Applied Industrial Technologies Standardizes on Citrix Access Infrastr

Applied Industrial Technologies Standardizes on Citrix Access Infrastructure to Reduce IT Costs and Speed Growth through Acquisitions

    Business Editors/Technology Writers

    SASKATOON, Sask., Canada & FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 28, 2005--

Centralized Applications Reduce IT Costs and On-Demand Access Improves Employee Productivity across 50 Branch Offices
    Citrix Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq:CTXS), the global leader in access infrastructure solutions, today announced that AIT Canada, a leading distributor of industrial, fluid power and engineered products and systems, has standardized on Citrix access infrastructure. The company is using the Secure by Design capability of Citrix(R) MetaFrame(R) Access Suite to deliver and manage access to a mix of Windows(R) productivity and accounting applications and proprietary UNIX(R) ERP systems.
    With the MetaFrame Access Suite as its end-to-end access infrastructure system, AIT Canada is better able to ensure the security of corporate data by centralizing it in one location, creating an IT environment that is secure by design. Additionally, AIT has dramatically improved helpdesk and training efficiency by deploying a standardized desktop. To extend these benefits across its growing enterprise, AIT Canada has steadily increased its use of Citrix over the last five years. Ninety-five percent of the company's application software is now accessed via Citrix(R) MetaFrame(R) Presentation Server. The goal is to reach 100% within 12 months.
    "Our business requires secure access to accurate, up-to-date information. We don't want islands of data sitting out in the field, where they are vulnerable to various security threats," said Peter Noyes, vice president of IT, AIT Canada. "We want it to reside in a single location, where it's backed up, completely protected and easily shared."
    With Citrix MetaFrame Presentation Server AIT Canada's IT staff is able to provide, on-demand access to applications more efficiently, and has reduced associated technology costs by centrally managing and deploying computing applications in its datacenter. This eliminates the need to repeatedly travel to branch offices to load and maintain applications on individual computers spread across four Canadian provinces. A centralized data repository ensures corporate information is safeguarded, yet securely, easily and instantly accessible to authorized users across the corporation.
    With Citrix, AIT Canada has also been able to further reduce costs by delivering high performance on low-cost and legacy computing systems. Because Citrix is not dependent on the latest desktop system to run efficiently, AIT Canada has significantly reduced hardware costs by deploying less expensive PCs as well as keeping older machines effective for longer periods of time.
    "We saw the value in centralizing our IT infrastructure, having previously moved our UNIX ERP system and data to the head office, so Citrix's access infrastructure was a logical next step for the company," noted Noyes. "Citrix is strategic for us in the sense that it fits our model of centralized processing and storage of data to a 'T.' The bottom line is you just can't operate your IT infrastructure cost effectively on a decentralized basis given today's economics."

    Standardized Access Infrastructure Improves User Experience and Productivity

    The MetaFrame Access Suite also enables AIT Canada to give employees, wherever they are, a single point of access to heterogeneous applications, all delivered with the same, high-quality user experience. "When our users access our legacy or ERP applications, they do so via Citrix access infrastructure," continued Noyes. "Users have the same access to Great Plains, Microsoft Office and our ERP system, regardless of location. Access from home as well as on the road is increasing dramatically."
    Finally, Citrix plays a significant role in AIT Canada's ability to acquire and integrate companies, according to Noyes. The centralized system ensures applications run on any device, removing a common hardware-integration hurdle that typically slows down mergers and acquisitions. For example, AIT Canada's IT team integrated 15 branch offices in just 60 days, working with minimal IT staff.

    About Citrix

    Citrix Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq:CTXS) is the global leader in access infrastructure solutions and the most trusted name in secure access for companies of all sizes. More than 160,000 organizations around the world use Citrix every day. Our software gives people secure and well-managed access to business information wherever it lives -- on demand. Citrix customers include 100% of the Fortune 100 companies, 99% of the Fortune 500, and 97% of the Fortune Global 500. Based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Citrix has offices in 22 countries, and approximately 7,000 channel and alliance partners in more than 100 countries. For more information visit http://www.citrix.com.

    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 the company's business involving the company's products, their development and distribution, economic and competitive factors and the company's key strategic relationships and 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) and MetaFrame(R) are registered trademarks or trademarks of Citrix Systems, Inc. in the U.S. and other countries. UNIX(R) is a registered trademark of The Open Group in the U.S. and other countries. Microsoft(R) and Windows(R) are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the U.S. and/or other countries. All other trademarks and registered trademarks are property of their respective owners.

--30--JD/mi*

CONTACT: Citrix Systems, Inc., Denver Liz Kegg, 303-919-6395 liz.kegg@citrix.com or Citrix Systems, Inc. Geoffrey Morgan, 416-640-5525 geoffreym@maverickpr.com

KEYWORD: FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL CANADA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: HARDWARE SOFTWARE NETWORKING SOURCE: Citrix Systems, Inc.

Copyright Business Wire 2005