For the past 3 months I've been involved with a application and xenapp server performance test project, and the platform is running on XenApp 5, and the Platinum package.
When we first started I came across a general question from many of project collegues which was what is the difference between EdgeSight for Load Testing and Citrix EdgeSight Active Application Monitoring.
Well, I did some checking around and got the following answer to this question:

EdgeSight for Load Testing is an automated load and performance testing solution for Citrix XenApp and Presentation Server environments. The product extends the application performance visibility that Citrix EdgeSight for XenApp provides by introducing pre-production application performance tools. There is support for counters(perfmon) like monitoring in ESLT, and also Alarms and a Monitor.

Citrix has released a updated version of EdgeSight for XenApp 5.2.1 and EdgeSight for Endpoints 5.2.1.

Click here to download ( requires a valid MyCitrix.com account )

Many Citrix XenApp deployments include servers that are dedicated to hosting single applications, for compatibility and other reasons. These servers are often under-utilized and are excellent candidates for consolidation via virtualization.
Historically, the benefits of virtualization solutions have been offset by a significant performance overhead, with many fewer users being supported on a virtualized server than on the native (“bare-metal”) system. However, with Citrix XenServer running on high-performance HP ProLiant servers, scalability concerns are being out-weighed by the benefits delivered by this virtualization solution. One of the reasons for these performance enhancements over older-generation servers is the deployment of newer, multi-core AMD Opteron™ or Intel® Xeon® processors, which provide features specifically designed to support virtualization, along with the XenApp optimization built into XenServer1.
The latest server technology, including the powerful combination of the latest multi-core processor technologies and x64 memory enhancements can help you achieve unprecedented scalability in a XenApp environment. However, it can be difficult to make a detailed comparison of server performance in a particular environment – a comparison that is essential if you wish to make a compelling business case for server consolidation.
This paper describes how a Citrix EdgeSight for Load Testing (ESLT) test harness can be used to compare XenApp performance on multiple generations of HP ProLiant server platforms. To characterize the scalability enhancements achieved by each successive generation, ESLT was run with the same workload (XenApp 4.5/Microsoft® Windows® Server 2003 with Microsoft Office 2007 applications) on a range of HP ProLiant server platforms. Test results showed that there has been a 20x gain from an x86 two-socket, single-core HP ProLiant DL380 G2 server (8 users) to an x64, four-socket, six-core HP ProLiant BL680c G5 bare-metal server blade (163 users). The results also showed that, with this latter blade, there was minimal virtualization overhead (160 as opposed to 163 users supported)2.

Click here to download the whitepaper

EdgeSight for load testing provides an efficient and cost effective method of server sizing and application load testing for Citrix XenApp environments. The attached EdgeSight for Load Testing (ESLT) test scripts have been used in many XenApp server-sizing exercises. Review the links below for examples:

• Amazon EC2 Scalability Analysis: CTX122286 - Whitepaper - Amazon EC2 Cloud - XenApp Scalability

• XenApp Server Virtualization Test Toolkit: http://community.citrix.com/display/xs/XenServer+Resource+Kit

• Tolly Report - Citrix XenServer 5: Optimized Performance for XenApp Compared to VMware ESX 3.5u3: http://www.tolly.com/DocDetail.aspx?DocNumber=209103

Prerequisites

• XenApp 4.5 or later

• EdgeSight for Load Testing 3.0 or later

• Microsoft Office 2007 installation CD

Installing the Test Scripts

• The EdgeSight for Load Testing (*.tst) scripts can be opened using EdgeSight for Load Testing 3.0 or later

• Installing Microsoft Office 2007 with the enclosed transform file:

Microsoft Office will be installed using a transform file to ensure consistent settings are applied. To use the enclosed sample Office2007ScalabilityTest.tst script, use the included Exl.Wd.Acc.Ppt.NoOtlk.MSP transform file.

1. Copy your Office 2007 install media to a file share on your network.

2. Copy the Exl.Wd.Acc.Ppt.NoOtlk.MSP file into the Updates subfolder.

3. This MSP file automatically instals and applies office customizations. As part of this customization, you must insert your own license key.

a. Go to your office 2007 directory and run setup.exe /admin.

b. Choose open an existing Setup customization file.

c. Browse to the Updates folder and open Exl.Wd.Acc.Ppt.NoOtlk.MSP.

d. Update the following fields:
Install location: Organization name
Licensing and UI: Product Key

e. Close the Office customization tool and save your changes.

4. Execute the following commands to install Office:
chgusr /install
setup.exe /config .\Enterprise.WW\config.xml

How to Use the Test Scripts

The scripts are designed for three common Microsoft Office applications: Excel 2007, Word 2007, and PowerPoint 2007. Each script takes approximately 10 minutes to run through all of its operations, then loops repeatedly, allowing the user load buildup.

In addition to the ESLT scripts, a Microsoft Office 2007 install transform file has been supplied. The transform modifies the Office installation so that Excel, Word, and PowerPoint are silently installed, and also sets Excel so that the “Opt-in Wizard” is disabled on a user’s first time use of Excel. Office 2007 is not included in this package and must be licensed separately. Further instructions on environment setup can be found in the XenApp Server Virtualization Test Toolkit here: http://community.citrix.com/download/attachments/54591507/XenApp_Server_Virt_Toolkit-1.0.zip?version=1

Security Permissions Required by the Test Scripts

Not applicable

Data Modified by the Test Scripts

• The EdgeSight for Load Testing test scripts do not modify anything on the system.

• The MSP file to be applied installs Excel, Word, Access, and PowerPoint from the Office 2007 suite. In addition, it sets up Excel so that the Opt-in (First Time Use) Wizard is disabled.

How to Undo the Changes Made by the Test Scripts

• EdgeSight for Load Testing can be uninstalled.  At that point, the .tst files will not be able to be run by any other program.

• Office 2007 can be uninstalled, and the MSP file deleted from the Updates directory.

Click here to download the script and read the full article