Citrix and Microsoft team up

Microsoft and Citrix have announced they plan to co-develop a line of branch-office appliances that will combine Microsoft's Internet Security and Acceleration Server with Citrix's upcoming WANScaler network acceleration technology.

The first appliance will be based on Microsoft's Windows Server 2003 operating system and will include the security gateway capabilities of ISA Server. Citrix will add its WANScaler network optimization technology, as well as remote management capabilities, to the mix.

The unnamed appliance will give IT administrators an easy way to drop business applications into branch offices, according to Wes Wasson, vice president of Citrix's Application Networking Group. Although co-developed and marketed by Microsoft and Citrix, it will carry the Citrix brand. Pricing for the new appliance has not been determined yet.

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Microsoft and Citrix have announced they plan to co-develop a line of branch-office appliances that will combine Microsoft's Internet Security and Acceleration Server with Citrix's upcoming WANScaler network acceleration technology.

The first appliance will be based on Microsoft's Windows Server 2003 operating system and will include the security gateway capabilities of ISA Server. Citrix will add its WANScaler network optimization technology, as well as remote management capabilities, to the mix.

The unnamed appliance will give IT administrators an easy way to drop business applications into branch offices, according to Wes Wasson, vice president of Citrix's Application Networking Group. Although co-developed and marketed by Microsoft and Citrix, it will carry the Citrix brand. Pricing for the new appliance has not been determined yet.

The WANScaler appliance will be based on technology Citrix is acquiring through its $50 million purchase of Orbital Data. It is expected to begin shipping later this year.

Orbital Data's technology uses a variety of techniques, including compression and TCP multiplexing, to boost data transfer rates.

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