Akonix Identifies Third Wave in Security Appliance Market
First to offer IM and P2P security device following surge of appliances in the firewall and e-mail security markets
San Diego, CA - August 16, 2005 - Akonix Systems, Inc., a leading provider of enterprise-class solutions for ensuring security, compliance, and management of enterprise instant messaging (IM), has pinpointed the next trend in perimeter security devices, going beyond firewall and e-mail security appliances, with the recent rollout of a security appliance for protecting against threats targeted toward IM use and peer-to-peer (P2P) file-sharing.
In a 2005 Forrester report (see note, below), analyst Paul Stamp stated, "Until recently, most security vendors -- with the exception of firewall producers like Cisco and Juniper Networks -- shipped software products. Customers then deployed the software themselves on servers that they configured. Today, however, users want preinstalled network appliances that they can slot straight into racks This is due to better performance, lower initial installation costs, increased manageability and lower operating costs."
The trend toward e-mail security appliances is evident, according to an April 2005 report by the Radicati Group, which states that e-mail security appliances will generate $363 million in 2005. The firm expects this segment to experience explosive growth over the next four years, with revenue increasing by more than 400 percent during that time. Akonix anticipates the real-time communications security appliance market will follow a similar growth pattern.
Akonix addresses the third wave of affordable security solutions for corporate networks with the Akonix L7 CM5000 appliance, the industry's first all-in-one appliance for IM and P2P security, compliance, and management. The L7 CM5000 is designed for ultimate security and dramatically reduces set-up time and day-to-day administration for resource-constrained IT departments.
"Security is top of mind for CIOs across all industries," said Bill Maguire, CIO of Aspect Communications. "IT departments are reviewing their entire networks for potential security soft spots and looking for cost-effective solutions that can be deployed quickly and are easy to manage. I believe the IM appliance is an essential element of an enterprise's network security strategy."
"Our real-time communications appliance is the next generation of protection against worms, viruses, phishing scams, and other malicious content," said Francis Costello, chief technology officer at Akonix. "We have seen immediate industry demand for an IM security appliance that provides advanced security, compliance, and management features, while offering minimal installation and administration effort and expense. It's no surprise that IM appliances are becoming as critical for enterprise security as e-mail and firewall appliances. They provide the most secure and cost-effective means of ensuring that real-time communications systems have the same security, compliance, and control as other enterprise systems.
Akonix's award-winning technology ensures safe, secure, and compliant use of IM across both public IM networks and enterprise IM systems. Security is quickly becoming a key concern for organizations that regularly use IM as a critical business-communications tool. According to Osterman Research, more than 90 percent of enterprises have employees using IM on their networks, often without corporate knowledge or sanction.
To learn more about the Akonix L7 CM5000 security appliance, please visit http://www.akonix.com.
About Akonix
Akonix is an instant messaging (IM) security and management pioneer, enabling Global 1000 companies to deploy productive, enterprise-wide IM that is secure, compliant, and managed. The Akonix Security Center (www.imsecuritycenter.com) provides real-time information about worms, viruses, and other vulnerabilities that target IM and P2P networks. The company issues monthly and quarterly IM threat watch reports to track key trends and vulnerabilities.
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Notes:
Security Appliances Unwrapped, Forrester Research, Inc., March 2005