👀 Citrix MCS machine catalogs with WorkSpaces Core starting today! 👀 Get your non-persistent engines started today. Really thought this release was coming later this week but sooner is almost always better.

This is interesting, but I can't glean from the documentation if this is a wholistic change for configuring workspaces in citrix, or just for nonpersistent. Would I still use quick deploy for persistent VDI?

It’s just for non-persistent. Continue using quick deploy for persistent. GA release information should be coming later today. I’ll post here when it drops.

https://www.citrix.com/blogs/2022/12/01/citrix-daas-is-now-available-on-aws-marketplace wonder if Citrix will bring an AWS Marketplace offering back at some point?

yeah, this is super cool. Got word from them last week this was coming with AWS announcement regarding "managed instances' as that is all supported is my understanding now

Managed instances release made this at all possible for MCS.

Makes sense. Thanks @Stephen Stetler

@Stephen Stetler with the new Cirix DaaS MCS on AWS Workspaces -is dedicated hardware necessary to run WIn11 still? I didnt understand how the comparison doc can show 'pay as you go' if I have to have dedicated hardware

Hi Stephen, curious on a couple things. What is the major differentiator on using Citrix Daas MCS on AWS Workspaces vs just using Citrix DaaS MCS on EC2? Does the Workspaces piece add something you don't get if using just EC2?

It allows you to run Microsoft/Office 365 is I believe the main difference.

The agreement with Microsoft is very specific language (as all licensing agreements are naturally). https://www.microsoft.com/licensing/terms/en-US/product/AmazonWorkspacesDeployments/EAEAS It's specifically Microsoft 365, just to keep things clear.

Can you clarify on the 'cannot be modified or terminated by you" portion? Do you mean 'at all' or in the native AWS console and need to be managed in the Citrix Daas console?

You must manage it through Citrix DaaS console

oh ok - that makes sense - thanks. The one interesting thing I noticed, it appears it lets me choose an instance type that is not compatible with using dedicated tenancy. I figured there would be constraints/guardrails preventing the use of noncompliant instance types. Also, if I select Persistent when creating a catalog, it doesn't prevent it, it just creates a nonpersistent one 🙂

For the dedicated tenancy instance type - isn't that an AWS dictated component rather than citrix?

We don't dictate that, Microsoft does

How does Microsoft dictate that? I think I may be misunderstanding. For instance, I read that t3 or maybe all t* instances have to use host tenancy instead of dedicated tenancy. I figured that was an AWS restriction of some sort. Granted, I wouldn't expect to use a t* in prod, but I was surprised that I could select that instance type with a BYOL config

It's a Microsoft licensing requirement for the desktop OS (Windows 10, 11) to run on dedicated instances/hosts. I'm not sure what you're referring to and possibly overcomplicating.

I referred to the link you shared for dedicated instance pricing. When looking at that, I don't see t3 instances listed at all, so it doesn't appear to be a supported instance type for BYOL dedicated instances. However, when building a catalog, it let me select that instance type. Im sure Im overcomplicating, but not fully understanding AWS pricing can be an expensive mistake.

I'm sorry to hear about that, I'm not sure why you can select an instance type in Citrix console that isn't possible.

I dont recall specifying the deployment type when building the catalog. Is it basing that on the machine specification? When I built the catalog, I used the machine profile of a t3a medium instance which is what I've been building on in the lab.

I can't say what logic Citrix is using here, you'll have to bring them into the conversation

For sure - I guess I was just surprised that Citrix and AWS let me choose a T3a which does not support dedicated tenancy, despite me using a BYOL Win11 image. I figured either Citrix or AWS would have a limitation on what machine spec you can use to ensure that it's a dedicated instance to comply with MS licensing.

I'll add it to our feedback to Citrix. Thanks @langsbr

@Stephen Stetler quick question, but with the new managed instance integration, we can just hook into Traditional AD on EC2 vs the V1/Quick Deploy method before we had to have an AD Connector in place? I'm just confirming as I go through all this in my head and looking through this new architecture with this vs the Quick Deploy method. For a while, I have to be in a split environment in mine here as the customer has some persistent VDAs/Win11 (on the previous integration), and now we are doing some multi-session non-persistent with the managed instance capability. Thanks man!

@Oz Zy That's right, traditional connection to AD DCs (as in just like EC2, no AD Connector necessary) and Entra ID hybrid join are supported in this release.