NCD Licenses Citrix ICA Thin-Client Protocol; Extends NCD's Universal Network Computers to Low-Speed Networks

Business Wire, April 9, 1997

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 9, 1997--Network Computing Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ:NCDI) and Citrix Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:CTXS) today announced that NCD has licensed the Citrix ICA (Independent Computing Architecture) thin-client protocol.

Under this agreement, NCD will offer the Citrix ICA protocol on its line of Universal Network Computers to provide optimized remote access to Windows and other mission-critical applications over low-bandwidth network connections. The addition of ICA to NCD's network computers will enhance customer's options by allowing them to choose between ICA for lower bandwidth dial-up and WAN communications or NCD's existing WinCenter Graphics Accelerator (WGA), optimized for LAN and higher speed WAN connections.

"Adding Citrix ICA to our Universal Network Computers will enable NCD customers to connect to remote WinFrame application servers, such as NCD's WinCenter Pro, over serial lines and wide-area networks," stated Doug Klein, chief technical officer of NCD. "This is a natural extension of our approach for providing connectivity to the widest range of applications, servers and networks."

This agreement expands the companies' two-year old relationship, under which NCD has been bundling the Citrix WinFrame multi-user application server software in NCD's WinCenter Pro product. Under the terms of the new accord, NCD will also offer Citrix ICA thin-client software on NCD's network computers.

"The addition of NCD to our growing family of ICA licensees furthers our strategy for universal access to business-critical applications, regardless of user location, available bandwidth, type of client hardware or operating platform," said Edward Iacobucci, chairman and chief technical officer of Citrix. "Together, Citrix and NCD will provide businesses with a thin-client/server computing solution that extends universal access to business-critical applications, while lowering the total cost of application ownership."

Technical Details

Under the terms of the agreement, NCD will port Citrix's ICA thin-client software to its line of network computers, for delivery in the second half of this year. The Citrix ICA protocol shifts the burden of application processing from the client device to the server. The user sees and works with the familiar Windows graphical interface, but the application and processing power reside on the server. The Citrix ICA protocol provides one of the industry's fastest delivery of Windows applications over telephone lines and wide-area networks.

NCD's network computers already support NCD's WGA client technology for accelerating interactive Windows graphics and multimedia in local-area networks. WGA combines heavily-optimized X Windows networking, interoperability with applications running on remote servers, multimedia audio with accelerated video, and dynamic caching and compression of image data that automatically adjusts to server and network load. WGA provides the industry's fastest delivery of Windows applications over local-area networks.

NCD will offer both Citrix ICA and WGA to its customers, delivering the industry's highest performance solutions for both wide and local area networks.

NCD's WinCenter Pro family of multi-user application servers bundle Citrix's WinFrame multi-user application server software (including ICA support) with NCD's WinCenter Connect open systems software. WinCenter Connect extends multi-user NT for use with UNIX, Java, multimedia, and legacy environments. It includes the WGA multimedia graphics accelerator for local-area networks, the WinCenter Universal Desktop for starting remote applications and using them on the Windows desktop, and extensive integration with UNIX workstations and servers.

About NCD

Founded in 1988, Network Computing Devices, Inc. is a leader in the network computer industry. It provides network computer hardware and software that delivers simultaneous, high-performance, easy-to-manage access to any application on an enterprise network from any desktop. The company's product lines include the Explora and HMX families of Universal Network Computers, the WinCenter Pro multi-user Windows NT application server software, and the PC-Xware software that connects PCs using MS Windows to UNIX hosts with a selection of terminal emulation and network connectivity tools. Over 350,000 NCD network computers have been installed. NCD's technology is also incorporated into products sold by leading manufacturers such as IBM, Sun and Novell. Network Computing Devices can be reached on the Internet at www.ncd.com .

Network Computing Devices and PC-Xware are registered trademarks of Network Computing Devices, Inc. Universal Network Computer, Explora, HMX, WinCenter and Marathon are trademarks of Network Computing Devices, Inc. Other trademarks are the acknowledged property of their respective holders.

About Citrix

Founded in 1989, Citrix Systems, Inc. is a leader in multi-user application server software, developed under license and strategic agreement with Microsoft. The company's flagship WinFrame product line is marketed through a worldwide business alliance of value-added resellers, system integrators, OEM licensees and industry partners. Citrix is based in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. and is traded on the NASDAQ stock exchange under the symbol CTXS.