Top 20 Citrix Interview Questions

1) Explain what is Citrix?

It is an application deployment system. With Citrix, one can access the customized application and can also delivered to remote systems. It also allows file transfer from home computer to office computer and e-mail accessing.

2) List out the Major Citrix components?

Major Citrix components are
•XenApp: It allows to host applications on central servers and enables users to interact with them remotely and deliver it to the user’s devices for local executions
•XenDesktop: It is the practice of hosting a desktop operating system with a virtual machine running on a remote server
•XenServer: It enables you to combine multiple Xen-enabled servers into a powerful resource pool using industry standard shared storage architecture and leveraging resource clustering technology created by XenSource
•Provisioning Server: It reduces the number of systems that they manage, even as the computers number continues to grow.
•Netscaler: It is used to provide level 4 load balancing

3) List out the services provided by Citrix?

Service provided by Citrix includes
•Citrix virtual memory optimization service
•Encryption service
•Citrix XTE service
•Independent Management architecture
•Citrix SMA service
•COM (Common Object Model) services

4) Explain what is Data Store?

Data store is a database which consists of all the configuration information needed by the Citrix farm.  Changes can be made at any time to the Meta Frame Server. The changes are persisted in the data store.  It will data store following information like
•Server configuration
•User configuration
•Print Environment
•Published Application

5) List out the ports associated with Citrix services?
•Default port is A: 1494
•Default listening port for Citrix XML service: 80
•For ICA: 1494
•UDP port used for client broadcasting: 1604
•IMA port: 2512 and 2513
•CMC and SSL port: 443
•Server to SQL port: 1433
•Session Reliability: 2598
•Port Number for licensing: 27000

6) Mention what is the query command in Citrix?

Query command in Citrix includes
•qfarm
•querydc
•queryds
•queryhr

7) Mention what is web interface or Nfuse?

Citrix web interface software provides web access to Java, Unix and Windows applications which are hosted via Citrix application server software. Citrix offers server side control of hosted applications, while Citrix web interface makes applications accessible through a web browser interface.

8) Explain what is Citrix XML broker?

Citrix XML broker behaves as an intermediary between the web interface and farm.  It receives the credentials of the user from the web interface. It retrieves the applications that have user permission to access.  It is done by independent management architecture and returns to the web interface. XML broker detects the server in the farm, once the user is authenticated.  It returns the address of the service rendering server to the web interface.  It functions between IMA service and web interface.

9) Explain what is the step to clear XenServer cache?

To clear XenServer cache you have to use command Dnscmd Server Name/clearcache.

10) Mention what are the default tests available in Health Monitoring & Recovery Tool?

The tests in XenApp Health Monitoring and Recovery Tool are
•Citrix IMA service test
•Logon Monitor test
•Terminal Service test
•XML Service Test

11) Explain what is LHC in Citrix?

The IMA service executing on each Presentation Server downloads the information it requires from the central data store into a local MDB database known as  the Local Host Cache or LHC.

12) List out the load evaluators that are supported in Citrix?

Load evaluators that are supported in Citrix includes
•Memory Utilization
•CPU Utilization
•IP Range
•Page Swap
•Page Fault
•Context Switches
•Disk Data I/O
•Scheduling
•Server Application Load
•User Application Load

13) Mention what is the limit of refresh time for Local Host Cache in Citrix?

The refresh time set for Local Host Cache is 30 minutes, it can be created when IMA is stopped.

14) Explain how you can view the LHC information?

The LHC information is found in the file imalhc.mdb, and this file is available in c:program filescitrixindependent management architecturedirectory.

15) Explain what is Citrix Reciever?

Citrix receiver is a collection of suite of products that enables client devices to connect to various desktop virtualization services offered by Citrix.  Citrix receiver can link with client devices to XenDesktop applications, XenApp and desktops via the HDX protocol.

16) Explain what is Citrix Access Gateway?

CAG or Citrix Access Gateway is a universal secured socket layer virtual private network appliances. It got features like IPSec and SSL VPN.  It also enables instant access to the users and secure access to the company.  Any information resource can be retrieved by using CAG with secure, single point access, always on features.  It supports various types of applications including IP telephony.  Any application which is hosted on Citrix Presentation Server can be used in a secured manner.

17) Explain how you can remove dead server from the Citrix Management Console?

To remove dead server from the Citrix Management Console you have to run
•DSVERIFY SERVERS/CLEAN/FORCE for optimizing the Data Store
•DSVerify can be executed on any of the servers in the farm
•MetaFrame feature release 3 has a command line tool known as DSCHECK
•Use the following command DSVerify command line tool DSCHECK/CHECK
•or right click on the ‘server in the farm’ and select option ‘remove from the Farm’

18) Explain what is the purpose of Zones?

Data collector stores information about Zones, User’s Session and Published Application.
•A Farm consists of a subset referred as Zones
•It consists of various server members
•One of the server members is referred as Zone Data Collector
•In traffic controlling, Zones are useful
•Using ZDCs communication is established among zones

19) Explain the use of shadowing in Citrix?

In Citrix, shadowing resembles for one user to join remotely to another user.  One user can use the session of another user remotely.