Cisco Systems (CSCO), the world's largest maker of computer networking equipment puts itself in direct competition with the world's largest maker of security software, Symantec Corporation (SYMC), with its agreement to acquire IronPort Systems. 
Cisco acquired Scientific-Atlanta last year for $6.9 billion and this recent purchase is in keeping with the rising demand for network protection. The $830 million move into the security software market, with the acquistion of IronPort, is the biggest for the company of the other nine security purchases announced last year, each for less than $100 million.
Cisco was one of IronPort's 3,000 clients, including 38 of the world's top 100 companies. It's portion of the $635.2 million spam protection market in 2005 was estimated at 6.6 percent. That market is growing at 42 percent a year, according to this NYTimes.com article. Symantec holds a 12 percent portion of the antispam market.
IronPort is a closely held company founded in 2000 based primarily in San Bruno, Calif. It has 408 employees.
"Internet messaging threats continue to get more sophisticated, and IronPort has repeatedly delivered industry leading solutions," said Scott Weiss, CEO of IronPort Systems in this company news release. "Integrating IronPort's messaging security technology with Cisco's Self-Defending Network will enable a new level of defense for our customers."
Makes sense... acquisitions for Cisco business is the building block for Cisco’s future growth and competitive edge
Posted by: Holly Wild | August 29, 2008 3:12 PM | Permalink to Comment