Barracuda Web Application Firewall vs Citrix NetScaler comparison

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Executive Summary

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

Find out what your peers are saying about Amazon, Microsoft, F5 and others in Web Application Firewall (WAF).
To learn more, read our detailed Web Application Firewall (WAF) Report (Updated: March 2024).
765,234 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Featured Review
Quotes From Members
We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use.
Here are some excerpts of what they said:
Pros
"The solution has been quite stable. It's reliable.""The updating and signature features are my primary use case for the solution. These features are beneficial to my organization.""The most valuable feature of this solution is the simplicity of configuration.""Setup of this solution is straightforward. It's a stable and scalable solution, with good performance and fast technical support.""The volumetric DDoS defense is very good because I had a problem with a lot of volumetric DDoS attacks on my servers. After using Barracuda, those attacks have stopped and all the traffic is going smoothly to my servers and the system is working really well.""The product has fantastic support services.""It significantly improved our overall web security posture, addressing intrusions and enhancing control over web URLs in our environment.""It's very simple and predictable, because Barracuda provides a vision of the current state of your application. It gives you an understanding of what is happening on your site and any attempts against you at your source. This is the main value that Web Application Firewall provides our company. These aspects are also the main reason for this documentation process."

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"The most valuable feature is load balancing.""NetScaler Gateway: Why? Availability/Security: We delivered more than 200 applications thru Xenapp. This feature give us the possibility to deliver the applications anywhere. Currently, 30% of access is made through our NetScaler Gateway (Internet connections).""What I like most about Citrix NetScaler is its stability, and I didn't see a lot of issues with it.""The solution is very stable.""Unified Gateway allows me to provide secure external access to applications for suppliers and customers while requiring Multi-Factor Authentication.""I find all of it to be valuable, because of the flexibility that is built into this product.""The feature that I have found most valuable is its load balancing.""The load balancing feature of this solution is very good."

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Cons
"As most people are aware, the implementation is not easy.""The GUI needs to be improved because it sometimes hangs and needs to be restarted.""Sometimes when we put it in action, we have some blogs that appear as false positives. I think that it's improving. Barracuda should minimize false positives.""The incident reporting needs to be improved.""I would like to see an improved capacity to store logs so that they will be available for a longer time.""They could improve their performance, support, and their upgrades. Their updates used to be good. Their improvements were right on the money but nowadays, the updates are minor.""The solution needs to leverage some additional features to a broader scale of software-defined networks.""The reporting aspect of the solution needs improvement. I don't find that it's very good. They could do some work on it to make it much better. It's not that the reporting isn't secure. It's just that I would prefer to store my reports for an extended period of time. Right now, that's not possible and I'd prefer it if that could change. I also would say that the reports themselves are expensive."

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"The licensing model and technical support of the solution could be improved.""Development team's response time could be better.""The solution is a bit more expensive than some of the available solutions in this region. One solution in particular that I noticed was cheaper was Kemp.""The vendor provides frequent patches, however, the security of the website has room for improvement.""The tool needs to add a feature where we can access the network policy access manager.""The solution can improve their support and send tickets directly to a Citrix ADC engineer in order to avoid having to escalate each support call.""We had some bugs in the previous firmware. These were not big issues, but more testing on the firmware would be key to happier customers.""Too many bugs in the software and it's always difficult when you need to update."

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Pricing and Cost Advice
  • "The pricing is less compared to other web applications."
  • "They have competitive pricing."
  • "Our licensing fees are paid annually and the cost is between €600 and €800 (approximately $665.00 to $885.00 USD)."
  • "Barracuda costs us $8,000 per year. Barracuda costs $20,000 for a full subscription, when you try to protect multi-site infrastructure, in different geographical zones and for different data centers. If you have only one site, Barracuda will be cheaper."
  • "The price of this solution is okay."
  • "The price of the solution is a little expensive. There is a license for this solution and it can be purchased every one, two, or five years."
  • "While I would have to check on the price of the solution, I feel it to be okay and it matches the market price."
  • "The price is reasonable, more so than other products."
  • More Barracuda Web Application Firewall 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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    Questions from the Community
    Top Answer:It significantly improved our overall web security posture, addressing intrusions and enhancing control over web URLs in our environment.
    Top Answer:My company uses the tool for HTTP protection and the protection of HTTP for a particular application that is exposed to the internet. The product offers both the deployment models, which include the… more »
    Top Answer:From a security standpoint, It is a comprehensive solution in a single box.
    Top Answer:For the specific use case that my customers primarily engage with, I would give the pricing a rating of seven out of ten. However, if you're exploring the full range of NetScaler's capabilities, my… more »
    Top Answer:In the latest version of Citrix NetScaler, there are specific improvements in the appliances, particularly in the management interfaces, which were not available in previous versions. If one device or… more »
    Ranking
    Views
    2,809
    Comparisons
    2,325
    Reviews
    9
    Average Words per Review
    452
    Rating
    8.3
    Views
    9,017
    Comparisons
    6,917
    Reviews
    21
    Average Words per Review
    367
    Rating
    8.2
    Comparisons
    Also Known As
    Citrix ADC, NetScaler, Citrix NetScaler VPX
    Learn More
    Overview

    Barracuda Web Application Firewall is a game-changing cloud-connected security solution that enables organizations to safeguard both their applications and their data from an ever-growing array of advanced cyber threats. It offers protection from cyber attacks that target not only data and applications stored on the cloud but also those that are housed on web servers. 43% of the time a breach takes place via a compromised application. Barracuda Web Application Firewall prevents these types of breaches from occurring.

    Barracuda Web Application Firewall denies hackers the ability to penetrate your system by using a number of techniques to keep your organization safely insulated. The first method of protection consists of two parts. The first part involves a thorough scanning of all inbound web traffic. This solution monitors everything that comes into the system. It employs IP reputation intelligence, which filters all incoming data. If the source of the data has a bad reputation, it is blocked by the firewall. Administrators now have a way of locking out many common threats that could otherwise compromise sensitive networks. These scans can also allow administrators to protect their systems from within as DLP (Data Loss Prevention) protocols. If any sensitive data attempts to leave, administrators will automatically be alerted and the data will be blocked from exiting.

    Barracuda Web Application Firewall can also be set up to apply the AAA (Authentication, Authorization & Accounting) framework to an organization’s network. If an intruder manages to get past the authentication stage, the authorization protocols kick in. After the authorization stage comes accounting, which works by tracking and logging users’ activities so that administrators will be in a position to prevent long-term damage from being done. This three-step process can be implemented without requiring administrators to make changes to their applications.

    Key Features

    Some of Barracuda Web Application Firewall’s key features include:

    • The ability to employ adaptive profiling. Administrators will have an easier time enforcing security policies once this feature is enabled. It takes data from safe sources and builds profiles that can be used to create whitelisting protocols that prevent unsafe actions from occurring on the system.
    • The ability to assess threats in real time. Barracuda Web Application Firewall uses machine learning to detect new threats and attacks as they emerge.
    • The ability to manage the Barracuda Web Application Firewall system from a single interface. Administrators can manage their Barracuda Web Application Firewall configurations from one centralized location.

    Reviews from Real Users

    Barracuda Web Application Firewall stands out among its competitors for a number of reasons. One of the main ones is the robustness of the solution. Users are given access to a vast variety of security features in a single product.

    PeerSpot user Muhammed S., a Presales Solutions Architect at Hilal Computers, notes this when he writes, "The solution offers multiple security features. There are machine learning features and great URL encryption. It also offers multi-protocol support against DDoS attacks."

    Other reviewers note that Barracuda Web Application Firewall is user-friendly, easy to set up, stable, and reliable.

    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."

    Sample Customers
    Oracle, CBS, Pioneer, Hyundai, Publix, Barnes Noble, Calzedonia, Nordstrom, Samsung, Nascar
    ABB Schweiz, Aer Lingus, AIDS Healthcare Foundation, Amnet Technology Solutions, Aramex International, Ascenty, Atos, Autodesk
    Top Industries
    REVIEWERS
    Comms Service Provider25%
    Maritime Company13%
    Media Company13%
    Wholesaler/Distributor6%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Computer Software Company19%
    Financial Services Firm9%
    Government8%
    Manufacturing Company8%
    REVIEWERS
    Computer Software Company25%
    Financial Services Firm15%
    Manufacturing Company12%
    Healthcare Company8%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Computer Software Company15%
    Financial Services Firm13%
    Government9%
    Healthcare Company5%
    Company Size
    REVIEWERS
    Small Business67%
    Midsize Enterprise6%
    Large Enterprise28%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business25%
    Midsize Enterprise18%
    Large Enterprise56%
    REVIEWERS
    Small Business36%
    Midsize Enterprise18%
    Large Enterprise46%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business22%
    Midsize Enterprise15%
    Large Enterprise63%
    Buyer's Guide
    Web Application Firewall (WAF)
    March 2024
    Find out what your peers are saying about Amazon, Microsoft, F5 and others in Web Application Firewall (WAF). Updated: March 2024.
    765,234 professionals have used our research since 2012.

    Barracuda Web Application Firewall is ranked 14th in Web Application Firewall (WAF) with 38 reviews while Citrix NetScaler is ranked 2nd in Application Delivery Controllers (ADC) with 85 reviews. Barracuda Web Application Firewall is rated 8.0, while Citrix NetScaler is rated 8.4. The top reviewer of Barracuda Web Application Firewall writes "Provides strong issue discovery capabilities; enhance the security parameters of web applications and suitable for medium to large enterprises". On the other hand, the top reviewer of Citrix NetScaler writes "Simple implementation, reliable, and good dashboards". Barracuda Web Application Firewall is most compared with Fortinet FortiWeb, F5 Advanced WAF, Microsoft Azure Application Gateway, HAProxy and Azure Front Door, whereas Citrix NetScaler is most compared with F5 BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager (LTM), Microsoft Azure Application Gateway, Fortinet FortiADC, HAProxy and Array APV Series.

    We monitor all Web Application Firewall (WAF) 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.