Sophos Acquires Dialogs for Mobile Device Management

Sophos, the endpoint security and anti-virus software company, has acquired Dialogs, a cloud-based mobile device management (MDM) company that protects tablets and smartphones, including Apple iPads and iPhones, Google Android, Symbian, Windows and Blackberry devices. The Sophos-Dialogs deal follows Symantec (SYMC) buyouts of Nukona and Odyssey Software for MDM and Mobile Application Management (MAM). The VAR Guy wonders: Is this the start of an MDM feeding frenzy?

Hmmm… Before our resident blogger covers all the MDM merger and acquisition activity, let’s focus on today’s deal — Sophos buying Dialogs, a privately held MDM specialist in Europe.

How Sophos Will Leverage Dialogs MDM

Dialogs’ MDM customers include BMW AG, Daimler AG, Siemens AG and ThyssenKrupp. The company claims to offer 20 years of experience in mobile product management.

Sophos, meanwhile, already offers Sophos Mobile Control — which allows enterprises and channel partners to secure, monitor and control mobile devices.

According to a prepared Sophos statement:

“the combination of Sophos’ encryption and data protection capabilities and DIALOGS’ SaaS-based and on-premises mobile management technology provides a unique value proposition to the market – secure collaboration from everywhere.”

Now here’s the interesting twist: The Dialogs SaaS solution, called smartMan, already is the core of Sophos Mobile Control and will form the basis for MDM and mobile management solutions that will be integrated into the Sophos UTM-based (Unified Threat Management) suite, Sophos indicated.

The Bigger Picture

Channel-centric security software companies are evolving rapidly. In recent weeks, Symantec and Kaspersky Lab have both announced changes to their respective channel leadership. And most anti-virtus and endpoint security software companies seem to be in acquisition mode, scouring the market for MDM and MAM platforms that can plug into their existing software.