For some time now system administrators have struggled with presenting users in a terminal server environment with a Windows 7 type workstation without deploying a full VDI (Virtual Desktop Infrastructure) solution.  Now with Citrix XenApp 6.5, employees using a shared server desktop can instead be given a desktop that mimics the look and feel of a full Windows 7 machine.

The technology is titled "Windows Desktop Experience Integration", and it can be installed via the Server Role Manager.  The process for enabling and deploying this solution is very simple.  When Windows Desktop Experience Integration is installed, a PowerShell script called "New-CtxManagedDesktopGPO.ps1" is placed in the "Program Files (x86)\Citrix\App Delivery Setup Tools" directory.  Launch this script and four new Group Policy objects will be added to your Microsoft Group Policy Manager application.  The policy titled "CtxStartMenuTaskbarUser" will enable the Windows 7 user experience.  Link this policy to the OU containing your XenApp servers with published desktops, and you are good to go.  The other three policies allow for more granular user/computer management in the XenApp session.