Citrix Education Unveils Next Generation Certification Structure

IT Professionals at All Levels Gain Expanded Virtualization
Offerings and Streamlined Exam Requirements
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla.--(Business Wire)--
Citrix Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:CTXS), the global leader in
application delivery infrastructure, today announced several key
changes to its certification program and strategy, including the
introduction of three new designations. The company's highly ranked
certification program has been redesigned to provide entry-through
expert-level IT professionals with expanded offerings by role and
specialization, as well as streamlined update paths that make it
easier for IT professionals to stay current. The changes support IT
professionals' need to demonstrate specialized knowledge in key
server, desktop and application virtualization technologies.

The new certification structure, developed in collaboration with
Citrix customers, consists of three levels of certification -
Administrator Series (Citrix Certified Administrator(TM) (CCA), which
now includes tracks supporting Platinum product editions, and Citrix
Certified Advanced Administrator(TM) (CCAA)); Engineer Series (Citrix
Certified Enterprise Engineer(TM) (CCEE)); and Architect Series
(Citrix Certified Integration Architect(TM) (CCIA)). The CCAs for
Platinum edition, CCAA and CCEE are brand new. The program is
structured into tracks aligned around four distinct solution paths,
enabling IT professionals to achieve specific credentials for
application virtualization, server virtualization, application
networking, and desktop virtualization.

"The new certification structure is a result of Citrix Education
responding to changes in the IT landscape, including technologies, job
roles and the needs of our customers and partners," said Julieann
Scalisi, Managing Director of Citrix Education. "In order to stay
competitive in an IT market where virtualization is playing such a
crucial role, professionals need new skill sets they did not need a
few years ago. We are committed to ensuring that proven Citrix
knowledge and skills continue to set our customers and partners apart
across the board."

Administrator Series: Depth and Breadth

Under the new structure, customers and partners can fine-tune
their Citrix credentials to more closely represent their current skill
level and technology focus. When considering advancement beyond the
entry-level CCA, customers and partners may choose to demonstrate
breadth of knowledge across an end-to-end Citrix solution with a new
Platinum Edition CCA, or validate in-depth knowledge and skills with a
CCAA.

A candidate may earn a CCAA by taking an advanced technical
training course and passing an advanced exam. The CCAA for Citrix
XenApp(TM) 5, which supports application virtualization, will be
available in Q4 while a CCAA for application networking is in
development and will be announced at a future date. The CCAA
represents the first Citrix certification incorporating technical
training into its requirements.

"Recent surveys of IT organizations showed us that in many cases
the greatest value to IT professionals of certification is in
successfully completing the recommended preparatory training," said
Ophir Erez, Sr. Manager of Education Programs, Citrix Education.
"Hiring managers are most concerned with ensuring that their staff has
the experience and exposure to best practices, whether in the field or
in the classroom, that correspond to their certification."

The Platinum Edition CCA may be achieved by passing a core CCA
exam and up to two additional CCA exams in related technologies.
Platinum Edition CCAs are available now for each of the four solution
paths: application virtualization (CCA for Citrix XenApp 5 Platinum),
server virtualization (CCA for Citrix XenServer(TM) 5 Platinum),
application networking (CCA for Citrix(R) NetScaler(R) 8 Platinum),
and desktop virtualization (CCA for Citrix XenDesktop(TM) 2 Platinum).

Engineer and Architect Series: Streamlined Requirements, Higher
Value

The engineer-level CCEE and architect-level CCIA have been
redefined to provide streamlined requirements for seasoned IT
professionals and for existing certification holders to advance
further.

The CCEE designation will, over time, replace the currently
available Citrix Certified Enterprise Administrator(TM) (CCEA). The
certification, renamed to accurately describe its association to the
engineer-level job role, allows candidates the ability to be
recognized as a successful generalist from data center to user, and
product specialist in at least one Platinum product.

"With the CCEE, seasoned IT professionals demonstrate their
ability to combine the coordination of operational planning efforts
with 'tactical design' expertise and integration know-how," said Erez.
"Design skills are necessary to scale and enhance existing
environments, and integration expertise shows that candidates can
connect the nuts and bolts of select elements of infrastructure to
create a truly dynamic delivery center, and a top-notch user
experience."

The CCIA allows architect-level IT professionals to focus on
honing real world skills with a range of technologies to design
strategic approaches to application and workload delivery. A key
feature of the updated CCIA program is the addition of an experience
requirement. This change is a result of customer feedback and trends
indicating that hiring managers are valuing the combination of
certifications and experience more than ever before. In addition to
training and certification exam requirements, candidates will need to
show a minimum level of proven experience in a select group of key
domains through an audited application process.

CCEE and CCIA application virtualization tracks are in development
with further details to be announced during the first half of 2009.
More information on the CCIA experience requirement will be available
closer to that announcement.

Simplified Update Paths

With the release of the next generation certification programs,
update paths to the newest CCEE and CCIA certifications will be
available for individuals holding the current version of these
certifications. The update paths will reduce requirements
significantly, allowing IT professionals to demonstrate skills
relevant to the features and technologies that are most critical, most
difficult, and most different in order to keep their designations
current. More information on update opportunities and requirements
will be available closer to their respective announcements during the
first half of 2009.

"The certification update paths have been requested by our
customers through research and feedback, and I am pleased that we were
able to develop a program to meet that need," said Scalisi.

For more information on the next generation certification
structure, please visit the Citrix Education website at
http://www.citrixeducation.com.

About Citrix Education

Citrix Education offers Citrix customers and partners official
training, exams and certifications on Citrix products, technology and
best practices. This is accomplished through a robust curriculum that
includes instructor-led and self-paced online courses, 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.

About Citrix

Citrix Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:CTXS) is the global leader and the
most trusted name in Application Delivery Infrastructure. More than
215,000 organizations worldwide rely on Citrix to deliver any
application to users anywhere with the best performance, highest
security and lowest cost. Citrix customers include 100 percent of the
Fortune 100 companies and 99 percent of the Fortune Global 500, as
well as hundreds of thousands of small businesses and prosumers.
Citrix has approximately 8,000 partners in more than 100 countries.
Annual revenue in 2007 was $1.4 billion.

For Citrix Investors

This release contains forward-looking statements which are made
pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of Section 21E of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The forward-looking statements in
this release do not constitute guarantees of future performance. Those
statements involve a number of factors that could cause actual results
to differ materially, including risks associated with revenue growth
and recognition of revenue, products, their development and
distribution, product demand and pipeline, economic and competitive
factors, the Company's key strategic relationships, acquisition and
related integration risks as well as other risks detailed in the
Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Citrix
assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking information
contained in this press release or with respect to the announcements
described herein.

Citrix(R), NetScaler(R), Citrix Presentation Server(TM), Citrix
Certified Administrator(TM), Citrix Certified Advanced
Administrator(TM), Citrix Certified Enterprise Engineer(TM),Citrix
Certified Integration Architect(TM), Citrix Certified Enterprise
Administrator(TM), Citrix XenDesktop(TM), XenApp(TM), 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.

For Citrix Systems, Inc., Fort Lauderdale
A&R Edelman
Joanne Rasch, 202-277-3105
jrasch@ar-edelman.com

Copyright Business Wire 2008