SUM307: NetScaler VPX

Implementation and
Harvey Miller Senior Escalation
Troubleshooting
Engineer
May 11, 2010

Agenda
Introduction to NetScaler VPX
Installation and Licensing
Troubleshooting
Use Cases

Citrix Confidential - Do Not Distribute

Introduction to NetScaler VPX

App delivery without the

expensive tin
- Maxwell Cooter, TechWorld

Citrix Confidential - Do Not Distribute

Introduction to NetScaler VPX

Virtual NetScaler appliance
Hardware requirements
Hypervisors Supported
Differences between VPX and hardware

Citrix Confidential - Do Not Distribute

XenServer components
XenServer
XenCenter
XenConvert

Citrix Confidential - Do Not Distribute

XenServer Architecture
Citrix XenServer

Drivers

Linux

NS VPX
DomU

Dom0

Client

L2/L3

PV
Drivers
Guest OS

DomU

Xen Hypervisor
L2 /L3

eth1

eth0

Server

VM Mechanism
Binary Translation Sensitive/Privileged CPU Instructions are replaced with
hypervisor code or calls on the fly
Advantages: Unmodified Guest OS, No special hardware
Disadvantages: Performance

Paravirtualization The Guest OS is modified so that privileged/sensitive

instructions are replaced with calls to the hypervisor
Advantages: Performance, no special hardware required, relatively easy for hypervisor
Disadvantages: Guest OS must be modified

Hardware assisted Sensitive/Privileged CPU Instructions executed by the

Guest OS trap out to the hypervisor
Each processor vendor brands and implements this differently.
Intel: VT-x
AMD: AMD-V

Advantages: Unmodified Guest OS, Relatively easy for hypervisor

Disadvantages: Special hardware required
Citrix Confidential - Do Not Distribute

Hypervisor Architecture - XenServer

Bare metal.
Managed by Domain0
Domain 0 manages network and
storage I/O of guest VMs
Hardware drivers run in Domain0
Paravirtualized Guest OS or hardware
assist VMs only no Binary Translation

Xen
daemon(s)

Drivers

Linux

Domain0
Xen Hypervisor

XenCenter
Client
Citrix Confidential - Do Not Distribute

Xen
Tools

PV
Drivers
NS VPX

DomainU

GuestOS2
DomainU

NS VPX: Internals
Dom0 (Linux)

DomU (NS VPX )

Xen
daemon(s)

Xen
Tools

Virtual Memory
Real
Drivers

Back-end
Drivers

Virtual CPU

CPU Scheduler

Virtual Memory
PV Front end
Drivers

Memory

Citrix Confidential - Do Not Distribute

Virtual CPU

Xen Hypervisor

Hardware requirements
Virtual hardware assist
CPUs
Memory
NIC

Citrix Confidential - Do Not Distribute

Differences between VPX and hardware

Features of VPX

Features of Hardware

Tagged VLANs not supported

Full L2 support

No LACP

Hardware assists

No hardware assists
No nCore support (yet)
Only version 9.1 & up

nCore with MPX models

All versions compatible with hardware

Citrix Confidential - Do Not Distribute

Installation and Licensing

Setting the VM memory and VCPUs for the NetScaler VPX

Installation

Citrix Confidential - Do Not Distribute

Citrix Confidential - Do Not Distribute

Identifying the VPX from the CLI and GUI

NetScaler VPX
1 Mbps
20 Mbps
1000 Mbps
Standard
Enterprise
Platinum
http://support.citrix.com/article/ctx122426
Citrix Confidential - Do Not Distribute

XenServer licenses
Free license
Unlimited VMs
XenConvert (P2V and V2V)
Centralized multi-server manangement console
Live motion
Virtual infrastructure patch management
Intelligent server maintenance mode

Citrix Confidential - Do Not Distribute

XenServer licenses (continued)

Citrix Essentials
High Availability
Advanced server virtualization management
Intelligent workload placement
Rapid provisioning of new VMs

Citrix Confidential - Do Not Distribute

Troubleshooting

TroubleShooting VPX
Issues dealing with Networking
Tracing
Log file locations

Citrix Confidential - Do Not Distribute

Why is my CPU so high?

CPU from XenCenter is 100%
VPX shows lower values
Which is right?

Citrix Confidential - Do Not Distribute

XenCenter View

Citrix Confidential - Do Not Distribute

NetScaler VPX view

Citrix Confidential - Do Not Distribute

Lack of proper license while adding SSL certificates

NetScaler VPX missing a valid license

Some examples of problems with the license file(s)

The shell command `cat /var/log/license.log` reveals a missing license:

The shell command `cat /var/log/license.log` reveals an invalid license:

The shell command `cat /var/log/license.log` reveals an expired license:

Using Tagged VLANs With the NetScaler VPX

Virtual Machines (DomU)
NetScaler VPX
1/2

Vlan 1
Vlan 53
Vlan 128

1/3

1/4

Untagged
VLANs

External
Switch

Trunk Port
(tagged VLANs)

Virtual Switches

XenServer Host (Dom0)

Citrix Confidential - Do Not Distribute

Virtual Interfaces

Identifying the NetScaler VPX interfaces

Reboot messages in the logs

Citrix Confidential - Do Not Distribute

Reboot messages in the logs

Citrix Confidential - Do Not Distribute

Reboot messages in the logs

Citrix Confidential - Do Not Distribute

Use Cases

Use Cases
Lab Environment
Proof of Concept
Separation of traffic
Real world simulation

Citrix Confidential - Do Not Distribute

Real World Simulation

Virtual NetScalers

Virtual Server

North America

Europe

Virtual Router

Asia

Africa
Citrix Confidential - Do Not Distribute

Hyper
Visor

Real World

Additional Resources
NetScaler Licensing: CTX122426
NetScaler VPX 9.1 FAQ CTX12191
NetScaler setup and configuring CTX124306
How to video: importing and configuring CTX122721
Importing VPX on ESX CTX123683
Support.citrix.com (search for VPX)
Forums
Citrix Confidential - Do Not Distribute

Before you leave

Session surveys are available online at www.citrixsummit.com
starting Thursday, May 13
Provide your feedback and pick up your complimentary Starbucks or iTunes giftcard at the
registration desk

Download presentations starting Friday, May 21, from your My

Schedule Tool located in your My Synergy Microsite event account

Questions/Comments?

Citrix Confidential - Do Not Distribute