Thinapp starting slow when integrating to horizon manager

[cstonimaatta]

Hi,

I just did test with notepad++ and thinapped it with and without horizon app manager integration.

Without app manager integration, notepad++ starts nicely from network share, but app manager version takes about  30-40 seconds to start.

Does anyone has any ideas what might cause this ?

Thanks.

[Linjo]

Hi Toni.

Can the desktop resolve certificates correctly or is it a a closed enviroment?

// Linjo

[pbjork]

The Horizon Agent must be able to resolve two DNS records..

The Horizon Agent requires Internet Access

1. Agent tries to resolve verisign.com and windowsupdate.com

2. This slows down ThinApp launch (DNS time out)

3. In an isolated environment create dummy DNS zones for these domains and the ThinApp packages should now launch fast

[cstonimaatta]

Ok, I'll try that out.

But why it tries that ? Will new version do that as well ?

Thanks

[pbjork]

On question A I have to answer: I don't know.. and on question B: I don't know.  

Please update with the result..

[cstonimaatta]

Hi,

Actually DNS worked ok and desktop can resolve both of those addresses so that's not the case here.

But it feels like that something is timing out but it's pretty hard to find why. any suggestions where to look that ?

I'm not using SSL, since it's a test environment, so certificates shouldn't be a problem.. ?

Thanks.

[cstonimaatta]

Hi,

I wiresharked this and found out that it does do DNS-queries to couple verisign.com addresses and www.download.windowsupdate.com

On my environment DNS worked fine, but the problem was that it tries to establish http-connection to some verisign -addresses and that caused the

slowness.

... just wondering, WHY...

anyway I just create *.verisign.com to my DNS-server and pointed those out to my horizion server so it replies with http..

[Linjo]

Well done finding this Toni, thanks!
This is new to all of us and we are learning by doing and you have probably saved a lot of people some troubleshooting-time.

I don't know why it tries to resolve these but I will try to find out.

// Linjo

[jeremym]

Hi. I am now having the exact same issue.

I have a fully offline, isolated Horizon test lab.

I am also having the 40-80 second delay in launching ThinApp packages via Horizon Applications.

I read the thread, and am trying to do what cstonimaatta and Linjo have done to compensate. But, I must have it wrong.

When you, Tony, say you "pointed those out to my horizion server server so it replies with http" ...

What exactly did you do? Here's what I did (which isn't working.) Can you please point me in the right direction?

Here is my (fake) verisign.com zone: http://screencast.com/t/Lj03pKZfhL

Here is my (fake) windowsupdate.com zone: http://screencast.com/t/KWx4BcbtWY

From the client, it resolves perfectly.. http://screencast.com/t/l7ztdrsgfPjp

Should I not be pointing these toward the gateway, and instead some other server?

Please advise.. Thanks in advance !!

[Lensar]

Right.

[Lensar]

Create dummy DNS zones in you AD, and add two DNS records in your DNS domain.

Make sure your Horizon client can resolve verisign.com and windowsupdate.com.

[jeremym]

I'm unclear what the difference between "dummy" DNS zones is ... (what you're telling me to do).. versus..

What I did..

Please be specific, and or show me some screenshots as to what you mean when you say "dummy" zones.

I feel I have done this, and my clients absolutely can resolve verisign and windowsupdate with what I did.

Thanks in advance.

[Lensar]

Oh. I setup the workspace demo in a standalone enviroment without Internet access. My client can't resolve the real DNS of verisign.com and windowsupdate.com. So I added those two records in my private DNS which I called "Dummy".

[jeremym]

We did the same thing: 100% offline test lab.

Then, making two "dummy" DNS entries for each zone is what I feel what I did..

Again: Here's what I did (which isn't working.)

Here is my (fake) verisign.com zone: http://screencast.com/t/Lj03pKZfhL

Here is my (fake) windowsupdate.com zone: http://screencast.com/t/KWx4BcbtWY

From the client, it resolves perfectly.. http://screencast.com/t/l7ztdrsgfPjp

Are you able to see my mistake?

I hope so, because again, all Thinapp launches are still very slow.

Thanks in advance.

[Lensar]

Private DNS Zone.

Windows 7 Client with Horizon workspace agent installed.

[pbjork]

This is not the way to setup your DNS. You have created a .com zone and then two entries in that zone. It should be two separate zones. One for verisign.com and one for windowsupdate.com. No entries at all should be created in the zones.. This way a DNS request will be handled by your internal DNS server for those zones but immediately the client will get a host name unknown.. With your current setup you still have a time out..

Please see attached screen shot..

[jeremym]

Linus: I feel that's what I'm doing in my own screenshots above.

Can you carefully examine and help me understand the differences between what you're doing (that works) and what I'm doing (which isn't working.)

Thanks in advance.

[Lensar]

My demo worked fine. All the ThinApps including Microsoft Office and Adobe Reader launch quickly.