Citrix SD WAN & SASE Cybersecurity Solutions

Citrix SD WAN and SASE Solution: Comparisons, Review, Benefits, Use Cases, Pros & Cons

Author: Netify Research Team

If you have questions about Citrix Systems and how their capability is aligned to your needs, email the Netify research team. UK: uk@netify.co.uk  North America: northamerica@netify.com  

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Netify Review

Citrix offer a cloud-based SD WAN and SASE security solution, with capabilities for cloud application connectivity and features such as performance optimisation, all deployed from a single platform. They are a good choice for clients requiring strong integration from Microsoft, as historically the two companies have been closely integrated since Citrix was founded in 1989 developing remote access products for Microsoft operating systems. 

Citrix is able to cater for any company size, however some may find the robust capability of the solution to be unnecessary for smaller deployments. The solution can be difficult to manage due to complex architecture and licensing structures (which is also known to cause some reliability issues). However, these issues are dependent on a client's location and the complexity of the deployment itself. In most cases, Citrix is known to be a high performing solution with few unreliability issues. 

Finally, Citrix is a good choice for clients looking to buy direct from the vendor as they offer a DIY solution directly from their SD WAN orchestrator (though a robust IT team may be required in this case). Some previous client reviews suggest the Citrix platform is costly, however their strong cloud-based SD WAN and SASE offerings make the added cost a worthwhile investment for the right client. 

About Citrix

Citrix Systems was founded in 1989 in Richardson, Texas, North America, by Ed Lacobucci, who remained chairman until 2000. The company began by developing remote access products and licensing source codes for Microsoft. Today they are a multinational software company based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, North America, that offers SaaS, cloud, networking (SD-WAN and SASE), application, server and desktop virtualisation. In 2022 Citrix was acquired by investment firms Evergreen Coast Capital and Vista Equity Partners. As part of this acquisition, Citrix will become a private company and undergo a merger with one of Vista's portfolio companies, TIBCO Software. 

What is the Citrix SD WAN Solution?

Citrix SD WAN is a cloud-ready, next generation solution, and is one of only a few to be certified by the Microsoft 365 Partner Program. This allows Citrix to leverage applications such as Microsoft Teams in a virtual environment, ensuring direct connectivity for all office locations. The solution supports MPLS, LTE and satellite internet underlays, and can be deployed in three different ways. There are options for a DIY or a fully managed services deployment solution or as a hybrid cloud solution.

Configuration-Based Key Features:

• Protocol Visibility: For site, user and session-level protocol visibility. 
• Automated Cloud On-Ramp: Optimizes connection to applications such as SaaS, cloud and virtual applications. 
• HDX Service Quality: Citrix HDX protocol is a set of capabilities that are designed to create a high-quality user experience of applications and virtual desktops, with connectivity to any device over any network from the data center. 
• SD WAN Orchestrator: Works across major clouds and helps to speed up site deployments. 
• End-to-End Network Visibility: Data is analyzed across the network, including applications, infrastructure, devices and services for a detailed view into the network. 
• Certified by the Microsoft 365 Partner Program: Creates fast connectivity by optimizing how traffic is sent to Microsoft applications. 

Security-Based Key Features:

• Built-in stateful firewall: Monitors the entire network including data packets and traffic to prevent security breaches. 
• Next Generation Firewall (NGFW): NGFW is available to be integrated into the Citrix SD WAN solution from a third party vendor. 

Performance-Based Key Features:

• QoS: Offers sub-second failover to ensure the network performs optimally, whilst monitoring network conditions at both the destination and traffic-sending ends. 
• Traffic Redirection: In the event of latency or jitter on the network, the Citrix SD WAN solution will redirect traffic to avoid brownouts or blackouts. 

What is the Citrix SASE security solution?

Citrix SASE has over 100 PoPs worldwide and is a combination of the Secure Internet Access and SD WAN products, as both contain elements to qualify as a SASE architecture when combined. The solution is offered as a cloud-delivered security stack with over 10 threat intelligence engines, which provide secure access to applications from branch offices, remote locations and mobile users. This solution allows clients to use direct internet access (DIA) to access applications without compromising network performance. 

SASE Features:

• Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB): Enforces all security policies and monitors all activity between cloud applications and users. The software can either be on-premises or cloud-based. 
• Malware Protection, Including Data Loss Prevention (DLP) and Sandbox: DLP averts security breaches, preventing sensitive data from leaving the network. The sandbox separates running programs to avoid software vulnerabilities and system failures from spreading. 
• Secure Web Gateway: Protects against web-based security threats, by barring users from accessing malware, malicious websites or web traffic as part of a cyber attack. 
• Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA): Protects applications by restricting access to a set of named entities using an identity and context-based logical access boundary. 
• Remote Browser Isolation: Relocates all browsing activity from a users computer to a remote server, which the remote server can host either on-premises or in the cloud. 
• SD WAN Integration: Single, cloud-managed interface to configure SD WAN and security policies leveraging intelligent bandwidth control with real-time reporting.
• WAN Optimization: Citrix's Analytics for Performance product allows for the optimisation of SD WAN network performance.

How does Citrix access cloud vendors?

Citrix accesses cloud vendors to offer a hybrid cloud SD WAN deployment. Their strongest partnership is with Microsoft Azure, as they are a Gold partner in Application Development, Application Integration, Cloud Platform, Datacenter and Security. Automated provisioning of Citrix SD WAN VPx instances to create a direct connection from branch offices to applications hosted in Azure. Clients can one-click provision resources within new or pre-existing virtual networks to create connections from every site to Azure. Automated virtual path setup is available via the master control node (MCN), and network deployments can be automated by leveraging Citrix SD WAN and Azure Virtual WAN to help connect sites to workloads on Azure. 

Citrix SD WAN capabilities can be accessed via AWS, which is designed to optimize connectivity to IaaS instances and SaaS applications, using AWS Elastic Block Storage (EBS) or AWS EC2. This can be sourced with Bring Your Own License or via the AWS Marketplace. This also allows clients to connect to AWS from remote locations, branch offices and for mobile workers, without the need for a VPN. 

On-ramp is available to Google Cloud Platform (GCP) with virtual SD WAN appliances in the cloud - available from GCP marketplace. This facilitates simpler setup of SD WAN instances in the cloud, providing connectivity from branches to GCP via virtual overlays. The service integrates with HDX using the Citrix Independent Computing Architecture (ICA) protocol - a proprietary protocol for an application server system, to deliver fast connectivity to virtual applications and desktops. Also performs with applications such as G suite, QoS, link bonding and packet inspection. 

Does Citrix offer WAN Acceleration and Optimization?

Citrix offer users their Analytics for Performance product, which is designed to optimize the performance of the SD WAN network. The product will identify where in the connection path, which could be the infrastructure, endpoint or gateway, a problem is occurring. Reporting services are included and offer a ‘self-service’ dashboard where performance data is analyzed and formulated into color-coded metrics and visualizations. This data can be stored, emailed to users or transported to other applications. 

Clients are able to connect multiple cloud-based and on-premises Citrix Desktops and Virtual Applications, allowing admins to monitor the entire delivery estate for comparison reporting. The Infrastructure Dashboards allow clients to monitor user experience (session responsiveness and logon duration) whilst displaying data showing the environment’s uptime and failures for effective maintenance. This helps IT teams to see which network resources need attention. 

How does Citrix support remote users?

Citrix supports remote workers through its subscription based Digital Workspace solution. The subscription is available in a 1-year or 3-year contract and licensing options begin at 25 users. The below prices are based on a USD MSRP monthly average per user for 500 users with a three year subscription. The prices are as follows:

What is the Citrix managed, co-managed and DIY services solution? 

Citrix’s SD WAN offering can be deployed fully managed or co-managed with a third party managed service provider partner. Alternatively the solution can be managed as DIY by the customer through Citrix’s SD WAN orchestrator central dashboard. The SASE solution from Citrix is cloud hosted and is therefore managed by Citrix themselves. 

What Reporting and Management is available via the Citrix Portal?

Management and reporting for Citrix’s SD WAN solution is available via the single dashboard SD WAN orchestrator. Citrix Analytics and other Cloud service tools are available as an additional option for those not already included in Citrix’s Workplace packages. 

What is the Citrix SLA?

Severity 1:

Severity 2:

Citrix SLA (Citrix, 2021) See more at: https://www.citrix.com/en-gb/support/programs/faqs.html