Network Performance and Security: InfoVista and Bluecoat

Abstract:
Management of The Internet traditionally includes Fault, Performance, Configuration, and Security management. The business has traditionally experienced consolidation, but more recently the industry has been going private. Network Performance is often measured by software and enhanced by hardware. An short update on a few vendors.

WAN Acceleration Morphs into Security:
This market is dominated by the likes of Riverbed. with other vendors such as Cisco with WAAS and Ipanema. Bluecoat was one of the dominate vendors in this arena - on February 2012, Blue Coat Systems (web security and WAN Optimization) was acquired by Thoma Bravo LLC., a private equity firm. The conversion to a Security Company is well underway.

Performance Management Monitoring:

InfoVista has been in the Performance Management business for over a decade. The provide the core performance management infrastructure for Ipanema. InfoVista was purchased by private equity firm Thoma Bravo LLC in April 4, 2012. InfoVista provides the performance management for Blue Coat competitor Ipanema - which is quite interesting.

Application Performance Monitoring:
Network Instruments (network and application performance solutions) had a controlling interested taken by Thoma Bravo in April 2012. The products include an a lineup from software to probes to switches and network management for it all.

[3D map from InfoVista's Mentum Planet]

Self Organized Networks:
InfoVista's push into SON continued with the InfoVista purchase of Mentum on November 28, 2012. The expertise in carrier based wireless networks continues to grow, with wireless and back-haul expertise adding to InfoVista's portfolio. Mentum Planet is a powerful addition considering it is "the only RF network planning and optimization tool that embeds MapInfo professional GIS" and provides complete life cycle management for all things wireless.

[Keynote Logo]

Cloud Testing:
Thoma Bravo purchased  KeyNote Systems Inc. in August 28, 2013. Keynote provides cloud-based tools for testing mobile applications. "With Keynote, companies know precisely how their Web sites, content, and applications perform on actual browsers, networks, and mobile devices."

Testing & Forecasting:
Thoma Bravo also purhcased Empirix in August 2013. This testing tool provides for forecasting customer experience. This Massachusetts U.S. company provided mobile wireless services to banking and financial industries. "Empirix is at the forefront of holistic quality assurance solutions that preempt technology issues, ensure peak level performance, and predict the smartest actions for delighting customers, controlling costs, and optimizing business processes."

Network Planning and Analytics:Malaysian telecommunications software developer Aexio was acquired by InfoVista on  October 23, 2013. Network planning, service assurance, and geo-analytics will be added into InfoVista's portfolio of capabilities, with an Asian footprint.

[Aexio Founders]

Conclusion:
In the carrier wireless space, Thoma Bravo seems intent on providing management capabilities from carrier back-haul all the way up the wireless stack to the handset - bundling network, application, analytics, and forecasting into a performance management portfolio. It will be curious how security and WAN acceleration from Bluecoat will play into the mix and whether this will place any additional market pressure on Ipanema or whether their hardware will become an appliance basis only for security focus to remain disjoint from InfoVista mobile management market.