Cisco and Citrix: Building Application Centric, ADC-enabled Data Centers

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1 : Building Application Centric, ADC-enabled Data Centers Cisco Application Centric Infrastructure (ACI) integrates Citrix NetScaler Application Delivery Controller (ADC) appliances to reduce deployment complexity and better align applications with dynamic business requirements in existing and next-generation data centers.

2 As businesses look to IT as a point of strategic differentiation, agility in the data center becomes more critical than ever. Fundamental to this change is the capability of IT to respond quickly to changing business requirements. Applications serve as the core of any business, but applications are only as agile as the infrastructure on which they run. With today s data center infrastructure, this rule can mean waiting weeks for an application change. The adoption of server virtualization has reduced data center costs; however, a server-specific view of the data center is limited. The data center is still a mix of bare-metal and virtual machines. Application agility, mobility, and rapid deployment require the data center infrastructure to dynamically respond to application needs as a result of changing business requirements. Cisco ACI is the foundation of an application-based data center. Citrix NetScaler ADCs deliver application insight to the network. Together, Cisco ACI and ADC-enabled applications can dynamically scale and migrate throughout data centers on demand and with an automated approach based on application-specific policies. Solution Overview Achieving the vision of a truly agile, application-based data center requires a sufficiently flexible infrastructure that can rapidly provision and configure the necessary resources independent of their location in the data center. With Cisco ACI, this is achieved with the Cisco Application Policy Infrastructure Controller (APIC), a centralized policy management and control point for the entire infrastructure (Figure 1). Cisco APIC addresses the two main requirements for achieving the application centric data center vision: Policy-based automation framework Policy-based service insertion technology Figure 1. Cisco ACI and Citrix NetScaler Application Delivery Controler Solution 2

3 A policy-based automation framework enables resources to be dynamically provisioned and configured according to application equirements. As a result, core services such as firewalls and Layer 4 through 7 switches can be consumed by applications and made ready to use in a single automated step. A policy-based service insertion solution automates the step of routing network traffic to the correct services based on application policies. The automated addition, removal, and reordering of services allows applications to quickly change the resources that they require without the need to rewire and reconfigure the network or relocate the services. For example, if the business decision is made to use an application firewall found in a modern ADC as a cost-effective way of achieving PCI compliance, administrators would simply need to redefine the policy for the services that should be used for the related applications. The Cisco APIC can dynamically distribute new policies to the infrastructure and service nodes in minutes, without requiring the network be manually changed. Device Package Integration Integration between the Cisco APIC controller and the NetScaler ADC is achieved through RESTbased open APIs. A NetScaler Device Package imported by the APIC controller enables it to perform detailed feature level configuration of the NetScaler, spanning the extensive set of ADC services offered by the NetScaler. Citrix NetScaler ADC provides Layer 4 through 7 services such as load balancing, application acceleration, and application security. The list of NetScaler features that can be automated by the Cisco APIC controller include: AAA Application Firewall Cache Redirection Compression Content Accelerator Content Switching DataStream Domain Name Service Dynamic Routing Global Server Load Balancing Integrated Caching Load Balancing SSL Offload SSL VPN NAT Figure 2. Citrix NetScaler Device Package Functions 3

4 Policy Based Service Insertion The Cisco APIC policy-based service insertion solution automates the step of routing network traffic to the correct services based on application policies. This enables L4-L7 resources to be dynamically provisioned and configured according to application requirements on a per tenant basis. definition, allowing comprehensive NetScaler integration with the Cisco APIC. Once created, a Service Graph can be assigned to an Application Profile and contracted to a data center tenant, thereby defining the network traffic flow for that specific application and tenant. Figure 3. Cisco APIC Service Graph, with Citrix NetScaler ADC and Cisco ASA Firewall Routing The Cisco APIC offers a graphical drag and drop GUI to easily create L4-L7 Service Graphs that specify network traffic routing; all of the L4-L7 ADC features available in the NetScaler device package can be included in a Service Graph Cisco s application centric service insertion framework allows the Cisco APIC to dynamically distribute new policies to the infrastructure and service nodes in minutes, without requiring the network be manually changed. Figure 4. APIC Service Graph and Application Profile for Tenant 4

5 Solution Benefits The unique joint Cisco ACI and Citrix NetScaler solution improves data center operations and application deployment, using the Cisco APIC as the central policy control and management station and Cisco ACI service-insertion technology to direct traffic to the appropriate service nodes. The main benefits include: Citrix NetScaler Platforms Supported Cisco APIC is capable of orchestrating services deployed on all Citrix NetScaler ADC appliance form factors and models - the VPX virtual appliance, multi-tenant SDX appliance, and high performance MPX appliance. The Citrix NetScaler NS1000V, a virtual NetScaler appliance sold and supported by Cisco, is also supported by Cisco APIC. Central point of network control with ADC service policy coordination and automation: The Cisco APIC acts as a point of configuration management and automation for NetScaler SDX, NetScaler MPX, and NetScaler VPX appliances; tightly coordinates the ADC service delivery with the network automation; and provides end-to-end telemetry and visibility of service-aware applications and tenants. Scalable and elastic architecture for physical and virtual appliances: Cisco ACI defines a policy-based service insertion mechanism for both physical and virtual ADC appliances, providing full lifecycle service management based on workload instantiation and decommissioning. Summary As businesses quickly move to make the data center more agile, application centric automation and virtualization of both hardware and software infrastructure become increasingly important. Cisco ACI builds the critical link between business-based requirements for applications and the infrastructure that supports them. Citrix NetScaler ADC connects infrastructure and applications and makes that insight available to the Cisco APIC though deep integration. For More Information Cisco ACI strategy: Citrix: Investment protection: Cisco ACI and Cisco APIC are fully compatible with existing ADC networks, preserving existing service operation models and using open standards protocols. Open ecosystem for service integration: are guiding the IETF standard for the Network Service Header (NSH) Protocol, with the promise of agile and elastic service delivery capable of supporting the movement of service functions and application workloads. 5

6 Corporate Headquarters Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA Silicon Valley Headquarters Santa Clara, CA, USA EMEA Headquarters Schaffhausen, Switzerland India Development Center Bangalore, India Online Division Headquarters Santa Barbara, CA, USA Pacific Headquarters Hong Kong, China Latin America Headquarters Coral Gables, FL, USA UK Development Center Chalfont, United Kingdom About Citrix Citrix (NASDAQ:CTXS) is a leader in virtualization, networking and cloud services to enable new ways for people to work better. Citrix solutions help IT and service providers to build, manage and secure, virtual and mobile workspaces that seamlessly deliver apps, desktops, data and services to anyone, on any device, over any network or cloud. This year Citrix is celebrating 25 years of innovation, making IT simpler and people more productive with mobile workstyles. With annual revenue in 2013 of $2.9 billion, Citrix solutions are in use at more than 330,000 organizations and by over 100 million people globally. Learn more at Copyright 2014 Citrix Systems, Inc. and Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. Citrix, NetScaler, NetScaler App Delivery Controller, NetScaler SDX, NetScaler MPX, and NetScaler VPX are trademarks of Citrix Systems, Inc. and/or one of its subsidiaries, and may be registered in the U.S. and other countries. Other product and company names mentioned herein may be trademarks of their respective companies. About Cisco Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) is the worldwide leader in IT that helps companies seize the opportunities of tomorrow by proving that amazing things can happen when you connect the previously unconnected. One of Cisco s key differentiators has been our ability to capture market transitions which drive innovation that enables our customers long-term success. At the heart of these transitions - cloud, mobility, video, any device and social - is the network. Cisco s vision is to become our customers most strategic business partner by delivering intelligent networks and technology and business architectures built on integrated products, services, and software platforms which enable our customers success. Cisco has shaped the future of the Internet by creating unprecedented value and opportunity for our customers and ecosystem partners and has become the worldwide leader in networking - transforming how people connect, communicate and collaborate. Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cisco and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries. To view a list of Cisco trademarks, go to this URL: Third party trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners. The use of the word partner does not imply a partnership relationship between Cisco and any other company. (1110R) 0514/PDF 6