Mergers and Acquisitions, Mergers and Acquisitions, Networking

Barracuda CFO Describes Sookasa Security Buyout

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David Faugno
David Faugno

Barracuda Networks' recent buyout of Sookasa, first reported by ChannelE2E, will bolster the company's security offerings for a range of customer and partner needs, according to CFO David Faugno.

In an email sent to ChannelE2E, Faugno said:

"The acquisition of Sookasa brings a talented team and sophisticated security technology to Barracuda. This acquisition will accelerate our roadmap and continue to strengthen our technology leadership in SaaS security, including our Office 365 initiatives and Secure Web Gateway business, and the technology will be incorporated into our advanced micro-services security architecture in areas such as Data Loss Prevention and Encryption. We will continue to support the installed base of Sookasa customers and welcome them into the Barracuda family."

ChannelE2E spotted the Sookasa buyout in an SEC filing last week but the company had yet to comment publicly about the deal. Faugno's statement connects the dots between Sookasa and a range of Barracuda security products. And multiple sources that track the company suggest more Office 365 security moves are on the way, building upon initial announcements from January 2016.

Barracuda Storage Meets Security?

Barracuda may also triangulate between its cloud storage, data protection and security businesses. Just today, the company unveiled a new backup product line featuring cloud storage and subscription pricing across physical, virtual, cloud and hybrid environments.

Those new backup lines are not to be confused with Intronis MSP Solutions by Barracuda, a platform the company acquired in 2015. The Intronis line earlier this month pushed beyond its cloud-centric heritage and gained on-premises appliances.

Although Barracuda continues to grow, the company expects to lean more heavily on the MSP channel to further expand its recurring revenue business. In its most recently quarterly results, disclosed in January 2016, earnings and revenue met Wall Street's expectations but billings came in below expectations, Barracuda 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.