Citrix NetScaler vs Ivanti Virtual Web Application Firewall comparison

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Executive Summary

We performed a comparison between Citrix NetScaler and Ivanti Virtual Web Application Firewall based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

Find out what your peers are saying about F5, Citrix, HAProxy and others in Application Delivery Controllers (ADC).
To learn more, read our detailed Application Delivery Controllers (ADC) Report (Updated: April 2024).
767,995 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Q&A Highlights
Question: Pulse vADC/vTM vs. Netscaler
Answer: Zeus was a great company - Its a shame Riverbed screwed up the acquisition and destroyed it. The product has been in a state of limbo for several years, I wouldn't trust Pulse to make anything out of it. Go with F5 or Citrix if you have the money. If money is an issue then go with Kemp or Loadbalancer.org which are #1 and #2 at the value end of the market. Radware is pretty cool as well - but not cheap. https://www.loadbalancer.org/blog/so-just-how-should-you-compare-load-balancers/
Featured Review
Mazhar Khan
Anonymous User
Quotes From Members
We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use.
Here are some excerpts of what they said:
Pros
"One feature that works really well is the SSL VPN. It's very easy to set up and you can go very granular with it. You can define what user groups get what kind of access and the management overhead is very low.""Scalability is great. One of the best features of NetScaler is that it can scale out.""Very stable.""Manageability and visibility are good.""It has helped us to increase the resiliency of the application and the performance.""Citrix Netscaler makes it easy to provide services to end users, offering better visibility into user sessions compared to VMware. However, instability in network or machine can cause headaches as it's hard to pinpoint issues. SSL offload feature enhances security posture by providing secure connectivity between end users and backend systems. We use additional Azure remote security solutions for comprehensive protection.""I can turn on features without actually owning a license. I can test them out, I can use them for a while, and then I can be licensed up. That's awesome. I don't have to have a license immediately before I can start to deploy things rapidly, rapid deployment is a plus.""Helped us a lot with load balancing."

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"The most valuable aspect of this solution is that it is simple to deploy. The deployment took us ten minutes."

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Cons
"The main areas for improvement would be around documentation and support. If a feature can be used in two or three ways, show that feature being used in all of those ways. Documentation seems to only cover the primary use case and leaves you to either run through trial and error or consult the user community. In terms of support, I have never actually had them solve any of my issues. I have always solved them myself and then provided the resolution to support.""The vendor provides frequent patches, however, the security of the website has room for improvement.""Citrix ADC can improve if it provides a more user-friendly interface and clear working protocols. Citrix is not working with classic RFC, it is working with Citrix RFC, which is not common in the world. If engineers of Citrix can provide us with more information on working with the classic IP networks it would be a benefit.""Citrix should improve the documentation. It is not really clear how to set up many features to our advantage. When we setup Citrix NetScaler ADC, we have to figure it out by ourselves without a lot of documentation.""We are looking for some in-depth monitoring and analytics and more information that Citrix Director doesn't provide. ControlUp has insights that not only give you an overview but also allow you to do some drill-down troubleshooting for what's going on in your environment. We are looking for some more analytical and monitoring data to be able to monitor the environment better, not only from an application standpoint but also from the standpoint of the infrastructure to everything it sits on. They can provide more data to the administrators about what's going on within the application. They can provide data not only on the application side but also about what the application sits on. They're making strides with Citrix Analytics in regards to that.""I think the documentation should be improved.""I would like to see more integration for single sign-on.""There are certain features that are very useful and Citrix makes you pay a bit more for them."

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"In terms of what needs improvement, the price could be lowered. We've tried to deploy more of them but our purchasing department has said that they're way too expensive and they would prefer to use something else."

More Ivanti Virtual Web Application Firewall Cons →

Pricing and Cost Advice
  • "It's not for startups or SOHO."
  • "Costly product and complicated licensing."
  • "It all depends on the features that will be used and the number of accesses."
  • "It is true that it is a bit pricey compared to newer technologies coming to the market. For example, A10 is a load balancer that does everything that Citrix can and it does a lot more than what NetScaler does when it comes to the security space, and their prices are so cheap. Every box comes with its own license and support built into it. When you compare that with NetScaler, you have to buy licenses separately, you have to buy a support agreement that is going to be separate. A small NetScaler, even if it is a VPX which is a virtual server, could cost you close to $150,000 to $200,000 dollars. So the pricing is really high."
  • "We have been evaluating F5, Citrix, and other ADC products. Citrix is the most expense of all of them."
  • "We are quite happy with price. It's not too high."
  • "I do not have any experience with the pricing of the product."
  • "You get the value for your money. There aren't any hidden fees."
  • More Citrix NetScaler Pricing and Cost Advice →

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    Answers from the Community
    Anonymous User
    Vadim Sedletsky - PeerSpot reviewerVadim Sedletsky (CyberArk)
    Vendor

    Hi,

    If you are thinking about a combined solution for your ADC/WAF/LB and other security features you should check out Radware’s portfolio.
    Radware a market leader in the ADC and DDOS protection industries and a Gartner leader in all of our product lines.

    Our ADC solution has the most comprehensive capabilities and features limited only to Radware.
    We were the first vendor to introduce a “ pay –as – you – grow” license and same goes with VA a separated virtual appliance on top of the Alteon platform.
    In addition we also have the dynamic license model which unlike the competition works for both our physical platforms and the virtual once together.

    We are the only vendor that allows single license for all form factors, A single GEL license can be used across all form factors: HW (vADCs) and VAs.
    GEL’s license server can be deployed locally for enhanced security. Our HW platforms can be sold in a subscription model, while the completion will have to sell the platforms CAPEX model.
    One of the key features for us is with GEL , when a platform is decommissioned, all of it’s capacity can be transitioned and used in VAs or in the cloud, with the competition you will loose its capacity forever.

    With our offering you can also go for a throughput license that will be distributed between all of your Alteon physical appliance and virtual once no matter where they are.
    Our “Secure” licensing model will allow you to spin up virtual instances to each one of your applications and enable security features on them like SSL inspection, WAF, Ip-reputation, URL-filtering and many more.

    Let me know if I can assist further,
    Vadim

    reviewer890769 - PeerSpot reviewerreviewer890769 (Works at a computer software company with 501-1,000 employees)
    User

    You should consider A10 Networks' FlexPool.
    www.a10networks.com

    FlexPool provides a centralized bandwidth pool for virtual ADC and Converged Firewall (ADC with added security features) platforms. Users can allocate the total capacity into instances of essentially any size. These instances can simultaneously reside on-premise, public, private or hybrid clouds. Only one license to manage.

    GregBristow - PeerSpot reviewerGregBristow
    User

    My thought would be Barracuda Cloud WAF. This will work in 15 min. With lb and default templates. Go to demo.Barracuda.com
    Select WAF for hardware or select cloud. Additional info ask if needed

    Maksim Sataev - PeerSpot reviewerMaksim Sataev
    Real User

    As far as I know, Netscaler has special hardware solution SDX where you can run virtual appliance (VPX) so much as you need and license determines the total system performance. It's not a problem for scaling virtual appliance by each application. You can ask Citrix managers for details. I hope it will be helpful.

    Questions from the Community
    Top Answer:The most valuable feature for us is the application firewalling in Citrix NetScaler, ensuring only valid traffic enters our environment.
    Top Answer:After deployment, Citrix Netscaler shifted to a subscription-based license scheme for support, which is slightly more expensive.
    Top Answer:Citrix NetScaler is a robust product, but mastering it requires significant learning and training due to its complexity. While it could be easier to manage, it is like transitioning from driving a car… more »
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    Ranking
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    8,953
    Comparisons
    6,844
    Reviews
    26
    Average Words per Review
    384
    Rating
    8.3
    Views
    403
    Comparisons
    301
    Reviews
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    Average Words per Review
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    Also Known As
    Citrix ADC, NetScaler, Citrix NetScaler VPX
    Pulse vWAF, Pulse Virtual Traffic Manager
    Learn More
    Overview

    Citrix NetScaler is an application delivery controller (ADC) and load-balancing solution for multi-cloud environments. Because its software and hardware form factors are all built on a single code base, Citrix NetScaler provides operational and feature consistency with comprehensive security for monolithic and microservices-based applications on-premises and in the cloud. The solution is designed to optimize, manage, and secure network traffic. Switching features, security and protection features, and network integration efficiency capabilities are all part of its feature set.

    Citrix NetScaler Features

    Citrix NetScaler has many valuable key features. Some of the most useful ones include:

    • Citrix Gateway
    • Secure Access
    • Layer 7 content switching
    • Database load balancing
    • Triscale clustering
    • E-based policy enforcement
    • Surge protection and priority queuing
    • Application acceleration
    • Application security, including DoS attack defense, content rewriting and response control, SSL encryption, and more.
    • Network Integration

    Citrix NetScaler Benefits

    There are many benefits to implementing Citrix NetScaler. Some of the biggest advantages the solution offers include:

    • Improved Application Performance: Citrix NetScaler optimizes the delivery of applications, reducing latency and improving the user experience.
    • Scalability: The solution can scale to handle large amounts of traffic, ensuring that applications are available even during periods of high demand.
    • Advanced Security: Citrix NetScaler includes a range of security features, such as SSL offloading, to help secure applications and protect against threats.
    • Availability: Load balancing and failover capabilities ensure that applications are always available, even in the event of a failure.
    • Good user experience: The solution’s Global Server Load Balancing (GSLB) ensures that users are directed to the nearest available application, reducing latency and improving the user experience.
    • Reduced costs: By improving application performance and reducing downtime, Citrix NetScaler can help organizations reduce costs associated with application delivery.
    • Agility: Citrix NetScaler makes it easier for organizations to deploy and manage applications, helping to increase the speed and efficiency of IT operations.
    • Analytics and monitoring: Provides insight into network and application performance, helping organizations to identify and resolve issues quickly.

    Reviews from Real Users

    Citrix NetScaler is a solution that stands out when compared to many of its competitors. Some of its major advantages are that it is easy to use, is robust, and has good load balancing.

    A Senior Citrix Engineer at Troye, says, “The web application firewalling component is probably the most powerful feature as it can identify attacks on the network at an application level which is quite important. There is also good functionality where we use IP reputation and geofencing to mitigate threats from the outside world.”

    “The feature that I have found most valuable is its load balancing,” explains a Security Consultant at a tech services company.

    Timur G., Team Head of Network Security at DOM.RF, writes, “The most valuable feature of Citrix ADC is its ease of use.” 

    Another PeerSpot reviewer, Nirav S., Technical Solutions Architect at MindTree, mentions, "Compared to other solutions, Citrix ADC is much more robust in terms of the native integration to cloud platforms. It is far more robust from an operational point of view as well."

    Ivanti Virtual Web Application Firewall delivers scalable application security for off-the-shelf and custom applications, including third-party frameworks. Apply business rules to online traffic, inspect and block attacks such as SQL injection and cross-site scripting (XSS), and filter outgoing traffic and data to mask credit card data. Ivanti Virtual Web Application Firewall helps achieve compliance with PCI-DSS requirements.

    Sample Customers
    ABB Schweiz, Aer Lingus, AIDS Healthcare Foundation, Amnet Technology Solutions, Aramex International, Ascenty, Atos, Autodesk
    Gilt Groupe
    Top Industries
    REVIEWERS
    Computer Software Company26%
    Financial Services Firm15%
    Manufacturing Company11%
    Healthcare Company8%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Computer Software Company15%
    Financial Services Firm13%
    Government9%
    Healthcare Company5%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Computer Software Company21%
    Financial Services Firm16%
    Government8%
    Performing Arts7%
    Company Size
    REVIEWERS
    Small Business36%
    Midsize Enterprise18%
    Large Enterprise45%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business22%
    Midsize Enterprise15%
    Large Enterprise63%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business20%
    Midsize Enterprise10%
    Large Enterprise70%
    Buyer's Guide
    Application Delivery Controllers (ADC)
    April 2024
    Find out what your peers are saying about F5, Citrix, HAProxy and others in Application Delivery Controllers (ADC). Updated: April 2024.
    767,995 professionals have used our research since 2012.

    Citrix NetScaler is ranked 2nd in Application Delivery Controllers (ADC) with 85 reviews while Ivanti Virtual Web Application Firewall is ranked 18th in Application Delivery Controllers (ADC). Citrix NetScaler is rated 8.4, while Ivanti Virtual Web Application Firewall is rated 9.0. The top reviewer of Citrix NetScaler writes "Optimizing application delivery and ensuring robust network performance with its excellent stability and comprehensive load-balancing capabilities". On the other hand, the top reviewer of Ivanti Virtual Web Application Firewall writes "Good feature set and is simple to deploy ". Citrix NetScaler is most compared with F5 BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager (LTM), Microsoft Azure Application Gateway, Fortinet FortiADC, HAProxy and Loadbalancer.org, whereas Ivanti Virtual Web Application Firewall is most compared with F5 BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager (LTM), NGINX Plus, Microsoft Azure Application Gateway and HAProxy.

    See our list of best Application Delivery Controllers (ADC) vendors.

    We monitor all Application Delivery Controllers (ADC) reviews to prevent fraudulent reviews and keep review quality high. We do not post reviews by company employees or direct competitors. We validate each review for authenticity via cross-reference with LinkedIn, and personal follow-up with the reviewer when necessary.