Merging in Citrix Provisioning Services Console

I found none of the blog was having answers for the queries I had. I thought its good to write once I am tested and clear of what I know.

Merging is a new facility comes in pvs6.x

Before performing merging, let us understand 4 basic thing in merging.

1.       Merge base : It is combination of the base vhd file and pvp file

2.       Merge : It is the combination of avhd file and pvp file. Avhd file consists only the changes happened after the merge base.

3.       To merge all avhds (versions) along with vhd (the base image ), select Merge Updates + All Updates from Last Base. While\after merging it shows the type as Merge Base in merge window.

4.       To leave the vhd as it is and only to merge avhd versions, select select Merge Base – Last Base +All Updates from the Base. While\after merging it shows the type as Merge Update in merge window

Remember: Merging from the latest update (which is connected with target devices) will not cause disconnection of servers or users . You can select the last update (Merge update or Merge base which means avhd or vhd respectively) and can start merging.

What that means production, test and maintenance?

While merging in production environment, it is important to merge in ‘Maintenance’ type. Else somenewly booted devices will start using the latest merged image which you don’t want in the production environment.

When you are in Maintenance mode, you can promote to test and test mode you can promote to Production.

This is also used in vDisk update management. vDisk update management is a feature in pvs6.x which helps to deploy the image in large number of VMs. When the image is in test mode, it can not be deployed to the machines other than test devices. When the image is in maintenance mode, the update of the image can be done manually to the VMs. When the image is in Production mode, the update of the image can be done automatically to the VMs.

How to revert and delete the merge activity?

Click revert will revert back to the last status. Selecting delete will delete vhd files in the store path as well.

While reverting a version (vhd or avhd) any active device for that version will be shutdown.

Scnerio: Consider you have 5 versions like below. Devices are started connected to the latest image Version5

Version 5

Version 4

Version 3

Version 2

Version 2

Version 1

Need to remove the Version5 without affecting the production? How this can be done?

Export the vDisk through xml file and import the file in another store or copy paste all the files (avhd, vhd and pvp) to the new store path. Delete the wrong version and start merging.

Merging can started when the server is in load balancing mode?

Yes. The merging can be started when the vDisk is in load balancing mode. After merging the files will be saved only in one server in which the merging task is initiated. Click replication and check in which server the merged base (vhd and pvp of time stamp now) or merged update (vhd and pvp of time stamp now) is available.

After then, manually copy the files (latest time stamp files vhd or avhd and pvp)in the load balancing store path.

Will merging affect the production of devices or users?

No. Merging will not affect the production devices or users. They remain the same without any impact.