Citrix NetScaler CloudConnectors Extend Network Fabric to "Last Mile” Cloud Services

Today at Citrix Synergy™, the conference where cloud computing, networking and virtualization meet, Citrix (NASDAQ:CTXS) announced NetScaler® CloudConnectors, an innovative new solution that seamlessly extends the traditional networking footprint beyond the four walls of the enterprise datacenter to points of presence all over the world – creating a true end-to-end "service delivery fabric.” This end-to-end service delivery fabric enables enterprises and internet app and content providers alike to apply a new class of transparent, and easy to deploy, hybrid networking solutions for web, SaaS and mobile applications at the Internet’s "last mile.” NetScaler CloudConnectors are the first solutions in the industry to knit on-premise and off-premise capabilities into a seamless fabric delivering two to three times better optimizations than standalone solutions. Citrix also announced new updates to Citrix CloudBridge, a solution that sits at the "back door” of enterprise datacenters, making it easy for them to connect to extra capacity in the cloud in the most secure, optimized way possible (see graphic).

As the industry transitions from the PC Era to the Cloud Era, today’s modern enterprise is extending its in-house applications to add support for a myriad of SaaS, cloud and mobile services that are extremely dynamic and provide a rich, highly interactive and highly personalized user experience. In the Cloud Era, even the desktop itself is virtualized, and services are delivered from off-premise cloud datacenters, over the internet, to a diverse set of devices that are chosen by the user. In this new era, IT infrastructure must provide a new class of service delivery capabilities that apply traditional application delivery acceleration, security and availability options to any cloud service, delivered from any cloud, to any user. NetScaler CloudConnectors define the new class of hybrid solutions that will be the norm for cloud service delivery in years to come.

Citrix also unveiled the first of its new connectors, the NetScaler CloudConnector for CDN. This offering will provide a hybrid solution that optimizes network links between the datacenter, and the Internet’s "last mile”. NetScaler CloudConnector for CDN is offered in partnership with Cotendo, a leading provider of advanced cloud acceleration and cloud delivery network (CDN) services. NetScaler CloudConnector for CDN is offered alongside services offered by Cotendo, a leading provider of advanced cloud acceleration and cloud delivery network (CDN) services.

What’s New

NetScaler CloudConnector for CDN offers the following benefits:

• Accelerates Dynamic Mobile, Web and SaaS apps: As applications become more dynamic, an increasing proportion of user requests must transit all the way to the data center origin, putting the network link between the CDN PoPs and the data center on the "critical path”. CloudConnector for CDN applies symmetric TCP optimizations, data compression and data deduplication techniques to mitigate latency between the data center and the CDN PoPs, accelerating application response time by up to 5 times.
• Reduces Network Bandwidth Requirements: The same techniques used to mitigate latency and accelerate response time also dramatically reduce data volumes out of the data center. NetScaler CloudConnector for CDN cuts bandwidth needs by up to 95 percent, even for dynamically generated content.
• Preserves Security: For applications where security and privacy are paramount, NetScaler CloudConnector for CDN preserves full data encryption between the CDN PoPs and the origin data center.
• Maintains Transparency: NetScaler CloudConnector for CDN is entirely transparent to in-house applications, SaaS providers and application end-users. Moreover, all off-premise infrastructure is operated and maintained by Cotendo entirely as a service.

New Release of Citrix CloudBridge

Citrix also showcased enhancements to Citrix CloudBridge, making it even easier for enterprise customers to tap into extra capacity in the cloud in a secure, optimized fashion. New enhancements to CloudBridge include:

• IaaS "Cloud Catalog” within NetScaler: Leading cloud providers worldwide will be "pre-certified” for supporting CloudBridge. This provides enterprises a validated list of cloud data centers worldwide that can be easily tapped for additional capacity.
• Simple, "One-sided” Setup: Wizard-driven automation between CloudBridge and leading cloud providers makes it easy for enterprises to extend their networks from entirely within the CloudBridge user interface.
• CloudBridge Citrix Ready Program: Citrix also launched a Citrix Ready certification program, enabling any cloud provider to certify its cloud as "Citrix CloudBridge ready.”

Quotes

Mark Fabbi, Vice President, Distinguished Analyst, Gartner Research

"To fully optimize the delivery of web, mobile and SaaS applications to customers and employees, enterprise IT organizations must look beyond the four walls of the data center. Hybrid networking solutions combining on-premise footprints with off-premise services will emerge as a key component of any enterprise service delivery toolkit.”

Sunil Potti, Vice President and General Manager, Cloud Networking Platforms Group, Citrix

"As our customers transition to the Cloud era and leverage services globally across a multitude of devices, their demands on traditional application delivery have dramatically changed. To meet these new needs, we are happy to announce a game-changing addition of our new NetScaler CloudConnectors. This new solution creates a ‘service delivery fabric’ from the datacenter to the user edge that will deliver five to ten times faster user experiences for web, SaaS, mobile services and desktop delivery. We expect NetScaler CloudConnectors to herald in a new class of `hybrid' cloud networking offerings that will become the norm in years to come.”

Ronni Zehavi, CEO, Cotendo

"The ability to provide end-to-end acceleration between the end user and the data center is a critical step in enabling Enterprises to deliver on the promise of providing employees, partners and other users with a consistent, secure and rewarding experience. Our innovative relationship with Citrix has led to a hybrid network solution which eliminates the silos that exist today between traditional CDNs, advanced cloud-based acceleration services and on-premise application delivery infrastructure. This unique approach brings content providers and large Enterprises a solution that removes the complexity faced by IT departments while expanding the value of their applications and helping to significantly reduce capital expenditures as well as operational expenditures.”

Pricing and Availability

NetScaler CloudConnector for CDN will be available in November 2011. Available as a hybrid solution, NetScaler CloudConnector for CDN requires two components:

• An option added to the NetScaler MPX, VPX or SDX appliance running in the enterprise data center. SRP for this option starts at $5,000.
• A service offered and sold by Cotendo. SRP for this service starts at $500/month.

Additional NetScaler CloudConnectors for optimizing HDX and for hybrid security solutions will be available in 2012.

About Citrix NetScaler

Citrix NetScaler makes applications and cloud-based services run five times better by offloading application and database servers, accelerating application and service performance, and integrating security. Customers looking for a powerful application delivery solution can choose the popular NetScaler MPX hardware appliance, which powers most of the world’s largest enterprises and websites – as well as thousands of small to midsized companies. Organizations requiring the full breadth of NetScaler features in a flexible software form factor can chose the NetScaler VPX virtual appliance. Enterprises and cloud providers that want to deliver applications and services in a virtualized, multi-tenant platform can choose NetScaler SDX.

Related Links

• Expert Blog: "NetScaler CloudConnectors — The Future is a Hybrid” by Morgan Gerhart, Director of Products, Cloud Networking Group at Citrix
• Expert Blog: "Citrix CloudConnector for CDN ... Extend Your Reach to the Internet Edge" by Craig Currum, Global Cloud Networking Architect, Cloud Networking Group at Citrix

• Expert Blog: "Your Logo Here… Enabling Enterprises to Use YOUR Cloud!” by Pete Downing, Principal Product Manager, Netscaler Cloud Bridge and Citrix Cloud Platforms at Citrix

• Partner Announcement: Cotendo and Citrix Accelerate Mobile, Web and SaaS applications with NetScaler CloudConnector for CDN
• Announcement: Citrix Unveils End-to-End Cloud Networking Lineup
• Announcement: Citrix Unveils NetScaler Cloud Bridge, Bringing Infinite Capacity to Enterprise Datacenters
• Announcement: Citrix Drives Mobile Cloud Innovation with Strategic Investment in Cotendo

Follow Us Online

• Twitter: @Citrix, @Netscaler
• Citrix on Facebook

About Citrix

Citrix Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:CTXS) is a leading provider of virtual computing solutions that help people work and play from anywhere on any device. More than 250,000 enterprises rely on Citrix to create better ways for people, IT and business to work through virtual meetings, desktops and datacenters. Citrix virtualization, networking and cloud solutions deliver over 100 million corporate desktops and touch approximately 75 percent of Internet users each day. Citrix partners with over 10,000 companies in 100 countries. Annual revenue in 2010 was $1.87 billion. Learn more at www.citrix.com.

For Citrix Investors

This release contains forward-looking statements which are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The forward-looking statements in this release do not constitute guarantees of future performance. Those statements involve a number of factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, including risks associated with the impact of the global economy and uncertainty in the IT spending environment, revenue growth and recognition of revenue, products and services, their development and distribution, product demand and pipeline, economic and competitive factors, the Company’s key strategic relationships, acquisition and related integration risks as well as other risks detailed in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Citrix assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking information contained in this press release or with respect to the announcements described herein.

The development, release and timing of any features or functionality described for our products remains at our sole discretion and is subject to change without notice or consultation. The information provided is for informational purposes only and is not a commitment, promise or legal obligation to deliver any material, code or functionality and should not be relied upon in making purchasing decisions or incorporated into any contract.

Citrix®, NetScaler®, CloudBridge and CloudConnectors are trademarks or registered trademarks of Citrix Systems, Inc. and/or one or more of its subsidiaries, and may be registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and in other countries. Xen® is a trademark of Citrix Systems, Inc. managed on behalf of Xen.org, and may be registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and in other countries. All other trademarks and registered trademarks are property of their respective owners.

Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=50043303&lang=en