News
Microsoft Completes Sybari Acquisition
- By Scott Bekker
- June 21, 2005
Microsoft completed the acquisition of Sybari Software on Tuesday and announced product plans, which include discontinuing new sales of the secure messaging company's products for Linux and Unix platforms.
The companies first announced the deal, for an undisclosed sum, in February. Sybari is known for its cross-platform Antigen products, which use multiple scanning engines from major anti-virus and anti-spam vendors to check and clean e-mail messages.
Microsoft plans to offer several of Sybari's products for the Windows platform but discontinue new sales of Sybari's products for Unix and Linux platforms. Microsoft did commit to "continue to offer high-quality customer support for the complete range of Sybari products offered before the acquisition," Microsoft said in a statement.
Sybari products that will continue to be offered on Windows include Antigen for Microsoft Exchange, Antigen for Microsoft SharePoint Portal Server and Windows SharePoint Services, Antigen for Instant Messaging, Antigen for SMTP Gateways, Sybari Enterprise Manager, Advanced Spam Manager, Advanced Spam Defense and Antigen for Domino on Windows NT.
In the short term, Microsoft will continue with existing Sybari sales channels and licensing models.
In an online Q&A, Mike Nash, vice president of the Microsoft Security Business and Technology Unit, said no date has been set for the transition of the Sybari partner program into the Microsoft Partner Program but that the switch eventually will happen.
On the technology side, Nash was vague, but indicated Sybari technology would find its way into Microsoft infrastructure products. "We're also looking forward to building on Sybari technology as a basis for future security solutions to help protect customers," Nash said.
About the Author
Scott Bekker is editor in chief of Redmond Channel Partner magazine.