Cisco integrates Citrix NetScaler into cloud network services portfolio

Cisco has announced the evolution of its network services strategy for virtual and cloud networks by integrating the market-leading Citrix® NetScaler® application delivery controller (ADC) technology into the Cisco unified fabric cloud network services portfolio.

The best-in-class virtual application delivery controller will be tightly coupled into Cisco’s virtual networking framework to provide superior network service provisioning and performance. Citrix NetScaler 1000V will be sold by Cisco and its channel partners worldwide and supported globally by the Cisco Technical Assistance Centre.

Cisco’s cloud network services architecture is designed to simplify and accelerate cloud network deployments without compromising the critical security and application services that key data center applications require. It is comprised of a comprehensive portfolio of integrated, application-aware network services and security offerings designed for virtual and cloud environments. The delivery of Citrix NetScaler 1000V brings intelligent application delivery capabilities to Cisco cloud network services. This unified, integrated approach represents the next evolution in ADC technology, fundamentally changing and uniquely enabling a tight integration with the Cisco network infrastructure that is unmatched by any other ADC on the market.

This technology collaboration delivers on the vision outlined at Citrix Synergy Barcelona in October, 2012 when the two companies announced they would expand their strategic alliance around three pillars: cloud, mobility and networking. Cisco and Citrix are turning the promise of that vision into reality with the first wave of joint innovation around application delivery services.

The joint offering will include the following key capabilities.
· Integrated solution: Bringing Cisco and Citrix technologies together into an integrated solution will help enterprise and service provider customers deliver true cloud service automation, speeding up service deployment and simplifying networking services
· Easy provisioning with Nexus 1000V: Unlike other ADCs, Citrix NetScaler 1000V will integrate with the Cisco Nexus 1100 Cloud Services Platform and vPath service insertion architecture to uniquely link to the Nexus 1000V. Cisco’s vPath technology allows for the seamless insertion of application services – such as NetScaler – into virtual and cloud networks
· Seamless deployment with nexus 7000: As part of the Cisco and Citrix collaboration in next-generation data centre and cloud architectures, the Citrix NetScaler SDX service delivery networking platform and the Citrix NetScaler MPX hardware-based line of ADCs will also attach to the Cisco Nexus 7000 Series switches in the future. This capability will provide customers the benefits of higher resiliency, plug and play installation, improved agility, and increased leverage of both their switching and ADC investments
· Interoperability with broader cloud network services: A full portfolio of virtual services for the Cisco Nexus 1000V virtual networking environment will be available. These include the ASA 1000V Cloud Firewall, Virtual Security Gateway virtual firewall, virtual Wide Area Application Services WAN optimization solution, Cisco Prime virtual Network Analysis Module, and Cloud Services Router 1000V. The portfolio also includes best-of-breed third party virtual services offerings that are seamlessly integrated into the framework. Citrix NetScaler 1000V will seamlessly co-exist and interoperate with the broader Cisco cloud network services family
· Application Delivery in the Unified Data Center: Cloud Network Services form the virtual network services strategy of the broader Cisco unified data centre framework, which brings together a seamless architecture of virtualisation and cloud-ready compute servers (Unified Compute Servers), network fabric (Unified Fabric) and automation platform (Unified Management). This new set of offerings delivers intelligent application delivery services into Cisco’s unified data centre framework
· Simplified Go-to-Market: The two companies are also collaborating on go-to-market initiatives, including the publication of Cisco Validated Design (CVD) reference documents to assist customers gaining full leverage from Cisco’s unified data centre strategy