Nemertes Impact Analysis

The Impact Analysis is a weekly quick-take on breaking IT news.
Nemertes provides expert insight on how recent IT news affects you.

Symantec Buys Message Labs: Adds Security as a Service

With its eye on message security-as-a-service, Symantec (NASDAQ:SYMC) has
announced plans to acquire privately held MessageLabs. Nemertes sees a gap
between Symantec perception and Symantec reality. In Nemertes' Security and
Information Protection benchmark, participants rate their experience with
Symantec (technology, customer service and value) an overall score of 3.2 out of
5.0, the second lowest rating. At the same time, 32.7% of the participants call
Symantec a top security vendor, the second highest rating. Successful
integration of MessageLabs should help to close this gap.

Impacts:

Enterprises: MessageLabs brings strong anti-SPAM, encryption and
security-as-a-service capabilities to Symantec. Successful integration will add
strength to the Symantec security portfolio.

Vendors: Competitive move by Symantec that puts pressure on Cisco/Ironport
(NASDAQ:CSCO),Google/Postini (NASDAQ:GOOG) and privately held Proofpoint.

Investors: Other players in this space are acquisition targets: privately
held Borderware, Messaging Architects, MX Logic and PineApp to name a few.

Ted Ritter, Research Analyst

http://www.nemertes.com/products_services/research/benchmarks/nemertes_benchmark_security_and_information_protection

http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Security/Symantec-Purchases-Security-Vendor-MessageLabs-to-Build-Out-SaaS-Business/?kc=rss