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Windstream, RingCentral, Symantec Go Big with M&A
The news didn't slow down heading into the winter break.
A flurry of consolidation in the channel during December kept the holidays interesting for partners.
The news includes various industries and various intentions.
In most cases businesses are filling gaps in their portfolios. ForeScout enhanced its IoT security solutions by acquiring a device visibility provider, and Oracle bought a pure-play SD-WAN vendor to optimize its business communications unit.
Other moves narrow a company’s focus. Windstream in particular made two deals that shift fiber assets into new hands.
And in some cases the news is only speculation. Reports indicated that a private-equity firm was considering the purchase of two different security vendors.
Scroll through the gallery to see for yourself what’s transpired in the channel over the last two months.
Missed the previous M&A gallery? Check out the September-October edition.
Windstream
Windstream sold its Minnesota fiber assets to a local telecommunications provider.
The $49.5 million transaction gives the assets to Arvig Enterprises, which will also buy $11 million worth of Windstream fiber assets in Nebraska. Windstream plans to form a fiber-network relationship with Arvig in order to continue selling products and services in Minnesota and Nebraska.
Learn why Windstream decided on the two transactions.
Windstream sold its Minnesota fiber assets to a local telecommunications provider.
The $49.5 million transaction gives the assets to Arvig Enterprises, which will also buy $11 million worth of Windstream fiber assets in Nebraska. Windstream plans to form a fiber-network relationship with Arvig in order to continue selling products and services in Minnesota and Nebraska.
Learn why Windstream decided on the two transactions.
RingCentral
The UCaaS company's executives fielded questions from partners about its recent acquisition of Dimelo, a cloud-based digital customer engagement platform.
RingCentral is using the purchase to strengthen its marketing focus and its recent expansion into Australia and APAC. The vendor's chief operating officer said Dimelo is focused mostly on Europe, creating an opportunity to go global.
Read more about RingCentral's strategy.
The UCaaS company's executives fielded questions from partners about its recent acquisition of Dimelo, a cloud-based digital customer engagement platform.
RingCentral is using the purchase to strengthen its marketing focus and its recent expansion into Australia and APAC. The vendor's chief operating officer said Dimelo is focused mostly on Europe, creating an opportunity to go global.
Read more about RingCentral's strategy.
Oracle-Talari
Oracle Corp. announced to buy Talari Networks in the biggest SD-WAN transaction of the year.
Oracle’s plans to upgrade its network management and session-border controller offerings with the connectivity and versatile “cloud application access” of Talari’s SD-WAN solution. Talari will join Oracle’s Global Communications unit, and one Talari executive told us that Oracle respects Talari’s standing in the traditional VAR and agent channels.
Read about the news and check out additional analysis of the deal.
Oracle Corp. announced to buy Talari Networks in the biggest SD-WAN transaction of the year.
Oracle’s plans to upgrade its network management and session-border controller offerings with the connectivity and versatile “cloud application access” of Talari’s SD-WAN solution. Talari will join Oracle’s Global Communications unit, and one Talari executive told us that Oracle respects Talari’s standing in the traditional VAR and agent channels.
Read about the news and check out additional analysis of the deal.
Symantec
Symantec bought Appthority and Javelin Networks to bring their technology into its Integrated Cyber Defense platform.
Appthority's mobile application security analysis helps Symantec customers analyze mobile apps for both malicious capabilities, and unsafe and unwanted behaviors. Javelin offers advanced software technology to defend enterprises against active directory-based attacks.
A later report suggested that private equity firm Thoma Bravo might buy Symantec, but it was not confirmed.
Learn more about why Symantec bought the two companies.
Symantec bought Appthority and Javelin Networks to bring their technology into its Integrated Cyber Defense platform.
Appthority's mobile application security analysis helps Symantec customers analyze mobile apps for both malicious capabilities, and unsafe and unwanted behaviors. Javelin offers advanced software technology to defend enterprises against active directory-based attacks.
A later report suggested that private equity firm Thoma Bravo might buy Symantec, but it was not confirmed.
Learn more about why Symantec bought the two companies.
ConvergeOne
Private equity firm CVC Capital Partners is acquiring IT and managed services provider ConvergeOne in an all-cash transaction valued at $1.8 billion.
Expect the deal to close soon. ConvergeOne will maintain its corporate headquarters in Eagan, Minnesota, and retain its executive team.
Get details on the purchase.
Private equity firm CVC Capital Partners is acquiring IT and managed services provider ConvergeOne in an all-cash transaction valued at $1.8 billion.
Expect the deal to close soon. ConvergeOne will maintain its corporate headquarters in Eagan, Minnesota, and retain its executive team.
Get details on the purchase.
ForeScout
IoT security provider ForeScout Technologies bought SecurityMatters, which provides operational technology (OT) network protection.
ForeScout said the acquisition will bolster its “global leadership position in agentless device visibility and control across the extended enterprise with expanded capabilities and advanced features to secure OT and industrial environments.”
The deal is about $113 million in cash and is ForeScout's first acquisition since becoming a public company last fall.
Learn more from Edward Gately's article.
IoT security provider ForeScout Technologies bought SecurityMatters, which provides operational technology (OT) network protection.
ForeScout said the acquisition will bolster its “global leadership position in agentless device visibility and control across the extended enterprise with expanded capabilities and advanced features to secure OT and industrial environments.”
The deal is about $113 million in cash and is ForeScout's first acquisition since becoming a public company last fall.
Learn more from Edward Gately's article.
HPE
Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) is buying BlueData, a provider of artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and big-data software.
HPE plans to add BlueData’s software to its Apollo Systems and professional services. The acquisition will augment HPE’s data-first strategy, enabling customers to gain actionable insights from their increasing volumes of data.
Read about the host of new capabilities BlueData brings.
Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) is buying BlueData, a provider of artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and big-data software.
HPE plans to add BlueData’s software to its Apollo Systems and professional services. The acquisition will augment HPE’s data-first strategy, enabling customers to gain actionable insights from their increasing volumes of data.
Read about the host of new capabilities BlueData brings.
Netwrix
The relationship between cybersecurity firm Netwrix and management software provider Concept Searching has gone from partnership to family.
Netwrix purchased Concept Searching for an undisclosed amount to enhance its customers’ contextual awareness into sensitive structured and unstructured data, both on premises and in the cloud. The companies said Concept Searching will continue to support its current clients and offerings.
Read about the news.
The relationship between cybersecurity firm Netwrix and management software provider Concept Searching has gone from partnership to family.
Netwrix purchased Concept Searching for an undisclosed amount to enhance its customers’ contextual awareness into sensitive structured and unstructured data, both on premises and in the cloud. The companies said Concept Searching will continue to support its current clients and offerings.
Read about the news.
ConnectWise
ConnectWise acquired MSSP Sienna Group as the first step in its effort to lead MSPs into cybersecurity.
Sienna Group’s portfolio includes managed data-security services, governance, risk and compliance assessments, sensitive data discovery and classification, and security awareness training. ConnectWise said the new capabilities and expertise let partners assess their own business’ cyber vulnerabilities and learn how to better protect themselves from liability when their customers are targeted by cybercriminals.
We asked analysts what they thought about the acquisition.
ConnectWise acquired MSSP Sienna Group as the first step in its effort to lead MSPs into cybersecurity.
Sienna Group’s portfolio includes managed data-security services, governance, risk and compliance assessments, sensitive data discovery and classification, and security awareness training. ConnectWise said the new capabilities and expertise let partners assess their own business’ cyber vulnerabilities and learn how to better protect themselves from liability when their customers are targeted by cybercriminals.
We asked analysts what they thought about the acquisition.
Neustar
It's uncertain how Neustar's acquisition of TrustID will impact both companies' channel partners.
Neustar is an information services provider and TrustID delivers caller-authentication and fraud-prevention systems for contact centers. Neustar said the acquisition enhances its risk portfolio by adding more inbound call-engagement services to its outbound call-engagement products and solutions.
Get details on the deal.
It's uncertain how Neustar's acquisition of TrustID will impact both companies' channel partners.
Neustar is an information services provider and TrustID delivers caller-authentication and fraud-prevention systems for contact centers. Neustar said the acquisition enhances its risk portfolio by adding more inbound call-engagement services to its outbound call-engagement products and solutions.
Get details on the deal.
Arctic Wolf
Security operations center (SOC)-as-a-service provider Arctic Wolf Networks is buying RootSecure to utilize its advanced cybersecurity risk assessment.
The buyer said the acquisition helps midmarket enterprises better assess and manage their cybersecurity risk in addition to leveraging its AWN CyberSOC service to detect and respond to cybersecurity threats. RootSecure provides risk-based vulnerability assessment offerings that continuously probe networks, discover connected devices and test an organization’s social engineering resilience.
Edward Gately has the story.
Security operations center (SOC)-as-a-service provider Arctic Wolf Networks is buying RootSecure to utilize its advanced cybersecurity risk assessment.
The buyer said the acquisition helps midmarket enterprises better assess and manage their cybersecurity risk in addition to leveraging its AWN CyberSOC service to detect and respond to cybersecurity threats. RootSecure provides risk-based vulnerability assessment offerings that continuously probe networks, discover connected devices and test an organization’s social engineering resilience.
Edward Gately has the story.
Kore
Global IoT provider Kore is buying Aspider-NGI, a Netherlands-based provider of advanced connectivity, core network and eSIM offerings.
The acquisition allows Kore to deliver managed connectivity services and solutions to customers and expand global deployment of eSIM IoT capabilities. Edward Gately wrote that Kore is customizing offerings for specific industries like health care, logistics and industrial.
Read the rest of the story.
Global IoT provider Kore is buying Aspider-NGI, a Netherlands-based provider of advanced connectivity, core network and eSIM offerings.
The acquisition allows Kore to deliver managed connectivity services and solutions to customers and expand global deployment of eSIM IoT capabilities. Edward Gately wrote that Kore is customizing offerings for specific industries like health care, logistics and industrial.
Read the rest of the story.
McAfee
We already mentioned a rumor about Thoma Bravo buying a security firm. Well, here's another.
Reuters reported that the private equity firm might be interested in buying McAfee from Intel and TPG Capital, which own the vendor. Intel paid $7.7 billion for McAfee in 2011 and two years ago completed the sale of a 51 percent stake in the company to TPG.
Multiple analysts weighed in on the possibility.
We already mentioned a rumor about Thoma Bravo buying a security firm. Well, here's another.
Reuters reported that the private equity firm might be interested in buying McAfee from Intel and TPG Capital, which own the vendor. Intel paid $7.7 billion for McAfee in 2011 and two years ago completed the sale of a 51 percent stake in the company to TPG.
Multiple analysts weighed in on the possibility.
