Logon Simulator for Citrix Prerequisites
Table 1 - Goliath Logon Simulator Requirements
Goliath Logon Simulator Server
Platform: Virtual Machine or Physical Server
OS: Windows Server 2008 R2 – 2012 R2
Network: Static IP Address
vCPU: Minimum of 4 cores or vCPUs
Memory: Minimum of 8GB RAM
Disk: 25GB of disk space
Dependencies: .NET 3.5 SP1
Firewall: TCP ports 80 and 82. Both must be opened
inbound and port 80 must be enabled outbound for remote
access to the console. These ports can be changed from the
default as needed.
Optional: PDF Reader to view installed product
documentation
Simulation Endpoint
Citrix XenApp/XenDesktop Delivery
Controller
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OS: Windows Server 2008 R2 – 2012 R2, Windows 7 – 8.1
Dependencies: GPM Agent deployed & .NET 3.5
Web Browser: Internet Explorer 11
Citrix Receiver: versions 4+
Citrix Account: Dedicated Citrix test account with rights to
applications or desktops to be launched
User Account Control: Disabled at the System level
IE Security: Disabled for trusted sites with Citrix Portal
added to whitelist
Firewall: TCP port 82 must be opened outbound. All ports
can be changed.
Dependencies: Intelligent Agent deployed to ZDC/ Delivery
Controller with the Logon Simulator Session Interface
Handler enabled
Citrix XenApp/XenDesktop 7.0-7.6: The Intelligent Agent
must run as a Windows Service account with Citrix Admin
read-only rights and local admin rights
Note: If using Windows Server 2012 or later, .NET 3.5
Feature must be installed.
IV.
Deployment Scenarios
There are two main deployment scenarios which you may choose when deploying the technology. These
scenarios, including the capabilities of each and the deployment architecture, are explained below:
 Standalone: Testing the Citrix Delivery Infrastructure for Local and Remote Users
 Integrated with GPM: End User Troubleshooting for Local and Remote Users
A. Logon Simulator Standalone: Testing the Citrix Delivery Infrastructure for Local and Remote
Users
In this use case the logon simulator agent is deployed on a server, workstation, or VM at the data center,
another office, or to remote users to execute the simulation. The simulator will go through the process of
connecting to a Citrix NetScaler or directly to the Citrix Web Interface or StoreFront and then launch the
application or desktop session to ensure availability.
A test in this manner allows an administrator to test and validate 3 main aspects of the logon and session
launch process:
1. The workflow to launch an application or desktop session is working
2. Users external to the Citrix architecture can access it successfully
3. Objective evidence of the time it takes for local and remote users to connect, specifically with regard
to location specific connection issues and delays. This provides defined data to determine if a location
is experiencing longer logon times than others, and then perform a logon analysis and produce a
report identifying the problem.
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GOLIATH INFRASTRUCTURE
GOLIATH LOGON SIMULATOR
STANDALONE DEPLOYMENT ARCHITECTURE
REMOTE SQL SERVER *
MS SQL Server
2008 - 2014
Service Account
with DBO rights
WEB CONSOLE
TCP: 80
Configuration
Scheduling
Alert Configuration
Reporting
LOGON SIMULATOR SERVER
TCP: 82
Windows 2008R2 – 2012R2
Minimum of 4 vCPUs & 8 GB Memory
25 GB of Disk Space
.NET 3.5 SP1
TCP: 82
XA
TCP: 82
TCP: 82
VDI
CITRIX DELIVERY CONTROLLERS
XENAPP ZDC/DC
**
4.5 – 7.6
.NET 3.5 SP1
TCP: 80/443
XENDESKTOP
DDC/DC
**
5.5 – 7.6
.NET 3.5 SP1
REMOTE CITRIX
ENVIROMENT
LOCAL CITRIX
ENVIROMENT
WORKSTATION
WORKSTATION
TCP
80/443
TCP
80/443
NETSCALER
SERVER
SERVER
TCP
80/443
TCP
80/443
STOREFRONT /
WEB INTERFACE
VM
VM
LEGEND
* Agents deployed to XenApp and XenDesktop controllers ensure simulated users are logging off correctly following simulations
** For evaluation, Goliath ships with embedded SQL Express 2008R2 database
NOTE: The ports and protocols displayed are the defaults. They can be modified if desired.
Citrix Receiver
Goliath Intelligent Agent: very light weight, it uses 0.1% CPU, 1.5 MB size on Disk, about 25 MB RAM
Goliath Logon Simulator Agent for Citrix
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B. Logon Simulator Integrated with GPM: End User Troubleshooting for Local and Remote Users
Testing the Citrix Delivery Infrastructure for local and remote users can be used for troubleshooting, and in
addition to that, the simulator can be deployed for additional user specific troubleshooting.
On a case by case basis, the logon simulator agent could be deployed to a specific end user’s computer,
locally or at home/remote, to test and get hard data on exactly what problems the user is experiencing.
The simulator would be configured with the end user’s credentials, the application or desktop they are
attempting to launch, and the administrator could see the process taking place from the initiation of the
session itself, before the user gets brokered into the session. This allows the administrator to ascertain
the following items:
1. Validation of the end user’s claim of how it is failing, and appearing to the end user
2. Where in the process the launch is failing from a technical perspective, and not just in terms of how it
appears to the end user.
3. If the launch is successful, evidence that it is operator error
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LOGON SIMULATOR + PERFORMANCE MONITOR
INTEGRATED DEPLOYMENT ARCHITECTURE
GOLIATH INFRASTRUCTURE
REMOTE SQL SERVER *
MS SQL Server
2008 - 2014
WEB CONSOLE
Service Account
with DBO rights
TCP: 80
Configuration
Scheduling
Alert Configuration
Reporting
LOGON SIMULATOR &
PERFORMANCE MONITOR
SERVER
TCP: 82
TCP: 82
XENAPP SESSION
HOST
Windows 2008R2 – 2012R2
Minimum of 4 vCPUs & 8 GB Memory
25 GB of Disk Space
.NET 3.5 SP1
TCP: 82
TCP: 82
VDI
CITRIX DELIVERY CONTROLLERS
XENAPP ZDC/DC
**
4.5 – 7.6
.NET 3.5 SP1
TCP: 80/443
XENDESKTOP
DDC/DC
**
5.5 – 7.6
.NET 3.5 SP1
REMOTE CITRIX
ENVIROMENT
LOCAL CITRIX
ENVIROMENT
WORKSTATION
WORKSTATION
TCP
80/443
TCP
80/443
NETSCALER
SERVER
SERVER
TCP
80/443
TCP
80/443
STOREFRONT /
WEB INTERFACE
VM
VM
LEGEND
* Agents deployed to XenApp and XenDesktop controllers ensure simulated users are logging off correctly following simulations
** For evaluation, Goliath ships with embedded SQL Express 2008R2 database
NOTE: The ports and protocols displayed are the defaults. They can be modified if desired.
Citrix Receiver
Goliath Intelligent Agent: very light weight, it uses 0.1% CPU, 1.5 MB size on Disk, about 25 MB RAM
Goliath Logon Simulator Agent for Citrix
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V.
Logon Simulator Server Installation
In the following section we will install the Logon Simulator Server
A.
Before you install Goliath Logon Simulator:
In order to complete the installation of Goliath Logon Simulator (GPM), please ensure you have the
following items available and prepared.
1. Goliath Logon Simulator installation files
2. Your license key
3. Static IP applied to the server hosting Goliath Logon Simulator
4. Use the correct version of the install program:
There are two versions of the install program: one for 32-bit versions of Windows
(gpmserver_setup32.exe) and one for 64-bit versions of Windows (gpmserver_setup64.exe)
B.
Install Goliath Logon Simulator
The Setup program will install the Goliath Logon Simulator server on the system you want to be
designated as the Server computer.
1. Exit all programs
2. To install GPM, run the downloaded executable, either ‘gpmserver_setup32.exe’ or
‘gpmserver_setup64.exe’
Please be aware at this point, that you will see screens indicating you are about to install Goliath Performance
Monitor. Goliath Logon Simulator is actually architecturally integrated into the Goliath Performance Monitor
Server. The following setup screens will also feature references to Goliath Performance Monitor and MonitorIT,
which is correct. Just to be clear, the following screens will correctly appear as you run the installer:
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3. The executable will start the install process and display a Welcome installer
4. Click ‘Next’ to view the End User License Agreement.
Note: It is strongly recommended that you exit all open Windows programs before continuing with the
installation
5. Read the agreement and if you agree with the terms, select ‘I agree to the terms of this license
agreement’ and click ‘Next’. If you do not agree or do not wish to continue, select ‘I do not agree to
the terms of this license agreement’ and click ‘Cancel’ to exit the installer.
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6. You are then prompted to provide your information to register the product.
7. Enter your Goliath Logon Simulator license key provided by Goliath Technologies, or if you have
downloaded Goliath Logon Simulator for evaluation, enter ‘EVAL’ as the license key to enable the
full featured version for 30 days and select ‘Next’ to continue.
Note: If you enter a valid license key, you will be given several options to configure your database.
(Please refer to Appendix E to configure an external or remote SQL database) If you are performing an
evaluation of the product, it automatically connects to the embedded SQL Express 2008 R2 database.
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8. Please verify the ‘STATIC IP Address’ or ‘DNS Name’ for the Goliath Logon Simulator Server and
‘Console Port’ select ‘Next’ to continue.
9. Once ‘Next’ is selected, the wizard will verify that the Console Port is available. If it is, Goliath
Logon Simulator will then connect to it.
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10. The next step lets you select where to install the Goliath Logon Simulator program. On 32-bit
versions of Windows, the default location is ‘C:\Program Files\ MonitorIT’. On 64-bit versions of
Windows, the default location is ‘C:\Program Files (x86)\MonitorIT. When the location is entered,
click ‘Next’ to continue.
Note: It is recommended that you use the default location.
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11. Now please verify that the following installation settings are correct, if so select the ‘Next’ button to
proceed with the installation.
12. During the first part of the installation process, a progress bar will show the progress of installing
the Goliath Logon Simulator, as seen in the figure below.
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13. Once Goliath Logon Simulator is successfully installed, the remaining database components will be
installed and configured. At some point during these additional installations, your screen may go
blank. This is a normal part of the installation process.
14. Finally, the installer program will display a message that the installation is complete. Click ‘Finish’ to
exit the install program
15. You have successfully installed Goliath Logon Simulator software.
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VI.
Prepare the Simulation Endpoint to Launch Simulations
The simulation endpoint is the server or virtual machine in which the simulation(s) will be launching from. In the
following section we will discuss how to prepare your simulation endpoint by creating a local service account with
admin rights, installing Internet Explorer 11 and Citrix Receiver, as well as configure automatic logons, disable UAC
at the system level and more.
NOTE: If your instance of Goliath Logon Simulator is integrated with Goliath Performance Monitor, for POC
purposes the simulation endpoint can be the same as the Goliath Performance Monitor Server, but for production
we do recommend that the instances stay separate.
A. Service Account with Local Admin Rights
In order for the simulations to launch, we will need a local service account with admin rights. This
is important because this user will be signed onto the server at all times. Please create this local
service account with admin rights and log in with it before continuing.
B. Internet Explorer 11
Please confirm that Internet Explorer 11 is installed:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Open Internet Explorer
Select the gear icon in the top right hand corner
Select “About Internet Explorer”
A window displaying the Internet Explorer version will appear
a. If it is not version 11, please upgrade your Internet Explorer
b. If it is version 11, please continue on
C. Citrix Receiver
Please confirm that Citrix Receiver is installed:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Open Windows Control Panel
In the top right hand corner, change the “View By” settings to be “Small Icons”
Select “Programs and Features”
Sort by Name and confirm whether or not Citrix Receiver is installed
a. If it is not installed, you can download & install it from the following website:
i. http://www.citrix.com/go/receiver.html
b. If it is installed, please continue on
D. .NET 3.5
Please confirm that .NET 3.5 is installed.
Note: .NET 4.5 is not backwards compatible. Also, .NET 3.5 is not automatically included with
Windows Server 2012 – 2012 R2.
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E. Move LogonSimulator.exe to the Simulation Endpoint.
This file can be found in <Goliath Logon Simulator Install Directory>/bin and needs to be running
under the service account on the simulation endpoint. This file will also need to be placed it in the
startup folder so it runs automatically.
1. Go to the install directory of the Logon Simulator Server and then navigate to the Bin
folder and find LogonSimulator.exe.
a. The default location for the 64-bit version is:
C:\Program Files (x86)\MonitorIT\Bin
2. Copy LogonSimulator.exe and move it to the Simulation Endpoint desktop
3. Open the Startup folder
a. This can be done by clicking the start menu and typing “shell:Startup” and hitting
enter
4. Copy the LogonSimulator.exe file from the desktop into the Startup folder
5. Run the file
Note: If there are security prompts when you run it the first time, please uncheck the box to
check the executable in the future, to ensure successful starts of LogonSimualtor.exe following
restarts of the simulation endpoint.
F. Configure Automatic Logins
The Logon Simulator needs to be run as a logged in user. Whenever a VM is restarted, the test
account needs to be logged back in otherwise the simulation(s) will not be able to run. To
facilitate this process in the circumstance of a restart of the simulation endpoint, we define the
local service account with admin rights, to ensure the simulation continues to run.
1. Go to the install directory of the Logon Simulator Server and then navigate to the Bin
folder and find LogonSimulatorRegistryEdit.exe.
a. The default location for the 64-bit version is:
i.
C:\Program Files (x86)\MonitorIT\Bin
2. Copy the LogonSimulatorRegistryEdit.exe file onto the desktop of the simulation endpoint
3. Right-click the file and select “Run as Administrator”
4. Fill out the account information
5. Leave the “Disable User Account Control” box checked.
6. Hit submit
Note: This process requires a reboot of the simulation endpoint server. Please reboot the
server before continuing on or else the new settings will not be saved.
G. Lower Internet Security for Trusted Sites
IE Security should be set to the minimum for trusted sites with your Citrix portal added to the
whitelist.
Note: The purpose for this step is to ensure the ICA file is opened automatically by Citrix Receiver
and the application or desktop is launched.
1. Open Internet Explorer and open the Internet Options window
2. Under security, go to trusted sites
3. Set the security to the lowest setting
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4. Click on the trusted sites button, then add your Citrix portal to this site
H. Deploy a Goliath Agent to the Simulation Endpoint
In order to execute the Logon Simulator simulations, an agent must be installed. This agent also
sends metrics regarding the simulation logon process to the Logon Simulator server.
1. Open Internet Explorer
2. Use the following URL to connect to the Logon Simulator Server and download the
Goliath Agent.
a. http://nn.nn.nn.nn/InstallAgent.exe where nn.nn.nn.nn is the IP address of the
Logon Simulator Server.
3. Launch the Agent installer to begin the installer and follow the onscreen prompts
a. You will be asked to enter the IP address for the Logon Simulator Server.
b. The port number can be kept the same unless you changed the Logon
Simulator Server ports during your original Logon Simulator installation.
c. The optional name field is provided if you’d like the server to appear as a
name in inventory ie. “SQL Server” instead of “SVR-SQ01”
4. The agent will automatically check into the Logon Simulator Server after the installer
has finished to begin monitoring.
VII.
Prepare the Citrix Environment for Logon Simulations
A. Deploy Agent to the Citrix Delivery Controller
You will need an agent deployed to your Citrix XenApp ZDC/DC or XenDesktop DDC/DC. For Citrix versions
7.0 and newer the agent must run as a Citrix Admin Account with local admin rights and also have .NET
3.5 installed. This is needed for the Logon Session Handler to cleanly log off of each simulation.

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Deploy an Agent: Citrix XenApp 4.5 to 6.5 and Citrix XenDesktop 5.5 to 6.5
1. Log into your Citrix XenApp ZDC/DDC or Citrix XenDesktop DDC (based on your
environment)
2. Open Internet Explorer
3. Use the following URL to connect to the Logon Simulator Server and download the Goliath
Agent.
a. http://nn.nn.nn.nn/InstallAgent.exe where nn.nn.nn.nn is the IP address of the
Logon Simulator Server.
4. Launch the Agent installer to begin the installer and follow the onscreen prompts
a. You will be asked to enter the IP address for the Logon Simulator Server.
b. The port number can be kept the same unless you changed the Logon Simulator
Server ports during your original Logon Simulator installation.
c. The optional name field is provided if you’d like the server to appear as a name
in inventory ie. “SQL Server” instead of “SVR-SQ01”
5. The agent will automatically check into the Logon Simulator Server after the installer has
finished to begin monitoring.
6. You can now log off of the ZDC/DDC
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
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Deploy an Agent: Citrix XenApp & Citrix XenDesktop 7.0 to 7.6
1. Log into your Citrix XenApp DC or Citrix XenDesktop DC (based on your environment)
2. Open Internet Explorer
3. Use the following URL to connect to the Logon Simulator Server and download the Goliath
Agent.
a. http://nn.nn.nn.nn/InstallAgent.exe where nn.nn.nn.nn is the IP address of the
Logon Simulator Server.
4. Launch the Agent installer to begin the installer and follow the onscreen prompts
a. You will be asked to enter the IP address for the Logon Simulator Server.
b. The port number can be kept the same unless you changed the Logon Simulator
Server ports during your original Logon Simulator installation.
c. The optional name field is provided if you’d like the server to appear as a name in
inventory ie. “SQL Server” instead of “SVR-SQ01”
5. The agent will automatically check into the Logon Simulator Server after the installer has
finished to begin monitoring.
6. Open Windows Services
7. Find “MonitorIT Agent Service” and stop the service
8. Right-click the “MonitorIT Agent Service” and select “Properties”
9. Select the “Log On” tab
10. Select the radio button for “This Account” and enter in the credentials for a Citrix Admin
account with local admin rights for the agent to run as.
11. Select Ok and Restart the “MonitorIT Agent Service”
12. Confirm that .NET 3.5 is installed on the DC, if it is not, please install it
13. You can now log off of the DC
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B. Enable Logon Simulator Session Handler to Logoff sessions at the end of simulations
On one of the XenApp ZDC/DC’s or XenDesktop DDC/DC’s in each of your Citrix farms, enable Logon
Simulator Session Handling to send disconnect messages to the Citrix farm when the Logon Simulator is
finished with each session. This ensures subsequent sessions successfully launch completely, instead of
simply reconnecting to existing sessions. Follow these steps to configure:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Logon to the Logon Simulator Server
If the Goliath Performance Monitor Evaluation notice appears, click “Continue”
On the menu bar, click on “Configure” then “Inventory”
Locate and select one of your Citrix Delivery Controllers with an agent on it
Click “Edit” at the bottom
Check the box next to “Enable Logon Simulator Session Interface Handler”
The other options are not necessary but will provide diagnostic information for the Logon
Duration Report when licensed for Goliath Logon Simulator
8. Click “Save”
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VIII. Configure Simulations
In the following section we will create the simulation conditions, test the simulations and cover some
common troubleshooting steps.
A. Create a new Citrix Logon Simulator Monitoring Rule
1. Open the Logon Simulator Server console
2. Navigate to the “Configure” tab and then “Monitoring Rules”
3. Click “New” at the bottom and select the radio button next to “Citrix Logon Simulator” and then
select “Ok”
4. A new Citrix Logon Simulator Monitoring Rule page will appear.
5. Please enter the appropriate data for each field:
Field Name
Description
Rule Name
The name of the monitoring rule
Description
Description of the monitoring rule
Severity
The importance of the monitoring rule alerts
Site URL
The URL of your Citrix Portal
Authentication
Citrix Portal credentials for the Logon Simulator test service account
App & Title Names
Enter the information for the Applications and or Desktops that you
would like the Logon Simulator to launch.
This information is entered in the format of: App/Desktop,Window Title
Tab/Folder Name
Script Name
Citrix Account name
Note: If your window title includes a “-“ you only need to enter the
information before the “-“. For Example, if you launch Chrome and it
opens to a new tab, the window title is “New Tab – Google Chrome”,
therefore you will only need to enter “New Tab” for the window title in
the monitoring rule.
Verify the Tab or Folder Name that the Application and or Desktop is in.
For Example, if your Citrix Storefront has the “Apps” and “Desktops” tabs
at the bottom of the page, you will need to enter which tab the item is
under. Also, folders can be separated by ‘/’ if there are any nested
folders; e.g. ‘Apps/Browsers”.
This field is to be kept as the default SFLauncherSTD and is not to be
edited
Enter the Citrix Portal username in the format of DOMAIN\username
6. Finally, select the Logon Simulator endpoint server in the “Server/Workstation Tree”.
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B. Configure Scheduling
In the Schedule tab, you can edit the alert notification frequency as well as, schedule how often you would like
the simulations to run.
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C. Testing the Simulations
Logon onto the Simulation Endpoint as the local service account and wait for the simulation to run at its
scheduled time. Make sure nothing interrupts the Logon Simulator – first time run windows are not handled,
so accept and confirm those. A common example is an installation prompt for the Citrix receiver the first time
you try to log in.
Verify the Results:
1. Navigate to the “Monitor” and then “Logon Simulator”. This page shows all of the apps and or
desktops being monitored.
2. If the app is green, it was successful. If it is red, it failed.
3. You can click on the box in the “Details” column to view a detailed, time stamped log of the logon
simulation process
4. If the page is blank, you may not have saved the monitoring rule or you may not be licenses for
Logon Simulator.
D. Common Problems



The Logon fails, but the text log is empty.
This happens when LogonSimulator.exe isn’t running under an admin account. Check the server to see
if it is running. User Account Control also needs to be turned off. This can be confirmed by opening a
command prompt and checking the window name. If it starts with “Administrator:”, UAC is off.
Logon Simulator can’t open the apps, but it gets to the app page.
It is possible that your apps are nested in the HTML structure in a way that prevents Logon Simulator
from finding them. You can usually resolve this by filling in the App/Folder name field of the
monitoring rule with the name of the container.
The wrong application is showing up.
The Citrix sessions aren’t being disconnected properly. There needs to be an agent on the Citrix farm
with session handling enabled in order to disconnect the test sessions. The Citrix farm will also need
.NET 3.5 installed.
More detailed questions and answers can be found in our Goliath Logon Simulator FAQ’s, available
here. If you are still having trouble, contact Goliath support at [email protected].
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IX. Alerting
When the Logon Simulator detects a problem with Citrix, an alert will be created. These alerts are
configured in the monitoring rule. In the Schedule tab, you can select how often an alert will be
generated in a given time frame. The Notifications tab will allow you to send alerts through email or
other methods to allow for instant notifications of alerts.
To enable alerting for Logon Simulator:
1. Open the Monitoring Rules page
It is located under Configure->Monitoring Rules
2. Edit the Logon Simulator rule
Click the rule and select “Edit”. It may be easier to find your Logon Simulator rules if you sort by
Type, since all Logon Simulator rules are “Advanced Type”.
3. Enable Email alerts
In the Alerts tab, check “Enable Email Alerts”
4. Edit the Email details
Fill out the subject line and enter the email addresses that should receive the alerts
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X.
Reporting
A Logon Simulator report can be generated. The report will break down all of the Logon sessions that succeeded
or failed and break them down by location and rule. The Logon Simulator report will also contain a copy of all the
logs in collapsible frames. These reports can be scheduled and analyzed like any other Goliath Reports.
To schedule a Logon Simulator Report:
1. Open the reports page
You can schedule a report under Reports->Schedule
2. Select “Alert Analysis”
Select the Alert Analysis report type. Fill out the Report Name/Notes field.
3. Choose LOS Alert types
Click on “Choose Alert Types & Servers/Devices”. Check the box for “AdvancedWatch & LOS Alerts”. By
default it reports on all Logon Simulator locations.
4. Schedule Report
Select the time the report should be run, how often it runs, and the time period it should analyze. The
report can also be emailed if needed. The following example shows a weekly report that runs every
Sunday morning.
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XI.
Abbreviations and Acronyms
List all abbreviations and acronyms used in this document.
Table 1 Abbreviations and Acronyms
Abbreviation / Acronym
Description
CPU
Central Processing Unit
GB
Gigabyte
GPM
Goliath Logon Simulator
IE
Internet Explorer
IP
Internet Protocol
IT
Information Technology
MB
Megabyte
PDF
Portable Document Format
POC
Proof of Concept
RAM
Random Access Memory
SP
Service Pack
SQL
Structured Query Language
TCP
Transmission Control Protocol
vCPU
Virtual CPU
ZDC
Zone Data Collector
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