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If you measure Citrix performance, there's plenty of information available depending on your needs:
Citrix Server Performance

  1. View a Citrix server performance top list
  2. View IP traffic on a Citrix server
  3. View processes that run on a Citrix server (see also Computer Process Table)
  4. View usage counters (CPU, memory, ...) for a Citrix server
  5. Compare all Citrix servers

Citrix Session Activity & Quality

  1. View Citrix session activity
  2. View Citrix session activity on subnets
  3. View Citrix session quality
  4. Compare Citrix session quality trends
  5. Compare Citrix session quality against latency, application data, etc.
  6. View Citrix session traffic, latency and startup times
  7. Find users who've had Citrix sessions with a period of time

Citrix Performance Measurement
Citrix® measurements differ from a normal PerformanceGuard setup by not having PerformanceGuard agents installed on client computers, but instead having them installed on the Citrix servers. This is because the ICA protocol used by Citrix doesn't follow the request-response pattern that's the basis of PerformanceGuard response time measurement.
An extract from www.citrix.com explains:
Citrix ICA stands for Citrix® Independent Computing Architecture. It is the "thin" protocol that enables Citrix to separate screen updates and user input processing from the rest of the application's logic. When using a Citrix ICA Client, all application logic executes on the server and only screen updates, mouse movements and keystrokes are transmitted via the Citrix ICA session.
PerformanceGuard Citrix measurement is supported from Citrix MetaFrame on Terminal Server Edition, Advanced Server and Windows 2003 Server.
A Typical Citrix Environment

A typical Citrix environment that consists of ICA Clients on users' computers, Citrix servers as well as SAP, mail and file servers. The Citrix servers—not the clients—have PerformanceGuard agents that send performance data to PerformanceGuard.
What Does PerformanceGuard Measure on Citrix Systems?
PerformanceGuard agents on Citrix servers are able to measure:

  1. The quality of Citrix sessions in terms of:
    1. Latency in milliseconds, that is the time it takes for packets to travel from the client to the Citrix server and back
    2. Total number of bytes sent from the Citrix server
    3. Total number of bytes received by the Citrix server
    4. Maximum number of bytes sent from the Citrix server per second
    5. Maximum number of bytes received by the Citrix server per second
  2. Citrix session startup time: The time in milliseconds between the user connecting to the Citrix and the user being logged in to the Citrix session.
  3. Processes that run on the Citrix server.

View Citrix Performance Information
If you measure Citrix performance, there's plenty of information available depending on your needs:

  1. Citrix server performance top list
  2. IP traffic on a Citrix server
  3. Processes that run on a Citrix server (see also Computer Process Table)
  4. Usage counters (CPU, memory, ...) for a Citrix server
  5. Compare all Citrix servers
  6. Citrix session activity
  7. Citrix session activity on subnets
  8. Citrix session quality
  9. Compare Citrix session quality trends
  10. Citrix session traffic, latency and startup times
  11. Compare Citrix session quality against latency, application data, etc.
  12. Users who've had Citrix sessions with a period of time

Citrix Top X List
The Citrix top-x list (ANALYZE > Citrix > Top X List) gives a quick performance overview of a single Citrix server, groups of Citrix servers, or all Citrix servers.
If you select which Citrix server(s) and interval to center your query around, the results in the top-x list can help you pinpoint local problems on specific servers or server groups.

  1. Select required Citrix server.
  2. Select the required Interval (that is the period of time that you want to cover). If the predefined intervals don't suit you, select Custom to specify your own interval.
  3. Select the type of data that you want to base the list on:
    1. Login Time (ms): The longest session login time, measured in milliseconds. The login time is calculated as the time span from the ICA Client makes the initial connect to the Citrix server and until the ICA Client is logged in and ready to run applications on the Citrix server.
    2. Duration (m): The longest sessions, measured in minutes.
    3. Average Latency (ms): The longest latency, measured in milliseconds. The values used for the list cover the average latency for the entire session. Latency is the delay on the network from a request leaves the server until the request is received on the client. Latency is a combination of the quality of the network and the physical distance between the Citrix server and the ICA Client.
    4. Total Sent Bytes: The total amount of traffic (measured in bytes) sent from the Citrix server to the ICA Client.
    5. Total Received Bytes: The total amount of traffic (measured in bytes) sent from the ICA Client to the Citrix server.
  4. Select how many lines you want in the list, for example a top 10 list.
  5. Click the Lookup button.

The creation of the top-x list can be a lengthy operation due to the potentially very large amount of data to process. This is particularly true if you select a long interval, and/or if you select all Citrix servers.
Click the Citrix session graph links in the right side of the top-x list to view Quality of Service graphs for individual sessions.
Is performance good or bad? That depends on the type of work that you do in your organization, but you can often follow our rules of thumb.
Citrix IP Traffic Table
The Citrix IP Traffic table (ANALYZE > Citrix > Activity > IP-Traffic) provides a list of IP traffic on a Citrix server.

  1. Select required Citrix server.
  2. Select the required Interval (that is the period of time that you want to cover). If the predefined intervals don't suit you, select Custom to specify your own interval.
  3. Click the Update button.

Click an IP address or hostname in the table's hostname field to view IP traffic by application for the host in question.
Citrix Process Table
The Citrix Process table (ANALYZE > Citrix > Activity > Processes) provides a list of processes running on a Citrix server. Only the most resource-heavy (CPU and memory) processes are shown (as defined in the configuration for the configuration group to which the agent installed on the Citrix server belongs.)

  1. Make sure that you have clicked next to the text Citrix processes.
  2. Select required Citrix server.
  3. Select the required Interval (that is the period of time that you want to cover). If the predefined intervals don't suit you, select Custom to specify your own interval.
  4. Click the Update button.

Citrix Usage Graph
The Citrix Usage graph (ANALYZE > Citrix > Graphs > Usage) is basically the same as a Computer Usage graph. However, you can only select Citrix servers.

  1. Select required type of usage, for example CPU usage or sent bytes.
  2. Select required Citrix server.
  3. Select the required Interval (that is the period of time that you want to cover). If the predefined intervals don't suit you, select Custom to specify your own interval.

Usage data is deleted on a regular basis, by default after one week.

  1. The samples in the graph will by default be Automatic. If you don't want this you can select Connect All or set them to Disconnect All .

Connected samples
Disconnected samples

  1. Click the Update button.

The graph automatically shows both average and peak values.
Citrix Servers Histogram
The Citrix Servers histogram (ANALYZE > Citrix > Histograms > Servers) gives you an overview of all your Citrix servers, or a group of Citrix servers, with respect to things like CPU usage and number of active sessions.

  1. Select required Citrix server.
  2. In the Primary Type menu, select the data set that you want to cover in the graph.
    1. CPU Usage, 90th Percentile: Calculates the CPU usage in the busiest 10% of the time.

Example: If you are looking at a period of 24 hours, the CPU usage is at least this value in 2.4 hours of the period.

    1. Free Memory, 10th Percentile: Calculates the amount of free memory in the busiest 10% of the time.

Example: If you are looking at a period of 24 hours, the available memory is at most this value in 2.4 hours of the period.

    1. Max. Active Sessions: The maximum number of active Citrix sessions.
    2. Avg. Active Sessions: The average number if active Citrix sessions.
    3. Avg. Session Startup Time: The average Citrix session startup time. The session startup time includes time for authorizing user and creating the Citrix session, but excludes subsequent startup of applications.
  2. The histogram will include a top-x list of servers. For example, if you selected CPU Usage in the previous step, the histogram will include a list of the servers that used the most CPU. In the Top X field, select how many servers you want such a list to cover, for example a top 10 list.
  3. Select the required Interval (that is the period of time that you want to cover). If the predefined intervals don't suit you, select Custom to specify your own interval.
  4. Click the Update button.

Citrix Sessions Table
The Citrix Sessions table (ANALYZE > Citrix > Activity > Sessions) gives you a simple listing of Citrix activity.

  1. Select required Citrix server.
  2. Select the required Interval (that is the period of time that you want to cover). If the predefined intervals don't suit you, select Custom to specify your own interval.
  3. Select how you want the list to be sorted, for example descending by time stamp.
  4. Click the Update button.

Citrix Subnets Histogram
The Citrix Subnets histogram (ANALYZE > Citrix > Histograms > Subnets) gives you an overview of the Citrix session activity on your subnets.

  1. Select required Citrix server.
  2. Select required subnet.
  3. In the Primary Type menu, select the data set that you want to cover in the graph.
    1. Latency: The average Citrix latency, measured in milliseconds.
    2. Max. Active Sessions: The maximum number of active Citrix sessions.
    3. Avg. Active Sessions: The average number of active Citrix sessions.
  4. The histogram will include a top-x list of subnets. For example, if you selected Latency in the previous step, the histogram will include a list of the subnets that experienced the most latency. In the Top X field, select how many subnets you want such a list to cover, for example a top 10 list.
  5. Select the required Interval (that is the period of time that you want to cover). If the predefined intervals don't suit you, select Custom to specify your own interval.
  6. Click the Update button.

Is performance good or bad? That depends on the type of work that you do in your organization, but you can often follow our rules of thumb.
Citrix Sessions Quality of Service
You can view details about the quality of individual Citrix sessions:

  1. On the Citrix Top X list (ANALYZE > Citrix > Top X List), perform a search and then click one of the Citrix session graph links in the right side of the top-x list to view Quality of Service graphs for the selected session.
  2. The graph will by default show latency information. You can change this on the neighboring Setup tab, where you can select between latency, sent bytes or received bytes. Remember to click the Update button after making any changes.

Is performance good or bad? That depends on the type of work that you do in your organization, but you can often follow our rules of thumb.
Citrix Trend Graph
The Citrix Trend graph (ANALYZE > Citrix > Graphs > Trend Graph) lets you compare various types of Citrix session quality trend data.

  1. Select required Citrix server. Then select required Citrix domain and required ICA Clients (either all clients or clients at a particular location or network).
  2. Then select the data sets that you want to cover in the graph. You can specify a Primary Type data set as well as an optional Secondary Type data set. With two data sets, you are able to compare different data, for example latency and total sent bytes.
  3. Select the required Interval (that is the period of time that you want to cover). If the predefined intervals don't suit you, select Custom to specify your own interval.
  4. The samples in the graph will by default be Automatic. If you don't want this you can select Connect All or set them to Disconnect All .

Connected samples
Disconnected samples

  1. Select required trend period.

Example: If you select Day, the graph will display one data point per day.

  1. Click the Update button.

Is performance good or bad? That depends on the type of work that you do in your organization, but you can often follow our rules of thumb.
Citrix Server Graph
The Citrix Server graph (ANALYZE > Citrix > Graphs > Server Graph) lets you compare Citrix session quality data with other types of session quality data, network application data, or against usage counters (CPU, memory, context switches, ...).

  1. Select required Citrix server. Then select required Citrix domain and required ICA Clients (either all clients or clients at a particular location or network).
  2. Then select the data sets that you want to cover in the graph. You can specify a Primary Type data set as well as an optional Secondary Type data set. With two data sets, you are able to compare different data, for example latency and response time. Primary and secondary data set types are described in more detail in the following.
  3. Select the required Interval (that is the period of time that you want to cover). If the predefined intervals don't suit you, select Custom to specify your own interval.
  4. The samples in the graph will by default be Automatic. If you don't want this you can select Connect All or set them to Disconnect All .

Connected samples
Disconnected samples

  1. Click the Update button.

Is performance good or bad? That depends on the type of work that you do in your organization, but you can often follow our rules of thumb.
Primary Type
The Primary Type data set can be one of the explicitly measured quality values (Latency, Round Trip, Band with, etc.). Alternatively, it can be an implicit value, such as the number of sessions or one of the usage counters.
Note that the number of types available will change depending on the type of the selected Citrix server (All, groups of servers or single servers can be selected).
Setting up Citrix server graph parameters for primary data type (Latency)
Secondary Type
The Secondary Type data set can—in addition to the types for the primary data set—also represent application data.
If you select Application data, three new selection options appear: Application data type, Server and Port.
Make your selections in the same way as when selecting values for a basic time view graph: That is servers and ports are limited to the server and ports that are currently being monitored.
Note that the number of types available will change depending on the type of the selected Citrix server (All, groups of servers or single servers can be selected).
Setting up Citrix server graph parameters for secondary data type (Application data). In this example, the response time of a server is compared with latency.
Citrix Sessions Histogram
The Citrix Sessions histogram (ANALYZE > Citrix > Histograms > Sessions) shows the number of Citrix sessions within time intervals, defined by ICA traffic, latency or session startup time.

  1. Select required Citrix server. Then select required Citrix domain and required ICA Clients (either all clients or clients at a particular location or network).
  2. In the Primary Type menu, select the data set that you want to cover in the graph.
    1. ICA traffic (B/s): The sum of outgoing and incoming traffic for this session, measured in bytes per second
    2. Latency (ms): The average latency for the session, measured in milliseconds.
    3. Session startup time (ms): The time it took to start the session, measured in milliseconds.
  3. The histogram will include a top-x list of users. For example, if you selected Latency in the previous step, the histogram will include a list of the users that experienced the most latency. In the Top X field, select how many users you want such a list to cover, for example a top 10 list.
  4. Select the required Interval (that is the period of time that you want to cover). If the predefined intervals don't suit you, select Custom to specify your own interval.
  5. Click the Update button.

Is performance good or bad? That depends on the type of work that you do in your organization, but you can often follow our rules of thumb.
Citrix User Search
Citrix User Search (ANALYZE > Citrix > User Search) lets you find users who have had Citrix sessions within a given period of time.
You can narrow your search by specifying:

  1. Citrix Server.
  2. User name (or a part of it).
  3. Domain (or a part of it).
  4. Interval. If the predefined intervals don't suit you, select Custom to specify your own interval.
  5. ICA Client IP address.

In the search results, you can expand the list of sessions if you click the required link in Session count column.
The expanded view contains detailed session information, such as when and where a user has logged in.
Citrix Session Quality Of Service
If you click the Citrix session graph link in the right side of the session list, you can delve even deeper into data for the selected session. The session parameters automatically reflect the selected session.
Select required data type and interval, and click the Update button to view the required QoS graph.

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