About NetScaler CPX

NetScaler CPX is a container-based application delivery controller that can be provisioned on a Docker host. NetScaler CPX enables customers to leverage Docker engine capabilities and use Citrix ADC load balancing and traffic management features for container-based applications. You can deploy one or more NetScaler CPX instances as standalone instances on a Docker host.

A NetScaler CPX instance provides throughput of up to 1 Gbps.

As a containerized form factor of Citrix ADC, NetScaler CPX integrates well into the Kubernetes environment and forms an integral part of Citrix cloud native solution. Citrix cloud native solution helps you to create and deliver software applications with speed, agility, and efficiency in a Kubernetes environment. Using Citrix cloud native solution, you can ensure enterprise grade reliability and security for your Kubernetes environment. For more information, see Citrix cloud native solution.

This document assumes that you are familiar with Docker and how it works. For information about Docker, see the Docker documentation at https://docs.docker.com.

Supported Features

NetScaler CPX supports the following features:

  • Application availability
    • L4 load balancing and L7 content switching
    • SSL offloading
    • IPv6 protocol translation
    • Microsoft SQL, MySQL load balancing
    • AppExpert rate controls
    • Subscriber-aware traffic steering
    • Dynamic routing protocols
    • Surge protection and priority queuing
  • Application acceleration
    • Client and server TCP optimizations
    • Cache redirection
    • AppCompress
    • AppCache
  • Application security
    • L7 rewrite and responder
    • L4 DoS defenses
    • L7 DoS defenses
    • Web Application Firewall (WAF). NetScaler CPX supports all WAF features which are supported on other Citrix ADC form factors. For information about supported WAF features, see Citrix Web Application Firewall.
    • Authentication, authorization, and auditing (AAA) for application traffic
  • TCP protocol optimization
    • Multi-path TCP
    • Binary Increase Congestion Control (BIC) and cubic TCP
  • Simple manageability
    • Web logging
    • AppFlow
    • Citrix Application Delivery Management
    • Action analytics
  • Application optimization
    • Integrated caching
  • BGP Routing and Route Health Injection (RHI)
  • High Availability (both Layer 2 and Layer 3)

Note:

Interface features such as Rx, Tx, GRO, GSO, and LRO are disabled for interfaces (Linux host) allocated to the NetScaler CPX appliance. These features remain in the disabled state even after the NetScaler CPX appliance is stopped. Also, the MTU is changed to 1500 bytes for such interfaces.

Supported Platforms

NetScaler CPX is supported on the following platforms:

  • Docker version 1.12 and above
  • Kubernetes
  • Red Hat OpenShift
  • Public clouds
    • Amazon Elastic Kubernetes Service (EKS)
    • Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS)
    • Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE)
  • Rancher
  • Pivotal Container Service (PKS)
About NetScaler CPX