xendesktop 7.1 sql mirroring – Carl Webster https://www.carlwebster.com The Accidental Citrix Admin - The site for those who find themselves supporting Citrix involuntarily or accidentally Mon, 06 Sep 2021 21:12:33 +0000 en hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8.2 42228915 Changing a Production XenDesktop 7.1 Site to use SQL Mirroring https://www.carlwebster.com/changing-production-xendesktop-7x-site-use-sql-mirroring/ https://www.carlwebster.com/changing-production-xendesktop-7x-site-use-sql-mirroring/#comments Tue, 11 Feb 2014 09:30:32 +0000 https://www.carlwebster.com/?p=6943 In a previous article, I changed my lab’s PVS Farm to use SQL database mirroring.  Since that has been done it is time to change my XenDesktop 7.1 Site to also use SQL database mirroring.  I will document the process I found that worked.  It is not all like what is described in CTX127538 How to Reconfigure a XenDesktop Site to Use a Mirrored Database but that article does have some valid information in it. I will also use information gleaned from two Citrix blogs: XD Tipster – SQL Mirroring: Just the Skinny Please… and XenDesktop 7.x Database Migration.  They are helpful but they don’t have 75 screen shots!


Updated 11-Feb-2014.  A reader emailed me saying they had worked with Citrix support on this very process and gave me some information they felt should be added to this article.  Look for the Updated stuff in-line in the article.

Updated 13-Feb-2014 to answer questions asked.  Look for the Updated stuff in-line in the article.

My lab is running two XenDesktop 7.1 servers on Microsoft Windows Server 2012 R2 and three Microsoft SQL Server 2012 SP1 servers also running on Server 2012 R2.

Update 30-Mar-2016: When I wrote this article, I knew it worked with version 7.1 but never tested it with later versions. Since Citrix has added additional features and services in 7.5, 7.6, 7.7 and 7.8, do not attempt to use this article for anything other than version 7.1. Citrix really should have a thoroughly documented process for this procedure for each version of XenApp/XenDesktop 7.x. Most important, you should never attempt anything in a production environment until you have tested it in a lab or test environment.  I have changed the title of this article from 7.x to 7.1.

Note: The Witness SQL server can run SQL Server Express but I already had full SQL Server installed on three servers so I decided to use full SQL Server and not SQL Server Express for the Witness server.

When I created my Site, I allowed Studio to create and configure the Site database.  The Site configuration, Configuration Logging and Monitoring are all using the same database.  eDocs say if database mirroring is configured first, when the secondary databases are moved, Studio can automatically create the new databases AND configure mirroring.  We will see if that is true.

I will be using my Controller XD71Studio1 (Studio1) to run all the PowerShell scripts.

The first thing to do is to install SQLCMD or the SQL Command Line Utilities.  This is needed to give the Controllers permissions to the databases

Because I am using SQL Server 2012 SP1, I had to download the SQL Server 2012 SP1 Feature Pack.  From the download page, I selected ENU\x64\SqlCmdLnUtils.msi which required that ENU\x64\sqlncli.msi (SQL Server Native Client) be installed first.  Installing the SQL Server Native Client may require a server restart.

I created a security group named SQLServers that has all three SQL Servers as members.  This security group will be used when mirroring is configured later using a wizard in SQL Server.

Figure 1
Figure 1

The members of the SQLServers security group.

Figure 2
Figure 2

The Site configuration as shown in Studio shows I am not configured for database mirroring.

Figure 3
Figure 3

The first thing that must be done is to change the Recovery model of the database that Studio created automatically.  Studio created the database using the Simple Recovery model but mirroring requires the use of the Full Recovery model.  Please see Prerequisites, Restrictions, and Recommendations for Database Mirroring.

“The database must use the full recovery model. The simple and bulk-logged recovery models do not support database mirroring. Therefore, bulk operations are always fully logged for a mirrored database.”

On the SQL Server that has the Site database, open the SQL Server Management Studio, expand Databases, right-click the Site database, click Properties and click Options in the left pane.

Figure 4
Figure 4

Change the Recovery model to Full and click OK.

Figure 5
Figure 5

Eight XenDesktop services in the site must be disconnected from the current database by running the following PowerShell script.

Add-PSSnapin Citrix*

$controllers = Get-BrokerController | %{$_.DNSName}

foreach ($controller in $controllers)
{
    Write-Host "Disconnect controller $controller ..."

    Set-SfDBConnection $null –AdminAddress $controller
    Set-AcctDBConnection $null –AdminAddress $controller
    Set-BrokerDBConnection $null –AdminAddress $controller
    Set-ConfigDBConnection $null –AdminAddress $controller
    Set-AdminDBConnection $null –AdminAddress $controller
    Set-EnvtestDBConnection $null –AdminAddress $controller
    Set-HypDBConnection $null –AdminAddress $controller
    Set-ProvDBConnection $null –AdminAddress $controller
}

Updated: The reader said Citrix support had them run these commands to disconnect services.

$controllers = Get-BrokerController | %{$_.DNSName}

foreach ($controller in $controllers)
{
    Write-Host "Disconnect controller $controller ..."

    Set-ConfigDBConnection -DBConnection $null -AdminAddress $Controller
    Set-AcctDBConnection -DBConnection $null -AdminAddress $Controller
    Set-HypDBConnection -DBConnection $null -AdminAddress $Controller
    Set-ProvDBConnection -DBConnection $null -AdminAddress $Controller
    Set-BrokerDBConnection -DBConnection $null -AdminAddress $Controller
    Set-EnvTestDBConnection -DBConnection $null -AdminAddress $Controller
    Set-SfDBConnection -DBConnection $null -AdminAddress $Controller
    Set-MonitorDBConnection -Datastore Monitor -DBConnection $null -AdminAddress $Controller
    reset-MonitorDataStore -DataStore Monitor
    Set-MonitorDBConnection -DBConnection $null -AdminAddress $Controller
    Set-LogDBConnection -DataStore Logging -DBConnection $null -AdminAddress $Controller
    reset-LogDataStore -DataStore Logging
    Set-LogDBConnection -DBConnection $null -AdminAddress $Controller
    Set-AdminDBConnection -DBConnection $null -AdminAddress $Controller
}

Leave that PowerShell session running.

Now to start configuring the database to be mirrored.

The next step is to do two backups of the Site database.  One for the database and one for the transaction logs.

Still in the Databases node of the SQL Server Management Studio, right-click the Site database, click Tasks and click Back Up.

Figure 6
Figure 6

Leave the Backup type as Full and click OK.

Figure 7
Figure 7

Click OK.

Figure 8
Figure 8

Repeat the process for the second backup.  Right-click the Site database, click Tasks and click Back Up.

Figure 9
Figure 9

Change the Backup type to Transaction Log and click OK.

Figure 10
Figure 10

Click OK.

Figure 11
Figure 11

The backup on the primary SQL server needs to be copied to the same location on what will be the mirror SQL server.  For my lab, XD71SQL1 is the primary and XD71SQL2 is the mirror.

What I did is on SQL1 open up Windows Explorer to C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL10_50.MSSQLSERVER\MSSQL\Backup and also open up an Explorer window to \xd71sql2\c$\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL10_50.MSSQLSERVER\MSSQL\Backup.  I then copied and pasted the backup file from SQL1 to SQL2.

Figure 12
Figure 12

Exit both explorer windows.

Either go to SQL2 or add SQL2 to the SQL Server Management Studio on SQL1 (which is what I did).

Note: Please make sure your SQL Servers are running the same version or you will run into issues.  Don’t ask me how I found that out. 🙂

Figure 13
Figure 13

For the mirror server connection (SQL2 for me), right-click Databases and click Restore Database.

Figure 14
Figure 14

Change Source to Device and click the browse button.

Figure 15
Figure 15

Browse to the backup file copied from the primary SQL server, click on the backup file and click OK.

Figure 16
Figure 16

Click OK.

Figure 17
Figure 17

Make sure the Database is your Site database and both Backup sets to restore are selected.  DO NOT click OK at this time.

Figure 18
Figure 18

Click Options in the left pane, change the Recovery state to RESTORE WITH NORECOVERY and click OK.

Figure 19
Figure 19

Click OK.

Figure 20
Figure 20

Expand Databases on the mirror server.  The Site database should say “(Restoring…)“.

Figure 21
Figure 21

On the principal server, expand Databases, right-click the Site database, click Tasks and click Mirror.

Figure 22
Figure 22

Click Configure Security.

Figure 23
Figure 23

Click Next.

 

Figure 24
Figure 24

Verify Yes is selected and click Next.

 

Figure 25
Figure 25

Verify Witness server instance is selected and click Next.

 

Figure 26
Figure 26

Click Next

 

Figure 27
Figure 27

Select the mirror server from the Mirror server instance dropdown and click Connect.

 

Figure 28
Figure 28

Click Connect to authenticate and connect to the mirror server.

 

Figure 29
Figure 29

Click Next.

 

Figure 30
Figure 30

Select the witness server from the Witness server instance dropdown and click Connect.

 

Figure 31
Figure 31

Click Connect to authenticate and connect to the witness server.

 

Figure 32
Figure 32

Click Next.

 

Figure 33
Figure 33

Enter the SQLServers security account for all three instances and click Next.

 

Figure 34
Figure 34

Click Finish.

 

Figure 35
Figure 35

If all Action columns have a status of success, click Close.  Otherwise, view the report generated, resolve the issues reported, and rerun the Configure Security wizard.

 

Figure 36
Figure 36

Click Start Mirroring (and pray that everything works).

 

Figure 37
Figure 37

WHEW, it worked.  Click OK.

Figure 38
Figure 38

In the SQL Server Management Studio, refresh the primary and mirror servers.  Expand Databases on both servers.  The principal server should show the Site database as (Principal, Synchronized) and the mirror server should show the Site database as (Mirror, Synchronized / Restoring…).

Figure 39
Figure 39

Now do a basic test of the failover before continuing.

Go back to the SQL Server Management Studio.  On the principal server, expand Databases, right-click the Site database, click Tasks and click Mirror.

Figure 40
Figure 40

Click the Failover button.

Figure 41
Figure 41

Click Yes.

 

Figure 42
Figure 42

Refresh both the principal and mirror servers, expand Databases and look at the database status.

The principal server now shows (Mirror, Synchronized / Restoring…) and the mirror server now shows (Principal, Synchronized).

Figure 43
Figure 43

Updated 13-Feb-2014:  I have added some explanations and more PowerShell to this section on adding logon.

Click the database on the mirror server and failover back to the principal server.  Don’t failover back to the principal just yet.  Let me show you something.

Why are logons needed?  When Studio created the Site database it added the Controllers computer account as a login account on the SQL server.  When others Controllers are added to the Site, Studio asks if you want the Site database updated.  If the answer is Yes then Studio adds the new Controller as a login account on the SQL server.

Here is my principal SQL server’s login accounts after both Controllers are in the Site.

Figure 44
Figure 44

Here are my mirror SQL server’s login accounts after the database is restored, mirroring configured, and failed over.

Figure 45
Figure 45

What does this mean?  While the database is failed over to the mirror server and the Site database is accessed, neither Controller has permission to access the database on the mirror server so nothing will work.  We can test this by running Get-BrokerController from the PowerShell session.

Figure 46
Figure 46

Failback to the principal server, wait about 1 minute and run Get-BrokerController again.

Figure 47
Figure 47

The command works now because the principal SQL server has login accounts for both controllers.

Do not fail back over to the mirror server yet.

Next, logons need to be created on the new database server.

Back on the Controller, run the following script (substituting your information).

$mirrorServer = 'XD71SQL2'
$dbName = 'XD71Site'
$controllers = Get-BrokerController | %{$_.DNSName}

foreach ($controller in $controllers)
{
    Write-Host "Make login for $controller on $mirrorServer ..."

    Get-BrokerDBSchema –DatabaseName $dbName –ScriptType Login –AdminAddress $controller > add-login.sql
    sqlcmd -S $mirrorServer -Q ':r add-login.sql'
}
Figure 48
Figure 48

Login accounts created on the mirror server

The new logins now exist on the mirror server.

Figure 49
Figure 49

Now failover to the mirror server, wait 1 minute, and run Get-BrokerController.

Figure 50
Figure 50

A new connection string is needed to configure XenDesktop for mirroring.

‘Server=<dbserver1>; Failover Partner=<dbserver2>; Initial Catalog=<dbname>; Integrated Security=True; Network=dbmssocn’

For my lab, that becomes ‘Server=XD71SQL1; Failover Partner=XD71SQL2; Initial Catalog=XD71Site; Integrated Security=True; Network=dbmssocn’

To test the new connection string and verify login permissions, run the following script.

$cs = "Data Source=XD71SQL1; Failover Partner=XD71SQL2; Initial Catalog=XD71Site; Integrated Security=True; Network=dbmssocn"
$controllers = Get-BrokerController | %{$_.DNSName}

foreach ($controller in $controllers)
{
    Write-Host "Testing controller $controller ..."

    Test-ConfigDBConnection -DBConnection $cs -AdminAddress $Controller
    Test-AcctDBConnection -DBConnection $cs -AdminAddress $Controller
    Test-HypDBConnection -DBConnection $cs -AdminAddress $Controller
    Test-ProvDBConnection -DBConnection $cs -AdminAddress $Controller
    Test-BrokerDBConnection -DBConnection $cs -AdminAddress $Controller
    Test-EnvTestDBConnection -DBConnection $cs -AdminAddress $Controller
    Test-SfDBConnection -DBConnection $cs -AdminAddress $Controller
    Test-MonitorDBConnection -DBConnection $cs -AdminAddress $Controller
    Test-MonitorDBConnection -DataStore Monitor -DBConnection $cs -AdminAddress $Controller
    Test-AdminDBConnection -DBConnection $cs -AdminAddress $Controller
    Test-LogDBConnection -DBConnection $cs -AdminAddress $Controller
    Test-LogDBConnection -Datastore Logging -DBConnection $cs -AdminAddress $Controller
}

 

Figure 51
Figure 51

Then this script is run.

$cs = ‘Server=XD71SQL1; Failover Partner=XD71SQL2; Initial Catalog=XD71Site; Integrated Security=True; Network=dbmssocn’

foreach ($controller in $controllers)
{
Write-Host "Reconnect controller $controller ..."

    Set-SfDBConnection –DBConnection $cs –AdminAddress $controller
    Set-AcctDBConnection –DBConnection $cs –AdminAddress $controller
    Set-BrokerDBConnection –DBConnection $cs –AdminAddress $controller
    Set-ConfigDBConnection –DBConnection $cs –AdminAddress $controller
    Set-AdminDBConnection –DBConnection $cs –AdminAddress $controller
    Set-EnvtestDBConnection –DBConnection $cs –AdminAddress $controller
    Set-HypDBConnection –DBConnection $cs –AdminAddress $controller
    Set-ProvDBConnection –DBConnection $cs –AdminAddress $controller
}

Now for the final services.

foreach ($controller in $controllers)
{
    Write-Host "Processing&nbsp;controller $controller ..."

    Set-LogDBConnection $null –AdminAddress $controller
    Set-MonitorDBConnection -DBConnection $null –AdminAddress $controller

    Set-LogDBConnection –DBConnection $cs –AdminAddress $controller
    Set-MonitorDBConnection –DBConnection $cs –AdminAddress $controller

    Set-MonitorDBConnection -Datastore Monitor -DBConnection $null –AdminAddress $controller
    Set-LogDBConnection -DataStore Logging -DBConnection $null –AdminAddress $controller

    Set-MonitorDBConnection -Datastore Monitor –DBConnection $cs –AdminAddress $controller
    Set-LogDBConnection -DataStore Logging –DBConnection $cs –AdminAddress $controller
}

Update: The reader says Citrix Support did not do this in two separate steps but in one. This is what they said Citrix Support had them run.

foreach ($controller in $controllers)
{
    Write-Host "Reconnect controller $controller ..."

    Set-AdminDBConnection -DBConnection $cs -AdminAddress $Controller
    Set-LogDBConnection -DBConnection $cs -AdminAddress $Controller Set-ConfigDBConnection -DBConnection $cs -AdminAddress $Controller
    Set-AcctDBConnection -DBConnection $cs -AdminAddress $Controller
    Set-HypDBConnection -DBConnection $cs -AdminAddress $Controller
    Set-ProvDBConnection -DBConnection $cs -AdminAddress $Controller
    Set-BrokerDBConnection -DBConnection $cs -AdminAddress $Controller Set-EnvTestDBConnection -DBConnection $cs -AdminAddress $Controller
    Set-SfDBConnection -DBConnection $cs -AdminAddress $Controller
    Set-MonitorDBConnection -DBConnection $cs -AdminAddress $Controller
    Set-MonitorDBConnection -DataStore Monitor -DBConnection $cs -AdminAddress $Controller
    Set-LogDBConnection -Datastore Logging -DBConnection $cs -AdminAddress $Controller
}

They also said that if there are any errors, go to HKLM\Software\Citrix\XDservices\Datastore\Connections and manually clear the connection string that is in the registry (insert the usual editing the registry may hose your server disclaimer).

Note from Webster: That did not work for me. I had to use the two-step process. Your mileage may vary but I wanted to let you know what the reader said Citrix Support had them do and it worked for them.

Is everything still working?  Rerun the testing script.

$cs = "Data Source=XD71SQL1; Failover Partner=XD71SQL2; Initial Catalog=XD71Site; Integrated Security=True; Network=dbmssocn"
$controllers = Get-BrokerController | %{$_.DNSName}

foreach ($controller in $controllers)
{
    Write-Host "Testing controller $controller ..."

    Test-ConfigDBConnection -DBConnection $cs -AdminAddress $Controller
    Test-AcctDBConnection -DBConnection $cs -AdminAddress $Controller
    Test-HypDBConnection -DBConnection $cs -AdminAddress $Controller
    Test-ProvDBConnection -DBConnection $cs -AdminAddress $Controller
    Test-BrokerDBConnection -DBConnection $cs -AdminAddress $Controller
    Test-EnvTestDBConnection -DBConnection $cs -AdminAddress $Controller
    Test-SfDBConnection -DBConnection $cs -AdminAddress $Controller
    Test-MonitorDBConnection -DBConnection $cs -AdminAddress $Controller
    Test-MonitorDBConnection -DataStore Monitor -DBConnection $cs -AdminAddress $Controller
    Test-AdminDBConnection -DBConnection $cs -AdminAddress $Controller
    Test-LogDBConnection -DBConnection $cs -AdminAddress $Controller
    Test-LogDBConnection -Datastore Logging -DBConnection $cs -AdminAddress $Controller
}
Figure 52
Figure 52

Yep, everything tests as OK.

A refresh of Studio shows the database now configured for mirroring.

Figure 53
Figure 53

Now for the next part, splitting the databases and letting Studio create the Logging and Monitoring databases.

According to eDocs:

“If you previously installed and configured a mirror database using Microsoft SQL Server tools, both the principal and mirror databases are set up.”

We shall see if that is true.

In Studio. click the Logging database and in the right pane click Change Database.

Figure 54
Figure 54

Enter a name for the Logging database and click OK.

Figure 55
Figure 55

Click OK for Studio to create the database.

Figure 56
Figure 56

After the Logging database is created, Studio refreshes and we see that the mirror configuration does not appear to have been created.

Figure 57
Figure 57

Go to SQL Server Management Studio, Refresh and expand Databases for both the primary and mirror servers.

Figure 58
Figure 58

Do you see a Logging database on the mirror server?  I don’t.   It appears eDocs is incorrect and “both the principal and mirror databases are [NOT] set up”.

Let’s go ahead and create the Monitoring database using the same process.

And no surprise now, no Monitoring database mirror configuration…

Figure 59
Figure 59

and no Monitoring database was created on the mirror server.

Figure 60
Figure 60

Using the process shown earlier, change the Recovery Model to Full, backup the Logging and Monitoring databases, copy the files and restore them on the mirror server.

Figure 61
Figure 61

Using the process shown earlier, configure both the Logging and Monitoring databases for Mirroring.

Figure 62
Figure 62

Update:  Oops, copy and paste error in the original PowerShell code here.  Two new connection strings are needed.  One for the Logging database and one for the Monitoring database.

Now run this script.

$csL = &nbsp;"Data Source=XD71SQL1; Failover Partner=XD71SQL2; Initial Catalog=XD71_Logging; Integrated Security=True; Network=dbmssocn"
$csM = &nbsp;"Data Source=XD71SQL1; Failover Partner=XD71SQL2; Initial Catalog=XD71_Monitoring; Integrated Security=True; Network=dbmssocn"
foreach ($controller in $controllers)
{
    Write-Host "Processing&nbsp;controller $controller ..."

    Set-LogDBConnection $null –AdminAddress $controller
    Set-MonitorDBConnection -DBConnection $null –AdminAddress $controller

    Set-LogDBConnection –DBConnection $csL –AdminAddress $controller
    Set-MonitorDBConnection –DBConnection $csM –AdminAddress $controller

    Set-MonitorDBConnection -Datastore Monitor -DBConnection $null –AdminAddress $controller
    Set-LogDBConnection -DataStore Logging -DBConnection $null –AdminAddress $controller

    Set-MonitorDBConnection -Datastore Monitor –DBConnection $csM –AdminAddress $controller
    Set-LogDBConnection -DataStore Logging –DBConnection $csL –AdminAddress $controller
}

Refresh Studio and all three databases show as configured for mirroring.

Figure 63
Figure 63

CTX127538 shows how to test if the mirroring configuration is successful.

Run the following script:

$cs = Get-BrokerDBConnection
Set-BrokerDBConnection –DBConnection $null
Set-BrokerDBConnection –DBConnection $cs
Get-BrokerServiceStatus

And verify the output matches the following:

DBUnconfigured
OK
OK

Figure 64
Figure 64

Using the SQL Server Management Studio, force a mirror failover of all three databases using the process shown earlier.

Figure 65
Figure 65

Rerun the preceding script and verify the output is correct.

Figure 66
Figure 66

Failover all three databases again.

Figure 67
Figure 67

Rerun the preceding script again and verify the expected output.

Figure 68
Figure 68

Whew!,  and that is all there is to changing a production XenDesktop Site to use SQL Mirroring in less than 75 screenshots

Thanks

Webster

]]> https://www.carlwebster.com/changing-production-xendesktop-7x-site-use-sql-mirroring/feed/ 49 6943