PLEASANTON, California, July 10 /PRNewswire/ --

- Innovative distance learning solution for on-demand, hands-on training launched by Citrix to train its worldwide channel partners and customers.

Toolwire, a leading innovator of experiential distance learning solutions announces that Citrix Systems, Inc. has chosen Toolwire to deliver an on-demand and scheduled lab environment to train Citrix worldwide channel partners and customers on its application networking products, including Citrix(R) NetScaler(R), Citrix WANScaler(TM), Citrix Access Gateway(TM), and NetScaler Application Firewall products.

The continued deployment growth of these products, which are focused on the secure and accelerated delivery of web and branch office applications, requires Citrix to provide a highly scalable training platform to keep up with rising user demand. Following the successful implementation of a virtual, hands-on training solution to support their Citrix XenServer(TM) product, Citrix again looked to Toolwire to enhance the Citrix training experience.

"Toolwire has proven to be a valued partner in helping us deliver on our global training objectives. They understand the importance of 24x7 availability and treat our training environment as mission critical," said Julieann Scalisi, Managing Director of Citrix Education. "Since Toolwire enabled us to develop and deliver a cost effective, on-demand training environment for our XenServer partners last year, it was very natural for us to look to them once again when faced with the need to expand our capacity and extend this type of training solution to our other products."

The program developed for Citrix utilizes Toolwire's unique Enterprise Live Labs OnDemand (ELO) solution. Two platforms were developed: one integrating Citrix NetScaler, and another environment integrating WANScaler. The NetScaler platform, supporting NetScaler, Access Gateway Enterprise Edition, and NetScaler Application Firewall training offerings, provides each user with the ability to access physical appliances for the labs focusing on a range of technical topics. For instance, users have the ability to administer and configure Citrix NetScaler capabilities on a physical appliance as well as collaborate via their virtual machine images, as needed. As a result, students get hands-on experience with the technology while they are learning, which leads to a higher level of retention and accelerated skills acquisition. The WANScaler environment, supporting all WANScaler training offerings, works similarly. Authorized users sign in to a dedicated Citrix Virtual Lab environment on the Toolwire platform, which provides hosting and delivery of the Citrix NetScaler or WANScaler appliances and access to hands-on LiveLabs for the product training.

The training may be delivered in multiple modalities, either in a classroom setting or in a virtual distance delivery model. This provides learners with additional flexibility, allowing them to access training anytime, from anywhere without disrupting their daily commitments. In addition, as an enhancement to the formal training program, a Sandbox Environment is made available for users to return to after completion of the course. This capability allows learners to gain additional hands-on experience so they may refresh, reinforce, explore and practice critical product features, functions, use cases and best practices.

This solution will provide many benefits to Citrix learners, instructors and authorized learning centers.

For Students:

-- Easy, instant, and consistent access to hands-on labs to support learning-by-doing

-- Ability to access a live environment with no associated administrative effort

For Citrix Certified Instructors:

-- Consistent interface and access for all courses, regardless of where delivered

-- Flexibility of system access for scheduled, self study and class preparation

-- Ability to demonstrate teaching points in a real-time environment

-- No preparation required to set up, configure, or maintain lab environment or equipment

-- Ability to participate in instructor enablement related activities remotely; thereby accelerating the process of delivering new training offerings within the Citrix training channel

For Citrix Authorized Learning Centers:

-- A reduction in training expenditures since there is no set-up of physical labs requiring complex, cost prohibitive lab environments

-- Simple access to labs via a web browser

-- Ability to run classes from basic student systems without a need for a complex or expensive infrastructure

-- Rapid provisioning allows students to be added, right up to the class start time

-- No upfront costs to procure hardware or ongoing costs to maintain a complex technology environment

Toolwire's initial training solution for Citrix XenServer has supported over 39,000 accesses with more than 17,000 hours of usage in just the first 6 months of rollout. Since the program was launched in October 2007, over 2,800 partners have successfully prepared to sell the product by taking the training, which has contributed significantly to customer uptake.

"Toolwire is proud to have been selected again by Citrix for the delivery of their critical training programs," said Cameron D. Crowe, Vice President, Marketing and Corporate Development of Toolwire. "Training is a crucial element to achieving global adoption of technology products and we believe Citrix is a leader in the deployment of these innovative learning initiatives. Their use of the Toolwire platform will support the delivery of critical skill sets, enabling an accelerated in-depth technology apprenticeship on their products and enabling their customers to shorten the time to productivity."

About Toolwire

Toolwire, Inc. is a learning solutions provider specializing in products and services for experiential learning. Toolwire's hands-on Live Labs and Scenarios provide on-demand, personalized practice with live systems for blended training initiatives. "Learning by doing" provides the quickest and most effective way to develop skills and ensure ongoing competency with technology. The company is headquartered in Pleasanton, CA. For more information, please visit http://www.toolwire.com

About Citrix Education

Citrix Education offers Citrix customers and partners a solid knowledge base of Citrix products, technology and best practices. This is accomplished through a robust curriculum that includes instructor-led and eLearning courses, hands-on lab environments, and culminates with certification exams. Citrix training and certifications enable IT professionals to build, maintain and maximize Citrix environments. For more information about training and the industry-recognized certifications offered by Citrix Education, go to http://www.citrixeducation.com.

Citrix(R), NetScaler(R), Citrix WANScaler(TM), Citrix Access Gateway(TM), Citrix Authorized Learning Center(TM) and Citrix XenServer(TM) are trademarks of Citrix Systems, Inc. and/or one or more of its subsidiaries, and may be registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and in other countries. All other trademarks and registered trademarks are property of their respective owners.

Media Contact: Cameron D. Crowe Vice President, Marketing and Corporate Development Toolwire, Inc. +1-925-227-8500 ccrowe@toolwire.com Web site: http://www.toolwire.com http://www.citrixeducation.com

Cameron D. Crowe, Vice President, Marketing and Corporate Development of Toolwire, Inc., +1-925-227-8500, ccrowe@toolwire.com