CSPs, Midmarket, Networking

Barracuda Launches Free “Cloud Ready” AWS, Azure Customer Trials

Hatem Naguib

Barracuda Networks has launched a free cloud services trial program for Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure. The "Cloud Ready" program works like this: With each new Barracuda NextGen Firewall or Barracuda Web Application Firewall – including both physical and virtual deployments – Barracuda provides a cloud license for the same solution in AWS or Azure for up to 90 days.

Partners will play an important role in the Cloud Ready program, Hatem Naguib, senior VP, Security Business Unit, Barracuda, told ChannelE2E. The company has a dedicated team of cloud professionals ready to work with customers and partners on the Cloud Ready effort, he adds.

"We've got great traction with Azure and AWS, and many of those deployments are first-time Barracuda customers," Naguib says. The 90-day AWS and Azure free trials aim to introduce cloud services to Barracuda customers who are more familiar with the company's on-premises offerings but are starting to sort through cloud options, he notes.

The free licenses are available directly from Barracuda or from an authorized partner. The 90-day trials are long enough to "lift and shift" some of on-premises applications to the cloud and test various scenarios and configurations, at no additional licensing charge, Barracuda asserts.

Even ahead of the free trial offers, Barracuda had cloud momentum with Microsoft, Amazon, channel partners and MSPs that want to safeguard customer data, according to CEO BJ Jenkins, who described related milestones during a January earnings call. Next up: More momentum with Google Cloud Platform, Jenkins said at the time.

Joe Panettieri

Joe Panettieri is co-founder & editorial director of MSSP Alert and ChannelE2E, the two leading news & analysis sites for managed service providers in the cybersecurity market.