Citrix NetScaler: Discover the Basic Concepts

In our earlier blogs, we have described Citrix products like XenApp, XenDesktop, XenServer, and, XenMobile. In continuation of our discussion on Citrix products, let us move forward and learn about NetScaler.  
 

NetScaler is a line of products released by Citrix Systems. The products include NetScaler ADC, NetScaler Unified Gateway, NetScaler AppFirewall, NetScaler SD-WAN, and NetScaler Management & Analytics System.
 

In brief, NetScaler enables the apps and the cloud-based services to run five times faster by accelerating the app and service performance, offloading the database servers and the app, and security integration. With the help of NetScaler, the enterprises are able to make the cloud as their network’s transparent extension.
 

The organizations are able to extend their existing on-premises processes or the tooling to the cloud-based services.
 

Features of NetScaler:

A few of the most important features of the latest NetScaler version 11 includes:

• Unified Gateway
• Media Classification
• Partition Administration
• TCP Nile Congestion Algorithm
• Jumbo Frames support for VPX
• Web-front
• Portal theme configuration
• Authentication dashboard
• HTTP/ 2 support

Know About NetScaler Platforms and Editions:
 

NetScaler, being the industry’s web or the application delivery controller maximizes the availability and performance of all the applications and data, provide access to the application from any of the devices at remote in a secure manner.
 

It is deployed in the front of web and database servers. It combines almost everything on the single comprehensive platform like the high-speed load balancing, content switching, content caching, data compression, SSL acceleration, optimization of the network, application visibility, and security on the single and comprehensive platform.
 

The NetScaler platforms include:
 

• Hardware: NetScaler MPX; NetScaler SDX
• Softwares: NetScaler VPX; NetScaler CPX
• Cloud: NetScaler Cloud
   

The NetScaler MPX is meant for hardware-based app delivery appliances with a performance level of 500 Mbps-200 Gbps. It is best recommended for

Source: https://www.citrix.com/products/netscaler-adc/platforms.html
 

• Managing the web applications having gigabits of traffic.
• Load balancing of small enterprises
• Flex tenancy
• Web application security
   

The NetScaler SDX is meant for hardware-based appliances. It consolidates for 115 NetScaler instances managed independently with a performance up to 200 Gbps. It is best recommended to:

Source:  https://www.citrix.com/products/netscaler-adc/platforms.html
 

• Consolidate multiple load balancers
• Provide flexible multi-tenancy
• The service providers who require isolated tenants
• Simplify the application rollouts

The NetScaler VPX is meant for the software-based virtual appliances running on the hypervisors exhibiting a performance of 10 Mbps to 100 Gbps. It is best recommended for:

Source: https://www.citrix.com/products/netscaler-adc/platforms.html
 

• Hybrid cloud infrastructure
• Load balancing public cloud environment
• Replace hardware load balancers
• Utilize NetScaler in non-production environments
• Architect scalable multi-tenant infrastructures
• Application delivery for small businesses and the enterprises.

The NetScaler CPX is meant for the Docker containerized load balancer. It gives support for multi-cloud and on-premise environments. It is best recommended to:

Source: https://www.citrix.com/products/netscaler-adc/platforms.html
 

• Support containerized applications
• Migrate to a microservice architecture
• Provide developers and the DevOps teams with load balance
   

The NetScaler Cloud is meant for developing, testing, and for product delivery in the hybrid cloud environment.

The NetScaler products come with three editions namely standard, enterprise, and the platinum. The apt ones could be chosen by determining the functional needs of the physical/virtual appliance platform that meet the performance needs.   

Standard Edition: It delivers the reliable application availability; features for robust performance and optimization, L4-7 load balancing in a comprehensive manner and secure remote access.
 

Platinum Edition: It comes with special features for security, accelerates the application capabilities, improves the management, and the visibility resources.

Enterprise Edition: It is recommended for clustering support, manages traffic in an advanced manner, delivers strong security features, extended optimizations, SSO, and more.

NetScaler Architecture/Components:

Source: Implementing NetScaler VPX™ By Marius Sandbu
 

With reference to the diagram, the content is delivered to the users in several ways. The NetScaler uses the nCore architecture. It facilitates the intelligent load balance of SSL operations. This brings the handling of SSL traffic in a faster way. It includes the following.
 

Intelligent load balancing of SSL chips: The nCore architecture facilitates the packet engines for load balancing the SSL operations in a more intelligent way between the available chips.
 

Multiple Queues: Multiple SSL operations are queued up for each chip so as to utilize the chip hardware capabilities.
 

SSL card optimization: It optimizes the SSL hardware performance and processes the larger RSA keys.   
 

Why Use Citrix NetScaler?
 

• It simplifies the deployment process across the factor, hypervisor, and the cloud.
• The single API and management platform gives interoperability features with any of the orchestration platforms.
• It gives real-time analytics and end-to-end visibility of the entire application infrastructure even when the applications are in cloud or on-premises.
• It bridges the gap existing between the traditional and DevOps apps with unified capabilities and management through the single console.
• It is able to manage, monitor, and troubleshoot the complete infrastructure from the unified single console.
• The performance and security issues could be identified and addressed with real-time analytics.
• The flexible license model facilitates to scale up dynamically and respond quickly to changing conditions.
• As it comes with application security capabilities, it defends the cyber threats both on-premises and the cloud premises as well.  
• It comes with the DDoS protection, strong identity, and access management.
   

Use Case:
 

Scripps Health, San Diego, California is a nonprofit, private, integrated health system.
 

“With NetScaler Management and Analytics System, we can see issues right away and address them proactively rather than figuring out what happened after the fact”, says Rodney Sackett, Sr. Systems Engineer, Scripps Health.
 

By deploying NetScaler system, they are able to
 

• Enhance the customer care
• Improve the staff experience
• IT staff were able to work in a proactive and productive manner
• It increased the I/O performance and scalability and thus overall server utilization

Conclusion:
 

In a nutshell, if we consider any of the Citrix solutions, they are empowering the business mobility. It leads to a secure workspace, provide instant access to data and communications on any of the device, apps, and the desktops over the cloud or network.
 

NetScaler usage is recommended on several conditions like
 

• Transition of Application to Hybrid Cloud
• Transition of the infrastructure
• Consolidate legacy load balancers
• Build a microservice architecture with a DevOps-friendly ADC
• Build a more profitable mobile operator network

Look forward to our discussion on ShareFile in the forthcoming blog, very soon.
 

You may share your ideas about any of the Citrix products we are discussing so far, in the comment section below.