$695m MessageLabs deal launches Symantec into cloud

Symantec has signed a deal to buy online messaging security company MessageLabs in a step that Symantec CEO says will speed its spread into the cloud.

Symantec will pay about $695m for the software as a service company and Symantec CEO John Thompson said it will hasten the introduction of its backup, storage and remote access SaaS products in Europe.

Speaking at the Symantec Vision + ManageFusion EMEA 08 conference, Thompson said Symantec also wants to offer data loss protection, compliance and endpoint management security services in the cloud.

Security from A to Z

Click on the links below to find out more...

A is for Antivirus
B is for Botnets
C is for CMA
D is for DDoS
E is for Extradition
F is for Federated identity
G is for Google
H is for Hackers
I is for IM
J is for Jaschan (Sven)
K is for Kids
L is for Love Bug
M is for Microsoft
N is for Neologisms
O is for Orange
P is for Passwords
Q is for Questions
R is for Rootkits
S is for Spyware
T is for Two-factor authentication
U is for USB sticks/devices
V is for Virus variants
W is for Wi-fi
X is for OS X
Y is for You
Z is for Zero-day

Thompson said the deal will mean Symantec's existing SaaS product offerings, known as the Symantec Protection Network, will be installed in MessageLabs' 14 data centres worldwide and made available to MessageLabs' 19,000 clients.

"The full capability of Symantec's portfolio could be rearchitected and offered as SaaS, and MessageLabs' acquisition - who are a leader in the market - will help us take that strategy forward," he said.

Thompson added: "It offers the opportunity to give our customers choice whether they want on-premise software solutions, on-premise appliance solutions or an off-premise solution of software in the cloud."

According to Thompson, the current economic uncertainty prompts businesses to consider the SaaS security model rather than employing people to look after it in-house.

Symantec will now migrate customers from its own mail security offering, Symantec Hosted Mail Service, to MessageLabs.