Security Acquisitions 2011

Interesting slide show by Channel Insider on the major security acquisitions 2011. No explanation for the order. It’s neither alphabetical nor by value of the acquisition (many of the values not provided).

Dell purchasing SecureWorks, Thoma Bravo acquiring TripWire and Blue Coat Systems (the guys at Thomas Bravo were busy with these two and also have SonicWall), Symantec buying Clearwell, IBM acquiring Q1, McAfee buying Nitro Security and Sentrigo, Sophos buying Astaro, Wave Systems buying Safend, and GFI buying Monitis.

http://www.channelinsider.com/c/a/Security/Top-10-Security-Acquisitions-of-2011-742914/

SC Magazine had their own list in the Reboot 2011 December issue. Ones they had that didn’t overlap with Channel Insider – Check Point acquiring Dynasec, EMC acquiring Netwitness, HP and Autonomy (now that got a lot of news!), IBM with Platform Computing, Algorithmics, and i2 (big companies have to do something with all that cash). Imation purchasing IronKey, Oracle acquiring RightNow and Endeca Technologies (what’s a couple of billion $ here and there), redhat purchasing Gluster, and VMware acquiring Shavlik Technologies.

You can pick your reasons for the acquisitions.

• Broadening a security product portfolio.
• Buying over making.
• Innovation coming from smaller companies.
• Seeing good technologies being poorly managed.
• Perceived synergy.
• Buying share.
• Having a lot of money in the bank.

There were also smaller acquisitions by other security vendors in 2011 but the above seem to be the larger ones. Look for more of the above to occur in 2012. Discussions on the 2011 initial public offering (IPO) market will be a separate blog. 2011 was not a stellar year for IPO’s.

It’s a new year. The RSA Conference 2012 is coming up in late February. Scoping out companies and intercompany bonding to take place over drinks at the W Hotel across from Moscone Center. This is the place to hang. For a bit more discretion, the Clift.

http://www.rsaconference.com/events/2012/usa/