NetScaler
TypePrivate
IndustryNetworking
FoundedDecember 1, 1997; 28 years ago (1997-12-01)[citation needed] in Santa Clara, California, United States
FounderMichel K. Susai
HeadquartersSan Jose, California, United States
Area served
Worldwide
Key peopleTom Krause (CEO)
ParentCloud Software Group
Websitewww.netscaler.com

NetScaler is a line of networking products owned by Cloud Software Group. The products consist of multiple networking tools and services. NetScaler was initially developed in 1997 by Michel K Susai[1] and acquired by Citrix Systems in 2005. Citrix consolidated all of its networking products under the NetScaler brand in 2016.[1] On September 30, 2022, when Citrix was taken private as part of the merger with TIBCO Software, NetScaler was formed as a business unit under the Cloud Software Group.[2]

Overview

The NetScaler line of products are the networking business unit for Cloud Software Group.[2] It includes NetScaler ADCs, NetScaler Unified Gateway, NetScaler AppFirewall, NetScaler Intelligent Traffic Management, and NetScaler Application Delivery Manager.[3][4] The products can work in conjunction with other Cloud Software Group offerings, including its Citrix and Xen line of products.[3]

NetScaler is integrated with OpenStack as part of Cloud Software Group's sponsorship of the OpenStack Foundation.[5]

Products

NetScaler is an application delivery controller (ADC).[6] and described by TechTarget's Michael Otey as "Cloud Software Group’s core networking product".[6] It The product is aimed at business customers and it performs tasks such as traffic optimization, L4-L7 load balancing,[7] and web app acceleration[8][9] while maintaining data security.[10]

NetScaler monitors server health and allocates network and application traffic to additional servers for efficient use of resources.[11][7] It also performs several kinds of caching and compression.[12] It can be made a server proxy, process SSL requests, and offers VPN and micro-app VPN operations. It also includes NetScaler application firewall and SSL encryption capabilities.[12][11] NetScaler ADC can manage traffic during DDoS attacks, making sure traffic gets to critical applications.[10] Additionally, NetScaler's logs of network activity feed into Citrix's cloud-based analytics service and are used to analyze and identify security risks.[13]

There are five versions of NetScaler:[6] NetScaler MPX, a hardware-based appliance for use in data centers;[6] NetScaler SDX, a hardware-based appliance intended for service providers that provides virtualization delivering multitenancy for virtual and cloud-based data centers;[12][14] NetScaler VPX, a software-based application that is implemented as a virtual machine and intended for small business use;[15] and NetScaler CPX, a NetScaler ADC packaged in a container and designed for cloud and microservices applications.[6] NetScaler BLX is a software form factor that runs natively on bare-metal Linux servers, without a hypervisor or container layer.[16]

NetScaler Unified Gateway allows for remote access of virtual desktops and a variety applications from a single point of entry and with single sign-on.[3][17][18]

The NetScaler Application Delivery Management (ADM) is a platform designed for the organization and automation of policy management across devices and applications.[19] The tool is used to manage the various NetScaler products from a single dashboard.[3] The platform also provides analytics.[19]

History

1997 - Entrepreneur Michel K. Susai founded NetScaler December 1, 1997 in San Jose, California.[citation needed] He created NetScaler as a solution for reducing infrastructure during the growth of the Internet in the late 1990s.[20]

2000 - NetScaler ships the first product, WebScaler 3000.

2001 - The company repositioned NetScaler as a security and optimization tool in 2001.[20] NetScaler releases a load balancer.

2002 - The release of NetScaler 9000, a load balancer with integrated SSL and compression offload.

2004 – NetScaler offers a load balancer with support for SSLVPN. Security Weekly calls the NetScaler RS9800HA-T "[..]the fastest unit in the test" and recommends the product.[21]

By 2005, NetScaler estimated 75 percent of Internet users used its systems through clients including Google and Amazon.[9] Citrix acquired NetScaler in 2005 for approximately $300 million in cash and stock.[9]

2006 – NetScaler offers the 11000 series.[22]

2007 – NetScaler offers the MPX-17xxx series systems, the first NetScaler with 10G connectivity.

2008/2009 – NetScaler transitions from the uniprocessor to the multiprocessor packet engine implementation.

2009 - NetScaler introduced the VPX edition the following year.[15]

2011 - NetScaler offers the MPX-115xx series of systems. NetScaler also releases the SDX, a multi-tenant ADC hardware platform.[12]

2016 - Citrix transitioned all of its delivery products under the NetScaler brand.[3][19]

Security issues

Citrix Bleed

In 2023, reports emerged of cyber criminals exploiting a vulnerability in Citrix NetScaler and the French Agence Nationale de la Cybersécurité issued advisories to correct "Citrix Bleed".[23][24][25]

References

  1. ^ a b Justia (September 29, 2015). "Netscaler Founder Michel K Susai". Justia. Retrieved 29 September 2015.
  2. ^ a b "Press Release Citrix TIBCO Merger Complete - Cloud Software Group". www.cloud.com. Retrieved 2023-02-15.
  3. ^ a b c d e Simon Sharwood (May 25, 2016). "Citrix dodges death, returns with bigger XenServer and NetScaler". The Register. Retrieved 6 December 2016.
  4. ^ Dix, John (2016-04-18). "Introducing the new Citrix". Network World. Retrieved 2023-02-15.
  5. ^ "Citrix joins OpenStack, aims at interoperability in the cloud- The Inquirer". 2015-07-08. Archived from the original on 2015-07-08. Retrieved 2023-02-15.
  6. ^ a b c d e Michael Otey (August 2016). "Citrix's new NetScaler CPX brings container technologies to developers". TechTarget. Retrieved 16 December 2016.
  7. ^ a b Darryl Linington (May 26, 2016). "Citrix Showcases Cloud-first Innovations at Citrix Synergy 2016". IT News Africa. Retrieved 16 December 2016.
  8. ^ Mikael Ricknäs (August 27, 2013). "Citrix integrates Netscaler with VMware's network virtualization platform". PC World. Retrieved June 14, 2017.
  9. ^ a b c Stacy Cowley (June 6, 2005). "Gaining speed, Citrix buys NetScaler". Network World. Retrieved 4 February 2015.
  10. ^ a b Stan Gibson (May 12, 2015). "NetScaler: Making the Mobile Enterprise Happen". CIO magazine. Archived from the original on 31 January 2016. Retrieved 19 December 2016.
  11. ^ a b Carlos A Soto (May 5, 2011). "NetScaler load balancer can squash network latency". GCN. Retrieved 16 December 2016.
  12. ^ a b c d Robin Wauters (May 16, 2011). "Product Launch: Citrix NetScaler SDX". Virtualization.com. Retrieved 15 December 2016.
  13. ^ Lynn Greiner (May 29, 2017). "More companies are using artificial intelligence and analytics to fight against cyber threats". Financial Post. Retrieved 19 June 2017.
  14. ^ Timothy Prickett Morgan (October 10, 2011). "Citrix pushes the pedal on NetScaler appliance metal". The Register. Retrieved 16 December 2016.
  15. ^ a b Timothy Prickett Morgan (September 23, 2009). "Citrix ships virtual NetScaler accelerator". The Register. Retrieved 15 December 2016.
  16. ^ "About NetScaler BLX | NetScaler BLX 14.1". docs.netscaler.com. Retrieved 2026-09-02.
  17. ^ Bas van Kaam (September 23, 2014). "Citrix NetScaler Gateway, the basics!". Retrieved 16 February 2017.
  18. ^ Brian Posey (October 31, 2016). "Three benefits Citrix NetScaler Unified Gateway delivers to VDI shops". Search Virtual Desktop. Retrieved 23 March 2017.
  19. ^ a b c Natalie Gagliordi (May 24, 2016). "Citrix unwraps XenApp, XenDesktop 7.9, adds centralized analytics to NetScaler". ZDNet. Retrieved 6 December 2016.
  20. ^ a b pisbcredenz (July 5, 2015). "Challenges we tackled while interviewing Michel Susai". WordPress. Retrieved 5 July 2015.
  21. ^ Staff, S. C. (2004-01-01). "Netscaler RS9800HA-T". SC Media. Retrieved 2023-02-15.
  22. ^ Greene, Tim (2008-04-28). "Citrix, A10 bolster application delivery gear". Network World. Retrieved 2023-02-15.
  23. ^ ZDNet, Extern (2023-11-27). "Comment les cybercriminels font leur miel de la faille Citrix Bleed". ZDNET (in French). Retrieved 2025-02-02.
  24. ^ "Attention aux tentatives d'exploitation de la vulnérabilité " Citrix Bleed " de Citrix NetScaler" (in French). 02/11/2023 L'Agence Nationale de la Cybersécurité ANCS sollicite votre vigilance face à des tentatives d'exploitation de la vulnérabilité « Citrix Bleed » :CVE-2023-4966. En effet, cette vulnérabilité pourrait permettre à un attaquant de prendre le contrôle des sessions d'utilisateurs légitimes sur NetScaler ADC et NetScaler Gateway pour procéder à une reconnaissance du réseau, voler les informations d'identification des comptes et se déplacer latéralement dans le réseau via RDP.
  25. ^ "'Mass exploitation' of Citrix Bleed as ransomware moves in". Archived from the original on 2025-01-25. Retrieved 2025-02-02.