Install a NetScaler VPX™ instance on Microsoft Hyper-V

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 Microsoft Hyper-V is Linux-based, replacing the FreeBSD-based VPX available in release 14.1 and earlier. The VPX image is delivered in VHD format and imported using the standard Import Virtual Machine workflow in Hyper-V Manager.

An 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 upgrading.

System requirements

The following tables list the minimum requirements for the Hyper-V host and the NetScaler VPX instance.

Hyper-V host

NetScaler VPX instance

Note:

You cannot modify VM hardware settings while the VPX instance is powered on. Shut down the instance before making configuration changes.

Before you begin

Before you install a NetScaler VPX instance on Microsoft Hyper-V, ensure that the following prerequisites are met:

• The Hyper-V role is enabled on the Windows Server host.
• At least one virtual switch is configured in Hyper-V Manager and connected to a physical NIC.
• VPX license files are available.

Obtain the VPX image

To download and prepare 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 download the Hyper-V image package.

3. Extract the package. Hyper-V Manager requires the following folder structure to remain intact:

   NSVPX-HyperV-15.1-<build>_lx_64/
   ├── Snapshots/
   ├── Virtual Hard Disks/
   │   └── NSVPX-HyperV-15.1-<build>_lx_64.vhd
   └── Virtual Machines/
       └── <vm-config>.xml
   <!--NeedCopy-->
   

Note:

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

Install NetScaler VPX on Hyper-V

Use Hyper-V Manager to import and configure the VPX instance. Complete the following steps:

Step 1. Import the virtual machine.

1. Open Hyper-V Manager and select the target host in the navigation pane.
2. Go to Action > Import Virtual Machine.
3. Browse to the extracted VPX folder and click Next.
4. Select Copy the virtual machine (create a new unique ID) and click Next.
5. Click Finish.
6. Verify that the VPX VM appears in the Virtual Machines list.

Note:

Import each VPX instance from a separate extraction folder. Repeat this process for more instances.

Step 2. Configure virtual network adapters.

1. Right-click the VPX VM and go to Settings > Add Hardware > Network Adapter > Add.
2. Select the adapter and choose the required virtual switch from the Network list.
3. Repeat for each additional adapter required (up to 8 vNICs total).
4. Click Apply > OK.

Step 3. Power on the VM.

1. Right-click the VPX VM and select Start.
2. Double-click the VM to open the Console.

Step 4. Complete the initial configuration.

At first boot, the VPX displays a menu-driven interface.

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

Step 5. Apply the license.

Log in at https://<NSIP> and 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 instance is running NetScaler VPX version 14.1 build 72.x or later.

Step 1. Download the upgrade bundle.

Download the Hyper-V-specific bundle build-15.1-<build>_lx_64.tgz from my.citrix.com by navigating to Downloads > NetScaler > Virtual Appliances.

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/
<!--NeedCopy-->

Step 3. Install and reboot.

cd /var/nsinstall/build-15.1-<build>_lx_64
./installns
reboot
<!--NeedCopy-->

Note:

The same process applies when upgrading between 15.1 builds.

Limitations

Related information

For complete Hyper-V deployment details, including System Center Virtual Machine Manager (SCVMM) provisioning, NIC teaming (CTX224494), and VLAN configuration, see the Install NetScaler VPX on Microsoft Hyper-V - 14.1 documentation.