Our last Long Term Service Release (LTSR) was released in 2022, and since then we’ve introduced many new features via our Current Releases (CR). That means 2 years of new features are coming to our newest LTSR. We also know a lot of customers are on our 1912 LTSR, so there are almost 4 years of new features to discover. It is especially important for 1912 customers to begin prepping for an upgrade, as 1912 goes EOL in Dec 2024. Citrix previously announced that our new LTSR will be coming early 2024, which means it’s time to start planning your upgrade!
I was a Citrix Consultant last year when XenApp & XenDesktop 7.15 went End of Life and took part in helping many customers upgrade their environments. I saw first-hand what helps make an upgrade successful. While upgrading and making changes can prove intimidating, a well-planned rollout can help mitigate the majority of issues from the start.
A new LTSR version means that there are plenty of exciting new features to discover! Keep an eye out for a blog explaining some of the key new features coming since the 2203 release. If you’re upgrading from 1912, you can also check out our feature matrix to see all the new features you’ll gain access to that were added in the last LTSR. There will also be an LTSR version of our Citrix Workspace app, so any plans to upgrade your environment should also include the endpoint clients.
When heading into an upgrade there are a couple of key things to consider. First is system requirements and supportability, especially when it comes to operating systems. Next is testing, whether exploring the new features (by testing the latest CR) and/or validating the upgrade path. Lastly is the upgrade plan for your production environment. This blog will discuss supportability and testing. Stay tuned next week for a post that will cover upgrading.
Supportability
It is essential that your environment is supported by Citrix, Microsoft, and other 3rd party vendors. In order for this to happen, from the Citrix side, you need to ensure that you meet the system requirements and supported versions for Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops (CVAD) and Citrix Workspace app.
An important callout is that CVAD 1912 LTSR is the last LTSR version to support Windows Server OS 2012R2. If you currently have an environment that has 2012R2 servers, you will need to migrate to a more recent operating system in order to install the next LTSR. Additionally, Windows Server OS 2016 went end of life (EOL) in January 2022, so unless you have purchased extended support you will need to migrate as well. This operating system requirement applies to both Citrix infrastructure servers and VDA servers. Often, a blocker to upgrading the OS of a VDA is due to application requirements.
If you have applications running that currently require 2012R2 or 2016, now is the time to start the conversation with your application teams about migrating to a supported OS. Another key software platform to consider is your Microsoft SQL Server version. CVAD 1912 LTSR is the last LTSR version to support SQL 2008R2, 2012, and 2014. If you are using one of these versions of SQL, you will need to migrate to a new SQL database on a supported version.
There are other considerations across our platform as well. From StoreFront 2308 onward you are no longer able to add new XenApp 6.5 resources using the StoreFront console. While XenApp 6.5 is long past its EOL, I know there are some old sites still floating around in customer environments. It is critical to migrate any resources left on 6.5 to a supported CVAD version.
The PNAgent site (also known as XenApp Services) is also deprecated from StoreFront 2308 forward. Regarding various compliance guidelines – such as FIPS, Common Criteria, and 508 accessibility – the new 2024 LTSR will support these requirements like the rest of our LTSR releases.
For Citrix Workspace app across your endpoint devices, this upgrade cycle is a good time to ensure you are on a supported version. Citrix Workspace app 1912 LTSR went End of Life earlier this year, so if you are currently using that version you should include upgrading the Citrix Workspace app as a part of your upgrade plan. If you use the CR versions of the Citrix Workspace app, please refer to our lifecycle matrix to determine when your version goes End of Life.
Testing
With a plethora of new features coming to the new LTSR, it’s important to test out any new features you are interested in implementing. The next LTSR is built off of our latest 2311 CR, so we highly recommend installing CVAD 2311 or the LTSR Early Access Release (EAR) into your test environment to try many of the new features. The LTSR EAR is planned for release shortly before the official LTSR rollout. You can review our LTSR to LTSR feature matrix to compare the features that came out in 2203, and you can view our LTSR to CR feature matrix to view the features that have come out since 2203.
Not only is it critical to test out new features, it is also important to test the process of upgrading your infrastructure. Once the LTSR is available for download on our Citrix Downloads page, it is recommended to upgrade your test environment using your chosen upgrade path (either in-place or net new). This will allow you to 1) practice the process of upgrading your environment and 2) help identify any quirks or interactions with other software or customizations during upgrades. For the migration paths, upgrading from any version of 1912 LTSR and up and any version of 2203 LTSR to the new LTSR are targeted for support. Be sure to check out our documentation at launch for any updates around supported upgrade paths.
A new LTSR is always an exciting time for organizations embracing this track for their critical business workloads. We recommend checking out some of our content over the past year about the new features that have come out.
Learn More
We have an on-demand Citrix Master Class about preparing for the next LTSR. Be sure to check it out and learn great tips and tricks from our Citrix experts. You can also check out our latest Tech Paper about parallel migrations. Install 2311 today and start validating the new features for your use cases in preparation for the upcoming LTSR!
