Trend Micro Launches Hybrid SaaS E-Mail Security
Trend Micro today launches the new version of the InterScan Messaging Security Virtual Appliance (IMSVA), now a hybrid on-premises/cloud-based solution. And it may have the pleasant side-effect of opening up opportunities to sell managed services. Here’s the scoop.
The basic idea behind IMSVA v8, according to Trend Micro Global Product Marketing Manager Magi Diego, is simply to stop incoming messages in the cloud and scan them for spam and malware while doing the same for outgoing messages on-premises. The former is designed to keep local networks clear and clean, and the latter is to make sure you don’t unknowingly propagate malware.
To that end, Diego says IMSVA now has a web reputation-based spam filtering technology at its heart: the scanner will actually open URLs contained in messages to make sure it doesn’t go somewhere known to be a place end-users shouldn’t go.
The on-premises aspect comes in the form of a VMware-powered virtual appliance, meaning services providers can sell installation and provisioning to their customers in addition to the recurring revenue that can come from subscriptions to the cloud service itself, Magi says. Hybrid solutions mean hybrid revenue models.
John Maddison, VP at Trend Micro, says this move is designed explicitly for their channel partners – the only way their products make it to market is with MSPs and VARs, and he says Trend Micro is invested in keeping them happy.
Trend Micro renamed the product formerly known as InterScan Messaging in favor of the Hosted Email Security brand back in March 2010. It’s interesting to see them revive the InterScan brand for a hybrid solution.
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Why does a SaaS solution need a “hybrid” model with an on-premise install? You’re back to where you began with software updates and maintenance (with all the costs involved in that) being required on-site.
Is there a good reason why Trend (and others) don’t use their cloud infrastructure to do outbound filtering?
MailGuard have absolutely no on-site software to install (and maintain) as we do all the filtering in the cloud: both in and outbound.
Plus we don’t need a crazy acronym or product name for outbound filtering as we do not consider it to be an extra service. Mail filtering should be both directions by default.
Cheers!
Rick Measham
Director of Product Development, MailGuard
Rick: Trend Micro’s stance is that the on-premise component means their solution can better fit into organizations with strict compliance policies. But you have an interesting point – if you’d like to tell us more about MailGuard, feel free to drop me a line at matt [at] ninelivesmediainc.com.