Citrix NetScaler VPX on Microsoft Azure Accelerates Your Applications in the Cloud

Cloud computing offers a fundamental change in the way organizations deploy and accesses their business applications.  Cloud computing is about leveraging resources over the network to enable an organization to work more efficiently and with greater agility. Getting the best results from applications in the cloud requires an application delivery controller (ADC) to provide an always-on, always-secure foundation to ensure performance. The ADC solution for the cloud needs to provide the ability to balance workloads and manage user traffic while providing granular visibility into application performance and control for reliable application delivery. To meet these needs Citrix and Microsoft have collaborated to make the Citrix NetScaler ADC available on Microsoft Azure. 

Citrix NetScaler VPX for Microsoft Azure
Citrix NetScaler VPX is a virtual appliance for L4-7 networking services that ensures organizations have access to applications deployed in the cloud that is secure and optimized for high performance. VPX supports widely deployed applications such as Citrix XenApp® and Citrix XenDesktop®, as well as specific workloads including Microsoft Exchange, SQL, and SharePoint.  VPX provides a networking foundation that ensures scalability, adjusting to the changing needs of a cloud environment without the physical limitations. A superior user experience on Microsoft applications and workloads is delivered through performance enhancements such as compressing, load balancing, and SSL acceleration. VPX provides a set of capabilities to ensure availability and to keep applications connected and protected. Advanced security capabilities ensure against attacks that can disable your applications or put your data in danger. VPX allows organizations to securely connect to their environments from anywhere from any device. VPX puts you in control of applications with the visibility required to keep your applications performing.


NetScaler routes traffic in and out of the Azure Virtual Network with two or more subnets within each virtual network. Customers can leverage Network Security Groups to control network traffic by providing a filter for each VM within a subnet. Each virtual network has a single NetScaler VPX deployed across it.

Capabilities of NetScaler VPX

Scalability - Multiple models of VPX are availably providing HTTP throughput of 10 Mbps, 200 Mbps, and 1 Gbps to accommodate different workload requirements.

Availability - VPX provides a high-availability mode of operation to ensure that applications are continuously accessible.

Application Security - VPX incorporates multi-application layer protection, including app firewall, data loss prevention, and counter-measures against denial-of-service (DoS) and other Layer 7 attacks. Advanced security for applications that manage user-specific content it provided through session aware protection of cookies, form fields, and session-specific URLs, protecting all interactions between users and servers. VPX provides additional layers of protection, shielding downstream components from direct connections and thus reducing exposure to malware and other types of attacks.

Secure Connectivity - VPX provides seamless authentication, authorization, and auditing across web traffic with unprecedented control options. Remote connectivity uses a simple virtual application that can be deployed across one server or an entire cloud.

Granular Visibility - Azure’s virtual network creates a direct connection between local machines and Azure virtual machines, allowing customers to troubleshoot using the same tools used for on-premises apps.

Simplified Management - VPX enables businesses to deploy to remote locations in minutes and operate their distributed networks via a cloud-based application, while maintaining centralized control and network visibility. VPX utilizes the Azure management portal for quick deployment of NetScaler virtual instances. VPX can be integrated, deployed, and managed seamlessly through AppExpert templates. You can replicate exact configurations or modify existing templates. VPX manages multi-tenancy with policies that are tailored to specific needs for tenants whether they are defined as an application, line-of-business, or user.

Deployment Scenarios for VPX on Azure
• Production delivery through Azure Infrastructure-as-a-Service providing server offloading features, application acceleration, and enhanced security features.

• Hybrid Cloud environment for ease of transition between applications and workloads hosted across on-premises datacenters and Azure.

• Development and testing using Azure while running production on-premises speeding time to production.

• Cloud Migration for organizations when eliminating on-premises data center and migrate to the cloud. Ideal for small to medium size companies who do not want to expand their data center continuously to meet their growing business needs.

• Cloud Bursting for organizations whose on-premises application that reach its designed peak capacity. The extra demands are directed to the same applications running in Azure.

NetScaler VPX Models for Azure
A variety of Citrix® NetScaler VPX™ Application Delivery controllers are available in Azure: the VPX 10, VPX 200 and VPX 1000.

Getting Started with NetScaler VPX
NetScaler on Azure is available today with pay-as-you-go licensing through the Azure Marketplace or leveraging perpetual licenses using BYOL.

For Further Information please visit:
NetScaler on Azure Marketplace and NetScaler Application Delivery Controller.