Documentation made easy

I want to start this year and the first post to explain the use and need of NetBox!

Netbox is a free and amazing tool to help you with control and documentation of your system. Netbox can help you with IPAM(IP address management), DCIM(Data Center Infrastructure Management)

To get your infrastructure and network automated, one of the most important things is to have single SOT (source of truth). How is the infrastructure looks like right now? To have some of the network documented in excel and other just in vCenter, it will be hard or not possible to automate it. This works good for your home network of for big enterprise companies. Netbox comes from the network engineering team at DigitalOcean.

Netbox is easy to install and use. I don’t explain the process of install here since it’s a lot of good documentations and videos on the web. But I want to just spread the word of this tool. Its has helped me a lot in different project to get control of the network and to start automate the inventory. Netbox come with REST API that you can use with other tool or create your own scripts. Also, NAPALM is 100% integrated that help you with automate the network automation. (Network as Code). NAPLAM stands for “Network Automation and Programmability Abstraction Layer with Multivendor support”. The name is far too long, but the functions give Netbox a flying start that’s absolutely worth to try.

I have tried with successes integrated Netbox with following:

  • Cisco IOS Switches and Routers
  • Cisco Nexus Switches
  • Vmware vCenter

Hope this short information give interest to install Netbox and explore all the possibility it gives.


Read more of the documents for Netbox and NAPALM on the links here:

Netscaler vulnerability permanent fixes

Yesterday Citrix released remaining permanent firmware fixes for the previously identified vulnerability, CVE-2019-19781. To help everyone Citrix has made it available to all customers, regardless of their maintenance entitlement.

Permanent fixes for CVE-2019-19781 ADC versions 13.0, 12.1, 12.0 and 11.1 are available now:
These fixes also apply to Citrix ADC/Gateway Virtual Appliances (VPX) hosted on any of ESX, Hyper-V, KVM, XenServer, Azure, AWS, GCP or on a Citrix ADC Service Delivery Appliance (SDX).

It is necessary to upgrade all Citrix ADC/Gateway for instances running 13.0 (MPX or VPX) to build 13.0.47.24, for instances running 12.1 (MPX or VPX) to build 12.1.55.18, for instances running 12.0 (MPX or VPX) to build 12.0.63.13, for instances running 11.1 (MPX or VPX) to build 11.1.63.15 and for instances running 10.5 (MPX or VPX) to build 10.5.70.12 to install the security vulnerability fixes.

For more details, please refer to CVE KB

If you want more info about this vulnerability I recommend read this article from Thomas Poppelgaard

Vulnerability in Netscaler – from 10.5 today

In October Citrix released a fix versions for a lot of Netscaler (ADC). Since the vulnerability is critical I wanted to mention on my blog.

A vulnerability has been identified in the management interface of Citrix Application Delivery Controller (ADC) formerly known as NetScaler ADC, and Citrix Gateway, formerly known as NetScaler Gateway, that, if exploited, could allow an attacker with access to the management interface to gain administrative access to the appliance.

Citrix support : https://support.citrix.com/article/CTX261055

This vulnerability has been assigned the following CVE number:

  • CVE-2019-18225: Authentication Bypass Vulnerability in the Management Interface of Citrix Application Delivery Controller and Citrix Gateway

This vulnerability affects the following product versions:

  • Citrix ADC and Citrix Gateway version 13.0 earlier than and including build 41.20
  • Citrix ADC and NetScaler Gateway version 12.1 earlier than and including build 54.13
  • Citrix ADC and NetScaler Gateway version 12.0 earlier than and including build 62.8
  • Citrix ADC and NetScaler Gateway version 11.1 earlier than and including build 62.8
  • Citrix ADC and NetScaler Gateway version 10.5 earlier than and including build 70.5

Citrix strongly recommends that customers impacted by this vulnerability upgrade to a version of the Citrix ADC or Citrix Gateway that contains a fix for this issue as soon as possible.

Citrix change name again of products

Synergy 2018, Citrix announced that the change all products name. This is not first time we have heard that. It has taken over 6 months to change all documentation and installation ISO.  If you plan to upgrade some of your Citrix product you need to know the new names. 

For those of you that has not heard about the change, I have created a list of the most common used products:

Old ProductName
New ProductName
XenApp
Citrix Virtual Apps
XenDesktop
Citrix Virtual Desktops
XenServer
Citrix Hypervisor
Receiver
Citrix Workspace App
XenMobile
Citrix Endpoint Management
NetScaler
Citrix ADC
Citrix Unified GatewayCitrix Gateway

Its two name change I want to highlight, XenServer and NetScaler. WHY? XenServer is now Citrix Hypervisor and NetScaler is Citrix ADC. 

First, Citrix Hypervisor, isn’t this a bit to obelus? Boeing does not call the newest flight model for Boeing Airplane. XenServer is well known name and have good reputation. 

Citrix. ADC. I understand. Less, NetScaler is something EVERYONE associate with something good and a product that work well. The Name has been with Citrix since 2005 when Citrix bought NetScaler. NetScaler has been the begin of Citrix Network product and has over all this year been one of the most known Gateway, Load balancing and ADC in the marked. I hope the name will get a comeback in the next 1-2 year as XenApp did 🙂

Self-Service Password Reset on Netscaler

From 12.1 build 50.28 version of Citrix ADC, SSPR can be activated on N-faktor flow. This gives users the ability to reset their own Active Directory passwords securely, from remote.

Prerequisites

Before you configure the self-service password reset, review the following prerequisites:

  • Citrix ADC feature release 12.1, build 50.28.
  • Supported version is minimum 2008 AD domain function level.
  • The ldapBind username bound to the Citrix ADC needs to have write access to the users AD OU.
  • Self-service password reset is supported in nFactor authentication flow only. (Require Enterprise license)

Installation

Citrix has done an great job with the documentation, so I will not create own and only redirect you to Citrix Docs: Citrix Docs – Self-service password reset

Registration flow

Under I try to explain the flow of user registration. It require that you have done all setup steps from Citrix Docs. Go to you login page https://portal.citrixblog.no or something like that. Normal logon form with username and password is shown.

Depend if user has registered personal information earlier or not, it will popup for new user only. If old user want to change or check the information, they can use https://portal.citrixblog.no/register

Both URL will open this form:

User need to choose some questions and add answers. This will be used to reset password if needed.

Password reset flow

This chapter will cover a Password reset workflow. User go to the portal and try to logon. If they has forgotten the password, user can Click Forgot Password.

1. User need to answer question added in the registration and click Log On
2. Enter the email OTP. Once the email OTP validation is successful, the password reset page is displayed.
3. User can now choose a new password and finish with Submit.

Unbind Service from Service Group in NetScaler not work

Error: “No Such Server”- Unbind Service from Service Group in NetScaler

Unbinding a service from the Service Group in the NetScaler GUI is not working.
Error message is “No Such Server” .
Secondly Unbinding it through command line is working.

Solution:
This is a known issue.The above issue would be fixed in 12.0.58+ version.

Check this link for updated status on bug: https://support.citrix.com/article/CTX234015

Change in MAS License assignment

After last updates to MAS, system license assignment has changed. In first release of MAS, the limit will hit when you add number 30 LB/CS/VPN etc.

NetScaler Management and Analytics System (NetScaler MAS) requires a verified NetScaler MAS license to manage and monitor the Citrix NetScaler instances.

You can manage and monitor any number of instances and entities without a license. However, you can only manage 30 discovered applications on the App Dashboard and view analytics data for only 30 virtual servers without applying a license. To manage more than 30 discovered applications or to view analytics for more than 30 virtual servers, you must purchase and apply licenses.

Now the MAS automatic select LB/CS/VPN and use all 30 slots after the Netscaler is added. If you have Netscalers with any LBs and only want to monitor few you need to change this setting:

After this setting is changed, you can then manual select witch LB/CS/VPN you want to add:

For more information around MAS click here

Citrix Synergy – Keynote

Finally is Citrix Synergy here. Keynotes are finished and it time to summarize the highlights.

  • New XenApp & XenDesktop 7.14

Release Date: May 23, 2017

One of the biggest news it Multi-type licensing. Finally can you mix XenApp and XenDesktop license in same controller. After upgrade, you only need 2 DDC to host all your terminal-servers and VDIs.

Citrix Smart Tools formerly known as Citrix Lifecycle Management and Session Recording is now part of VDA installation.

For full list of new feature and fixes.

  • NetScaler Gateway Service from Citrix Cloud
  • Workspace IoT and SmartSpace, let your meeting room be intelligent.
  • Citrix App Layering – Formally known as Unidesk. Still not branded as Citrix, but now available to Citrix Customer.
  • Citrix Analytics is new function that do deep analytics of XenApp, XenDesktop. Big news that will help you to troubleshoot and find the security break

Citrix blog with all updates from both vision and technology keynotes.