Citrix completes acquisition of NetScaler

Citrix Systems, the global leader in access infrastructure solutions, has announced that it has completed the acquisition of privately held NetScaler, a global leader in high-performance application networking.

The transaction is valued at approximately $300 million in cash and stock and includes the assumption of approximately $23 million in unvested stock options.

The acquisition sees Citrix strengthening its customer value proposition by improving the performance of any application delivered through the Citrix Access Platform.

Based on independent third-party tests conducted by Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), NetScaler accelerates performance of Web browser-based applications and consumer Web sites by as much as 15 times. This will result in the enhancement of Citrix`s Access Platform by significantly improving application security, manageability, reliability and availability of any application while lowering the cost of operations.

"With this acquisition, we are extending our best access experience value to the entire range of Web-based applications, including enterprise, browser-based, XML Web services, and others," said Mark Templeton, president and CEO of Citrix.

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"With the addition of the Citrix NetScaler Application Accelerator and Application Switch, the Citrix Access Platform can significantly optimise the customer`s entire set of client/server, Web, desktop, or legacy enterprise resources. This reduces IT costs through increased server scalability and availability, reduced back-end server loads, and increased network bandwidth efficiency, all while increasing user satisfaction and productivity."

In early 2003, Citrix outlined a strategy to expand its coverage of the overall Access Infrastructure category by penetrating into adjacent high-growth markets such as collaboration and VPN. Since then, Citrix has completed three acquisitions of best-of-breed companies. In 2004, Citrix acquired Expertcity, now the Online Group, moving the company into the real-time collaboration, desktop access and on-demand assistance market segments. In the same year, Citrix also acquired Net6, now the Gateways Group, extending Citrix`s reach in the SSL VPN (secure socket layer virtual private network) and IP (internet protocol) telephony market segments.

NetScaler, the latest acquisition, adds innovative application networking technologies, including application acceleration and optimisation, application traffic management as well as application security.