New Gartner® report highlights gains

Citrix NetScaler™ accelerates the performance of internal and externally-facing web application up to 5x, while simultaneously protecting web applications from unplanned downtime and preventing the theft of valuable business data. Citrix NetScaler also lowers the cost of delivering web applications by reducing consumption of network bandwidth and server resources. New MPX-class solutions provide the highest application delivery solution performance.

 According to Gartner research data:

1. Q4 2007 marks the third quarter in a row that Citrix NetScaler has increased market share at the expense of our competition
2. Citrix was the only one of the top three vendors to gain market share in Q4. Although F5 remains the overall market share leader, their portion of the advanced ADC market fell 2.5% in Q4. Cisco's share fell by 1% in Q4.
3. Citrix NetScaler has increased market share every year since 2004

See the press release at: http://citrix.com/English/NE/news/news.asp?newsID=1340547

Last week I had a really fun opportunity.  I was asked to kickoff a New Hire Orientation Class of new Citrites.  I had 2 glorius hours to spew forth everything I knew about our products, the Application Delivery Infrastructure, and the all new Citrix Delivery Center. 

Mark Twain said, "It usually takes me more than three weeks to prepare an impromptu speech."  I didn't have three weeks, but I did want to make sure these newly minted Citrites were able to explain the Citrix Delivery Center.  To make sure you understand it, just go to this link: Citrix Delivery Center

As you can see, there's so much to say about the topic.  So, to make it easy, I resorted to an old trick I've used all through my marketing career - Start with the Customer in Mind!   

IT departments all build out in pretty much the same way. 

They start with a pain point > they research and find a solution > they justify the expenditure> and they add it to "THE STACK". 

The customer stack has server(s)>operating system(s) > optional hypervisor > database> middleware > applications > networks > appliances> devices > users. 

And Citrix has: Access Essentials, Access Gateway, Application Firewall, Application Gateway, EasyCall, EdgeSight, GoToAssist, GoToMeeting, GoToMyPC, GoToWebinar, NetScaler, Password Manager, Provisioning Server for Datacenters, Provisioning Server for Desktops, WANScaler, Workflow Studio, XenApp, XenDesktop, XenServer

 So after sketching all of this out on the whiteboard, I told the class it was time for the pop quiz.  They had to explain where all of the products overlaid the customer point of view.  Since mine was the first presentation, the look of panic on their faces was priceless!  But, the point stuck. The Citrix Delivery Center helps partners explain a logical end-to-end application delivery infrastructure that customers can leverage over many pain points.  Some products are key for end to end virtualization across applications, servers and desktops, while others are supporting products that enhance the value of a complete solution from one vendor.  Have a look at the Citrix Delivery Center.  It's a great platform for great products!  

I've always been impressed by librarians. They always seemed to go about their work with quiet efficiency.  It was amazing how once I'd taken a look through the card catalog, they would pull up ten times the information on the topic using a variety of sources.  They may not have been experts on the topic, but they sure knew how to find the experts! 

We've added our own librarian to My Citrix.  With over 3,000 pages of information and another 3,000 pages of resources, it's not always easy to separate the wheat from the chaf in My Citrix.  The Reference Desk function of My Citrix is an excellent chaf separater.  Located right on the home page, you can select a Citrix product, business need or industry solution and instantly get all the content separated into categories.  Need a case study for XenApp?  No problem.  How about a Selling and Positioning presentation for NetScaler?  What features are in the latest release of XenServer?  Presto! 

Check it out.  The Reference Desk will become your first stop!  Take that Dewey Decimal!

Hi, everyone!  This is my first installment of what I hope will be many useful posts. 

 Let me get the introduction out of your way.  I'm relatively new to Citrix having joined as the Senior Manager of WW Channel Marketing in November, 2006.  I came to Citrix after spending a surprising amount of time at IBM in Sales, Sales Management, and lots and lots of channel partner roles.  I was in IBM's PartnerWorld almost since the beginning and I had lots of opportunities to see what worked (and didn't) in those roles.  Outside of work, I really enjoy probing the deep, blue sea for hungry pelagics, coaching baseball and driving anything with a decent power/weight ratio. 

First and foremost, let me say that Citrix is an incredible company.  I've been very impressed with the nimbleness with which Citrix moves, and the people behind the scenes are a really great bunch of people to work with.  Since my degree is in Organizational Behavior, and I've had a chance to work in both line and staff positions elsewhere, I can really appreciate what Citrix has been able to do in the application delivery space. 

So on to WW Channel Marketing.  My team works collaboratively with all of the Citrix Product Lines and Geography-based channel marketing teams to communicate to our channel partners to ensure awareness and through our channel partners to deliver product information and demand generation campaigns to customers. 

Our primary delivery vehicles are through My Citrix - our channel facing partner portal, our regular channel flash bulletins, and through Citrix Summit - the top of the line event held for Citrix Solutions Advisors™.  This year is unique because we have two Summits - one that we completed in late January, and one that we will be hosting in Houston, TX in October of this year.  (I'll devote a blog post or two to that as we get closer.)

In this blog, I'll try to keep you informed about what we're working on and I'd like to solicit your needs about what we can do to help you market and sell Citrix products more effectively.  For 2008, we have 3 key sales strategies to lead with: 1) Amplify the Application Delivery Message 2) Lead with Platinum and 3) Increase your Citrix Horsepower.  We'll talk about each in future posts.  Cheers!