When NetScaler application switch is used as L3+ switch, information regarding the original IP and TCP headers are lost as a new TCP connection is created between the NetScaler and the backend server. NetScaler provides a feature to insert in the TCP data the original data that can then be consumed by the backend server. Specifications and documentations from NetScaler: https://support.citrix.com/article/CTX205670 https://www.citrix.com/blogs/2016/04/25/how-to-enable-client-ip-in-tcpip-option-of-netscaler/ When CIP is enabled on the NetScaler, then a TCP packet is inserted just after the TCP handshake. Two versions of the CIP extension exist. Legacy (NetScaler < 10.5) - CIP magic number : 4 bytes Both sender and receiver have to agree on a magic number so that they both handle the incoming data as a NetScaler Client IP insertion packet. - Header length : 4 bytes Defines the length on the remaining data. - IP header : >= 20 bytes if IPv4, 40 bytes if IPv6 Contains the header of the last IP packet sent by the client during TCP handshake. - TCP header : >= 20 bytes Contains the header of the last TCP packet sent by the client during TCP handshake. Standard (NetScaler >= 10.5) - CIP magic number : 4 bytes Both sender and receiver have to agree on a magic number so that they both handle the incoming data as a NetScaler Client IP insertion packet. - CIP length : 4 bytes Defines the total length on the CIP header. - CIP type: 2 bytes Always set to 1. - Header length : 2 bytes Defines the length on the remaining data. - IP header : >= 20 bytes if IPv4, 40 bytes if IPv6 Contains the header of the last IP packet sent by the client during TCP handshake. - TCP header : >= 20 bytes Contains the header of the last TCP packet sent by the client during TCP handshake.