NETGEAR is addressing the growing demand for secure, cloud-managed networking among small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and managed service providers (MSPs). The company announced its acquisition of
Exium, a cybersecurity firm specializing in Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) solutions, marking a new chapter in NETGEAR’s enterprise strategy.
Addressing Security Complexity for Small Teams
With SMEs increasingly facing advanced cyber threats, many lack the resources to stitch together fragmented tools across networking and security. Exium’s platform, purpose-built for MSP scalability and SME usability, allows NETGEAR to deliver an integrated SASE offering that pairs with its wired and wireless networking portfolio.
“AI has changed the threat landscape for small and medium enterprises as well as larger businesses, but the solutions for SMEs are often too difficult to implement or need to be cobbled onto the network and managed separately,” said
Pramod Badjate, President and GM of NETGEAR. “By offering the Exium SASE solution with the goal of integrating it into our Insight cloud management platform, we’ll be able to bring our customers a seamless, single-pane-of-glass solution that is easily deployed and managed by small IT teams or MSPs.”
A Cloud-First Vision for Secure Networking
The acquisition reflects NETGEAR’s larger shift toward building a secure, cloud-first networking ecosystem for its business customers. “The acquisition of Exium is a pivotal step in NETGEAR’s long-term vision to become the go-to provider of secure, cloud-managed networking solutions built for MSPs and SMEs,” said Badjate. “We’re not just adding another tool, we’re embedding cybersecurity into the core of our networking business, so that MSPs can provide seamless, scalable protection without layering on complexity.”
Insight Platform Integration on the Horizon
NETGEAR’s plan is to integrate Exium’s SASE capabilities into its Insight platform—offering centralized management, deployment, and visibility. This move is intended to streamline IT operations for MSPs and small teams managing hybrid environments.
“As we integrate Exium into our cloud-based Insight platform, we’re building a security experience that fits naturally into how MSPs already manage networks today,” Badjate explained. “The goal is a single pane of glass that allows even small IT teams to configure, monitor, and troubleshoot both connectivity and security from one streamlined interface.”
NETGEAR expects full integration into the Insight platform in 2026. Exium CEO Farooq Khan will continue to lead the Exium solution and will join NETGEAR for Business' leadership team. “Exium was built from the ground up as a cybersecurity solution to help protect small and medium enterprises that lack a comprehensive solution for combatting cybersecurity threats,” said Khan. As the SASE market continues to expand, projected by Gartner to grow at a 29% CAGR to $25 billion by 2027, NETGEAR’s move positions it to deliver greater value and protection to its SME and MSP customer base through tightly coupled networking and security in a single cloud-managed platform.
