Citrix Announces New Advanced Certifications; Redesigned Citrix Certified Integration Architect 4 and Citrix Certified Enterprise Administrator 4 Most Advanced, Extensive Preparation Available for Citrix Deployments

Business Wire, June 19, 2006

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Citrix Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq:CTXS), the global leader in access infrastructure solutions, today announced the launch of two new advanced certifications, Citrix Certified Integration Architect(TM) 4 (CCIA) for Citrix Access Suite(TM) 4 and Citrix Certified Enterprise Administrator(TM) 4 (CCEA) for Citrix Access Suite 4. These redesigned certifications, the most advanced and extensive tracks that Citrix has developed yet, support the latest release of the Citrix Access Suite and empower IT professionals to maximize the effectiveness and reliability of Citrix environments.

Companies that employ professionals with CCIA 4 and CCEA 4 certifications typically benefit from optimized environments, faster implementations, less down time and more satisfied end-users, which add up to a better return on their IT investment. These advanced certifications are also well-known and respected credentials, helping professionals advance their careers in a growing segment of the IT market. The new CCIA and CCEA certification exams help IT professionals validate key technical skills by demonstrating in-depth knowledge and expertise needed to support new projects and system expansions that further enhance on-demand access to business applications from anywhere.

"The CCIA 4 and CCEA 4 certifications demonstrate our continued commitment to top quality training and certification programs that help maximize the efficiency of Citrix environments and IT professional potential," said Julieann Scalisi, director of Citrix Education, Citrix Systems. "The community of Citrix certified professionals as well as those seeking to earn certifications will be pleased to see that these advanced certifications set a new standard for applicability to the job roles and needs of top IT professionals."

The redesigned CCIA 4 is the most advanced, challenging and rewarding certification that Citrix has ever created. It ensures that CCIA certified architects and systems designers have the skills and best practices knowledge they need to lead a company through the analysis, design and build/test phases for integrating the Citrix Access Suite into an IT environment. This advanced certification assesses candidates' mastery of the skills needed to help organizations reduce costs, increase implementation success rates and shorten implementation time.

The upgraded CCEA 4 certification enables system administrators to learn, apply and demonstrate critical skills required to integrate all Citrix Access Suite products into a single optimally configured environment, as well as sustain this environment using comprehensive troubleshooting and maintenance techniques. As the most extensive certification available for building and administering Citrix environments, the CCEA 4 focuses on the build/test, rollout and support of multiple products in the Citrix Access Suite.

Innovations in the new CCIA 4 exams make them more modular than previous exams, allowing candidates to complete them in segments rather than all at once. Although more flexible, these exams maintain the difficulty level by increasing the testing of hands-on experience, practical knowledge, and overall expertise of the candidate. A simulation exam, included in both the CCIA 4 and CCEA 4 certification tracks, requires candidates to think on their feet and complete job-related tasks in a simulated environment comprised of one or more Citrix Access Suite products.

In addition, IT professionals can now more easily obtain the advanced certifications concurrently, or one after the other. A candidate who has completed all requirements for a CCEA 4 must pass only two additional exams to achieve CCIA 4 certification. A candidate who completes the requirements for a CCIA 4 is only one exam away from CCEA 4 certification.

The new CCIA 4 and CCEA 4 certifications mark the latest evolution of advanced certifications for Citrix Access Suite 4 and follow the redesigned series of Citrix Certified Administrator (CCA) certifications, rolled out last year. While the CCA was revamped from a suite-level certification to three separate tracks focusing on each of the products in the Citrix Access Suite (i.e., Citrix Presentation Server(TM), Citrix Password Manager(TM) and Citrix Access Gateway(TM)), the CCIA and CCEA will remain suite-level certifications, covering all Citrix Access Suite 4 products. The full range of Citrix certifications cover the five key phases of the Citrix Project Lifecycle -- analysis, design, build/test, rollout and support -- which provide a consistent, standardized structure for repeatable success with Citrix implementations.

"Preliminary feedback on the courses and exams associated with the new CCIA 4 and CCEA 4 has been extremely positive and encouraging," said Scalisi. "In terms of research, development resources and development costs, we have invested significantly in these new certification programs. Certification candidates can expect to receive the most thorough preparation available to most effectively and successfully handle Citrix deployments at any phase of the Project Lifecycle."