WebSpy appliances itself overseas

Perth security ISV WebSpy has signed a deal with a Melbourne security appliance manufacturer to take that vendor's products overseas.

Jack Andrys, CEO of WebSpy, said the ISV and security appliance maker Exinda Networks had agreed to combine their complementary capabilities to ramp up their market push.

'They're starting to push their product out. That product is bandwidth management, so determines how much bandwidth is available for current protocol,' he said. 'And they've spent a lot of money doing that.'

WebSpy already had a well-developed customer network overseas, including offices in places such as the US but sought to consolidate that business as a platform for further growth, he said. He added that WebSpy in October came 35th in the Business Review Weekly Fast 100 list of Australia's fastest growing companies.

Andrys conceded that security appliances had certain disadvantages but argued they still had market potential.
Hardware-based all-in-one integrated appliances often ran customised, proprietary software and were thus often out of date by the time they appeared on the market. 'It takes more time [to build a hardware-based appliance] than to build the software to work with it,' Andrys said.

However, appliances in certain business situations could offer cost benefits. Smaller businesses with different offices using the same platforms could find a security appliance installation quicker and more cost-effective than trying to mix and match individual software packages to create overall security for their networks.

'Think about it. It is an essentially integrated solution most of the time,' Andrys said. 'When they install the appliance and get it working in one area, they know it will work in other areas that same way.'
Andrys points out that routers are appliances, yet are getting more configurable security features built in over time. Also, appliance costs were coming down, he said.

'In the old days, you used to route through a PC. Not everyone could afford a Cisco router so they used a network card and routed through a PC,' he said. 'For my ADSL [connection] at home, I have a $300 box that does all different things [and] which sets up security on it. It's a year old and it's wonderful.'

Exinda Networks gear was formerly distributed by defunct security software specialist Janteknology. Janteknology was closed down earlier this year due to a serious internal security breach, its then-MD Glenn Miller told CRN at the time.

 

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Senetas more secure than ever

Australian business intelligence vendor Senetas is on track for further steady growth this financial year on the back of its security portfolio sales through subsidiary CTAM.

At the company's AGM, Senetas chairman Francis Galbally said that the ASX-listed vendor expects the 2003-04 financial year to reap $18 million to $20 million, an increase from 2002-03's break-even $13 million in line with the company's strategy for steady growth.

'Senetas has now consistently increased operating revenues by double digit growth over the past four financial years and is on track for a profitable 2004,' he said.

Galbally said that a renewed focus by 'most Western governments' on cyber-terrorism meant businesses were increasingly making IT security top priority while Senetas subsidiary CTAM targeted the high-speed data security niche.

'The expansion of the security business, with the significant sales pipeline for our CTAM products both through US partner SafeNet and through local sales, should see Senetas move to sustainable profit generation in the next six months.' he said.

Galbally said that, overall, the IT market had proved uncertain and margins had fallen as a result. However, double-digit growth in revenue was expected for the next few years, especially since SafeNet products were now distributed in Australia.

'It has taken longer to achieve this [revenue] target than we would have liked. However, your board has adopted a cautious approach to growth in what has been an uncertain IT market,' he said.

Senetas had focused on niche specialisation rather than broad services provision, he said, with an 'earnings core' of enterprise information management, security and business intelligence.

'The focus in the coming year will be on growing the security segment both in product and services revenue,' Galbally said.

He flagged possible expansion through acquisitions or partnerships, saying Senetas had a mind to 'playing a role' in the consolidating several Australian IT security 'players' into one listed company in coming years.

Meanwhile, Senetas would continue to develop its Datum business intelligence and IBK enterprise management consultancy units as a revenue base, he said. 'Technology is not the flavour of the month it once was ... [but] Senetas is well-positioned,' Galbally told the AGM.

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