http://www.techworld.com/security/news/index.cfm?newsID=9136
By John E. Dunn
Techworld
13 June 2007
Remote access specialist Aventail is to be acquired by larger rival
SonicWall for $25 million in cash.
The deal, which is expected to close in the remarkably quick timeframe
by the end of July, will see the privately-owned Aventail add its SSL
VPN range of products to strengthen SonicWalls.
It was not made clear in the official announcement how the two will
merge their products, and whether either companys lines will lose out.
The modest price for Aventail suggests that SonicWall might be in search
of the formers premium customers, however, rather than its technology
alone.
SonicWALL is number one in SSL VPN unit share worldwide, and this
acquisition will help grow our revenue share. We will compete more
effectively in the remote access space, building on complementary
elements in our two organisations, and offer new solutions that enhance
our relevance for todays dynamic enterprise, said SonicWall CEO Matthew
Medeiros, offering few clues.
Aventail will be remembered both a pioneer of SSL VPN access and as an
advocate of the awfully-termed de-perimeterised network, where users are
secured according to criteria such as what they are connecting from
rather than where they are physically.
It looks as if Aventails shareholders have decided that its growth
possibilities as a small company were becoming limited, and that the
best option was a sell-out.
The company, founded in 1996, was financed by a several rounds of
venture capital, one of which totalled $55 million during the tech slump
of 2001. The end price will disappoint many.
Received on Thu Jun 14 00:10:08 2007