Network metrics monitoring for Citrix Gateway service - Preview
Network metrics monitoring for Citrix Gateway service enables administrators to view session details, latency breakdowns, and other key network metrics. This enables effective troubleshooting and remediation of HDX sessions, including latency breakdowns across hops, a capability previously unavailable to customers. The network metrics provide admins a complete visibility into HDX traffic flowing between the Citrix Workspace app, Virtual Delivery Agent (VDA), and Citrix Gateway service.
Supported platforms and versions
The following table lists the platforms and the versions that support network metrics monitoring:
| Component | Platform | Supported version |
|---|---|---|
| Citrix Workspace app | Windows | 2411 or later |
| Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops | Windows | 2411 or later |
Prerequisites
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Admin must enable the Network telemetry policy in Citrix Studio or Web Studio. For more information, see Create policies.
Monitor the network metrics for Citrix Gateway service in DaaS Monitor
In DaaS Monitor, the Session Performance tab provides a visual representation of network metrics, enabling administrators to access real-time latency data, historical reports, and comprehensive performance insights for troubleshooting. The availability of both real-time and historical data supports various use cases for customers using Citrix Gateway service. For more information, see Diagnose Session Performance issues.
Troubleshooting performance issues using network metrics
The following table provides a list of network metrics that the admin can monitor in DaaS Monitor to diagnose performance issues.
| Network Metrics | Description |
|---|---|
| Client side retransmits | Indicates the number of packets retransmitted between the PoP and the user’s endpoint. A high value of this metric indicates high bandwidth utilization or link issues. |
| ICA RTT | High RTT indicates network congestion or distance-related delays and impacts user experience. |
| Jitter | High jitter leads to inconsistent performance and smoothness of applications. |
| L4 metrics | For the list of L4 metrics, see Current/Terminated Sessions Report. |
| Layer 4 client-PoP latency | Indicates which network hop in the session contributes to the most delay, helping the admin to focus more on that area.
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| Layer 4 PoP-server latency | |
| L7 client latency | Indicates the L7 layer latency (application-level processing time, the seventh layer on OSI model) measured using ICA probes and responses sent between Citrix Workspace app and the host on client side. |
| L7 server latency | Indicates the L7 layer latency (application-level processing time, the seventh layer on OSI model) measured using ICA probes and responses sent between Citrix Workspace app and the host on server side. |
| Network latency | Indicates the breakdown of the network latency, which can be compared to ICA latency and ICA RTT for isolation of issues. |
| QoS | Indicates the amount of packet loss in percentage. Even small amounts of loss can degrade performance significantly. |
| Server side retransmits
|
Indicates the number of packets retransmitted between the PoP and the back-end server (VDA). A high value of this metric indicates a network issue within the data center.
Note: Only for rendezvous, the VDA might have server retransmits. |
| Throughput (bps) | Indicates network bandwidth used. High utilization indicates congestion and bottlenecks. |
Benefits
The visual representation of network metrics offers the following benefits, helping administrators effectively troubleshoot issues in HDX sessions:
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Reduce the mean time to resolve (MTTR).
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Reduce support costs with minimized escalations.
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Unified troubleshooting experience for HDX session performance.
Key features
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Comprehensive insights: Admins receive detailed network metrics, aiding in analysis, informed decision-making, and proactive issue resolution.
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L7 latency monitoring: To improve network diagnostics, the enhanced network metrics monitoring allows Citrix Gateway service to calculate the L7 latency for each of the following hops:
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First hop or front-end hop from Citrix Workspace to Citrix Gateway service.
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Second hop or back-end hop from Citrix Gateway service to VDA.
The L7 latency monitoring enables the admin to identify and resolve the performance issues by monitoring application-level processing time.
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Transport layer independence: The network metrics monitoring for Citrix Gateway service happens consistently independent of the transport layer in use (TCP and EDT).
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Data security: TLS/DTLS encryption ensures that the network metrics are transmitted securely over the internet, maintaining confidentiality and integrity.