Install a NetScaler VPX™ instance on Citrix Hypervisor™ (XenServer)

Note:

This tech preview feature is provided for evaluation purposes only and is not intended for production use.

Overview

Starting with NetScaler® release 15.1, the NetScaler VPX virtual appliance for Citrix Hypervisor (XenServer) is based on Linux, replacing the FreeBSD-based VPX available in release 14.1 and earlier. The installation workflow uses XenCenter standard VM import with the XenServer-native .xva image format.

In-place upgrade from 14.1 (FreeBSD-based) to 15.1 (Linux-based) is supported. The instance must be on 14.1 build 72.x or later before you upgrade.

System requirements

The following tables list the minimum requirements for the Citrix Hypervisor host and the NetScaler VPX instance.

Citrix Hypervisor host

Note:

The Citrix Hypervisor control domain reserves approximately 4 GB of host disk. Ensure that available storage accounts for this reservation.

NetScaler VPX instance

Note:

For production-grade deployments, set VM CPU priority to the highest in XenCenter VM properties to improve scheduling and reduce network latency.

Before you begin

Before you install a NetScaler VPX instance on Citrix Hypervisor, ensure that the following prerequisites are met:

• XenCenter is installed on a separate Windows management workstation. XenCenter cannot run on the same machine as the Hypervisor host.
• A virtual network interface is configured on the Hypervisor host.
• VPX license files are available.

Obtain the VPX image

To download the VPX image package, complete the following steps:

1. Go to my.citrix.com, and navigate to Downloads > NetScaler > Virtual Appliances.
2. Select NetScaler 15.1, and then download the Citrix Hypervisor image package: NSVPX-XEN-15.1-<build>_lx_64.xva.

Note:

The _lx_64 suffix identifies the Linux-based image introduced in NetScaler VPX 15.1.

Install NetScaler VPX on Citrix Hypervisor

Use XenCenter to import and provision the VPX instance. Complete the following steps:

Step 1. Connect to the Hypervisor with XenCenter.

1. Launch XenCenter on your management workstation.
2. Go to Server > Add, and then enter the Hypervisor host IP address or DNS name.
3. Enter administrator credentials, and then click Connect.

Step 2. Import the VPX image.

1. Select the target Hypervisor host in the navigation pane.
2. Go to VM > Import.
3. Browse to the downloaded .xva file, confirm Exported VM is selected, and then click Next.
4. Select the target Hypervisor host, and then click Next.
5. Select the storage repository, and then click Import.
6. Monitor import progress in the Log tab.

Repeat this process for each additional VPX instance. The number of instances you can deploy depends on available host memory.

Step 3. Configure virtual network interfaces.

1. After import, add, modify, or remove virtual network interfaces (VIFs) as needed.
2. Map each VIF to the appropriate network on the Hypervisor host.
3. Click Next > Finish.

Step 4. Power on the VM.

1. Right-click the VPX VM, and then select Start.
2. Open the Console tab.

Step 5. Complete the initial configuration.

When the VPX boots for the first time, a menu-driven interface appears.

1. Enter the NSIP, subnet mask, and default gateway.
2. Select Save and Continue.

Step 6. Apply the license.

Log in at https://<NSIP>, and then apply the VPX license from System > Licenses.

Upgrade to NetScaler 15.1 Tech Preview

Perform an in-place upgrade of an existing NetScaler VPX instance to the 15.1 Tech Preview build. Complete the following steps:

Prerequisite:

Ensure that the NetScaler VPX instance is running version 14.1 build 72.x or later.

Step 1. Download the upgrade bundle.

Download the Citrix Hypervisor-specific bundle from my.citrix.com by navigating to Downloads > NetScaler > Virtual Appliances:

build-15.1-<build>_lx_64.tgz
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Important:

Use only the _lx_64 bundle. The standard FreeBSD upgrade bundle is not compatible and fails.

Step 2. Transfer and extract.

Copy the bundle to the VPX shell and extract it under /var/nsinstall/:

tar -xvzf build-15.1-<build>_lx_64.tgz -C /var/nsinstall/
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Step 3. Install and reboot.

cd /var/nsinstall/build-15.1-<build>_lx_64
./installns
reboot
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Note:

The same process applies when upgrading between 15.1 builds.

Limitations

More information

For complete Citrix Hypervisor deployment details, including SR-IOV and VLAN configuration, see the NetScaler VPX on Citrix Hypervisor 14.1 documentation.