Citrix CVAD (on-prem)

Citrix CVAD runs on-premises, with virtual machines hosted in the organization’s own data center or private cloud. This allows enterprises to centralize control of virtual desktops while leveraging their existing infrastructure investments. It is commonly used by organizations that want full control over their VDI environment, data, and compliance, while maintaining flexibility in how virtual desktops are provisioned and managed.

Set up the connector

Configure Nexthink to connect to Citrix CVAD APIs for session metadata ingestion. This step ensures that contextual data is available to enrich insights within the VDI Experience module.

To set up the connector, perform the procedure described in Connector for Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops.

Install Collector on VMs

If you're using Citrix App Layering, you should install Nexthink Collector in the Platform Layer or Golden Image itself, not as an App Layer. This ensures:

Services are registered correctly.
Drivers and startup behavior are consistent.
The device identity used for telemetry is preserved per desktop.

Manual or automated deployment

Shared VDI (Citrix Multi-session host): Install Collector on multi-session hosts deployed on the Citrix platform. Ensure that session hosts are domain-joined and provisioned with appropriate sizing.
Personal VDI (Citrix XenDesktop – persistent): Install Collector as a standard agent during provisioning or onboarding of the persistent desktop.

For both scenarios, perform the procedures described in the following documentations:

Golden image-based deployment

Pooled VDIs (Citrix XenDesktop – non-persistent) use a golden image for deployment.

Perform the procedures described in the following documentations:

Test the connector and Collector

Connector

Confirm that device and session data is being enriched with information from the Connector integration by verifying fields such as:

Disk Image
Desktop Pool
Virtualization Host Name
Virtualization Type.

To test enrichment, ensure that Collector is installed on the VMs and is operational by running the following query:

devices
| where virtualization.desktop_broker == citrix_cvad
| list name, hardware.type, virtualization.disk_image, virtualization.desktop_pool, virtualization.environment_name, virtualization.hypervisor_name, virtualization.hostname, virtualization.type, virtualization.last_update
| sort virtualization.last_update desc

For more information about running queries, see the Investigations documentation.

Collector on VMs

If needed, contact Nexthink support or your Nexthink representative.

Shared VDI (Citrix Multi-session host)

Ensure data such as the following are visible in Nexthink:

Device ID
User Name
Session Hostname

To check this, run the following query:

vdi_sessions
| where device.virtualization.desktop_broker == citrix_cvad and vdi_session.virtualization_type == shared
| list vdi_session.name, user.name, device.name, vdi_session.hostname, desktop_pool, first_seen
| sort first_seen desc

Pooled VDI (Citrix XenDesktop – non-persistent)

Confirm that instances report after deployment:

Unique Device IDs
Accurate Pool Names
Fresh Boot Times

To check this, run the following query:

devices
| where virtualization.desktop_broker == citrix_cvad and virtualization.type == pooled
| list name, virtualization.desktop_pool, boot.last_full_boot_time
| sort boot.last_full_boot_time desc

Personal VDI (Citrix XenDesktop – persistent)

Verify the consistent reporting of the following:

Device ID and Assigned User
System uptime across Reboots and Logons

by running query:

devices
| where virtualization.desktop_broker == citrix_cvad and virtualization.type == personal
| with session.vdi_events during past 168h
| compute number_of_sessions = vdi_session.count(), time_since_session_last_seen = end_time.last().time_elapsed(), last_user = user.name.last()
| include device_performance.boots during past 168h
| compute number_of_restarts = number_of_boots.sum()
| include session.logins during past 168h
| compute time_since_last_login = time.last().time_elapsed(), number_of_logons = number_of_logins.sum()
| list name, last_user, number_of_sessions, time_since_session_last_seen, number_of_logons, time_since_last_login, number_of_restarts, boot.last_full_boot_time.time_elapsed(), last_seen.time_elapsed()
| sort time_since_session_last_seen desc

Install endpoint agents on client devices

Ensure the client OS is Windows 10 or newer running Citrix Workspace app v2205 or higher.

Install Collector on corporate-managed devices

For client devices that are centrally managed by your organization, distribute Collector across all applicable devices using your preferred software deployment tools.

Perform the procedure described in the Installing Collector documentation.

The VDI Client Extension is built into Collector; you do not need to install it separately.

Install VDI Extension on personal or self-managed devices

For personal or self-managed client devices, make VDI Client Extension available for installation. This lightweight agent provides limited yet valuable client-side metrics without requiring full Collector deployment.

Perform the procedure described in the Installing Nexthink VDI Client Extension documentation.

Test client devices

Corporate-managed devices

For sessions launched from managed client devices, confirm visibility into fields such as:

Round-Trip Time
Client CPU usage
Wi-Fi Signal Strength
Link Speed

While the network RTT is available even if Collector is installed only on the VM, full client performance information requires Collector to be installed on the endpoint. To validate the installation, check that client metrics are reported for the sessions.

If the client device is running Collector and reporting data to your Nexthink instance, its name appears as a link to the Device View, where you can access detailed information and activity.

To check this, run the following query:

vdi_sessions
| with session.vdi_events during past 168h
| compute average_network_rtt = network_rtt.avg(), average_wifi_signal_strength = client.network.wifi_signal_strength.avg(), average_link_speed = client.network.wired_link_speed.avg(), average_client_cpu_usage = client.cpu.normalized_usage.avg(), last_client_plugin_version = client.plugin_version.last()
| list vdi_session.name, device.name, user.name, name, last_client.device.name, last_client_plugin_version, average_network_rtt, average_wifi_signal_strength, average_link_speed, average_client_cpu_usage
| sort last_seen desc

Partner-managed or bring-your-own devices

For sessions launched from externally-managed client devices, confirm visibility into fields such as:

Round-Trip Time
Wi-Fi Signal Strength
Link Speed

While the network RTT is available even if Collector is installed only on the VM, full network performance information requires either Collector or VDI Client Extension to be installed on the client device. To validate the installation, check that networking metrics are reported for the sessions.

If VDI Client Extension is installed, no additional device data is captured and therefore no Device View is available for the client device. In this case, client-related performance information is reported only within the VDI sessions.

To check this, run the following query:

vdi_sessions
| with session.vdi_events during past 168h
| compute average_network_rtt = network_rtt.avg(), average_wifi_signal_strength = client.network.wifi_signal_strength.avg(), average_link_speed = client.network.wired_link_speed.avg(), average_client_cpu_usage = client.cpu.normalized_usage.avg(), last_client_plugin_version = client.plugin_version.last()
| list vdi_session.name, device.name, user.name, name, last_client.device.name, last_client_plugin_version, average_network_rtt, average_wifi_signal_strength, average_link_speed, average_client_cpu_usage
| sort last_seen desc

Last updated 14 days ago

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