“Cloud networking business is definitely growing in India”

The cloud has become an essential resource today, and has emerged as a major saviour for organisations at all levels. But the awareness of its vast potential is yet to be spread across the IT world. C. Ramanan, director of cloud networking – India subcont

Q

How is the recently launched NetScaler distinct from competing load balancing models?

Citrix understands Bimodal IT and has, thus, developed NetScaler on a Linux container that helps DevOps in application development and to stay agile. Our NetScaler is the first technology that offers a load balancer for Docker containers to enable the microservices load balancing functionality. This helps the new application development mode to do east-west load balancing between multiple microservices.

Q

Why is there a need for a load balancer in the advanced world of cloud computing?

Traditionally, for any Web or mobile application that is built on the HTTP platform, customers generally prefer a load balancer to increase the application delivery performance and security. The advanced technology helps in reducing the back-end server workload. It also enhances the performance of application delivery and ensures secured delivery as well as protects the app from any web attacks.

But today, enterprise apps need NetScaler that is way beyond a simple load balancer. This solution helps to reduce the workload of back-end application and SSL servers and increases the application delivery performance by up to five times.

Q

Why did you opt for the open source way of developing your load balancing technology?

In the places where microservices and Docker containers are required for developing applications, it is more efficient and highly effective to go for open source.

There is a vital need for every single microservice within that particular framework to communicate flawlessly. And to enable a flawless experience, you require a load balancer. It works as a reverse proxy and distributes network or application traffic on multiple servers to reduce workload.

We launched the open source NetScaler CPX around eight months back to solve the problem of application delivery through microservices and Docker containers. It gives developer teams the ability to customise and configure the tool to meet their requirements.

Q

How do you view the parallel movements of open source and the cloud?

In the present open source world, there are two prime areas of focus—application development and orchestration.

Though the first area is a traditional one and developers are already aware of it, the second is critical for the current trend. If you look at the cloud model, it requires various components in your infrastructure such as the server,