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Hello Nutanix EUC Enthusiasts,

I’m learning Enterprise Layer Management (ELM) to layer applications but have learned that ELM does not support app layering of Gen2 VMs with Nutanix AHV—only Hyper-V and VMware.

Currently, Citrix App Layering requires Offload Compositing to the hypervisor to deploy Gen2 VMs. This feature is only supported on vSphere and Hyper-V—leaving AHV admins unable to leverage ELM app layering for Windows 11 deployments that require Secure Boot and TPM.

This raises a few questions:
Compatibility Roadmap
•     Is there a timeline for Citrix ELM to support Offload Compositing on AHV, enabling Gen2 VM app layering deployment?

Nutanix Professional Services offer of App Layering
•     Nutanix offers App Layering as a Professional Service—but how does this work in practice for Windows 11 Gen2 VMs if Citrix ELM isn’t supported on AHV?
•     Are custom workflows or alternate layering strategies or tools used to bypass the ELM limitation?
•     Is there a workaround for layering in AHV-based Citrix environments for Windows 11 VDAs?

Thank you in advance.
Kind regards,
Mike

References:
• System requirements | App Layering

• Professional Services: EUC Advanced Application Layering Deployment

Note: I may have found a work-around—cross-hypervisor packaging 💡

 

Potential Work-Around: Cross‑hypervisor packaging 💡

Build layers on a supported hypervisor (VMware/Hyper‑V) with Offload Compositing, then publish the final image to XenServer/AHV.

I'll try this out in my lab where I have an ESXi host on standby. 👍


*** UPDATE 05SEP2025 ***
This post can be safely ignored as I mis-interpreted the Citrix system requirements documentation—misinterpreting the callouts about offload compositing for VMware and HyperV to mean only those hypervisors supported the technology.

Unrelated OSLayering failures reinforced my interpretation at the time.

"Hypervisors for the appliance

The Enterprise Layer Manager (ELM) runs on a virtual appliance deployed to a supported hypervisor.
* XenServer, versions 6.5, 7.0–7.6, 8.0, 8.1, 8.2, 8.4
* Azure Resource Manager
* Google Cloud
* Microsoft Hyper-V running on Windows Server 2016, Windows Server 2019, Windows Server 2022, or Windows Server 2025.
— Generation 2 Virtual machines are supported when you use the Offload compositing feature.
* Nutanix AOS 6.8, 6.10, 7
* vSphere vCenter, version 7.0 or 8.0 (including subsequent updates)
— Generation 2 Virtual machines are supported on vSphere vCenter version 7.0 or 8.0 (and subsequent updates) when you use the Offload compositing feature."

Source: https://docs.citrix.com/en-us/citrix-app-layering/4/system-requirements

👍 Both AHV and XenServer support composite offloading. 👍

"Offload Compositing: Enables the layer packaging or image publishing process to run on the specified Nutanix server. This feature increases performance and it allows you to use a native disk format and either BIOS or UEFI virtual machines. Enabled by default."

source: https://lnkd.in/efqKN6An

Thank you, David Michael Carty! 🙏
 


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