Barracuda Networks
Encyclopedia
Barracuda Networks, Inc. is a privately held company providing security
, networking and storage
solutions based on appliances
and cloud services. The company’s security products include solutions for protection against email
, web
surfing, web hackers
and instant messaging
threats such as spam
, spyware
, trojans
, and viruses
. The company's networking and storage solutions include web filtering, load balancing
, application delivery controllers
, message archiving, NG firewalls, backup
services and data
protection.
Barracuda Networks was established in 2003 and introduced the Barracuda Spam and Virus Firewall. In 2007 the company moved its headquarters to Campbell, California
, and opened an office in Ann Arbor, Michigan
.
In January 2006, it closed its first outside investment of $40 million from Sequoia Capital
and Francisco Partners
. Sequoia Capital
had previously provided financing to Cisco Systems
, Google
, Netscreen, and Yahoo!
.
On January 29, 2008, Barracuda Networks was sued by Trend Micro
over their use of the open source
anti-virus software Clam AntiVirus
, which Trend Micro claimed to be in violation of their patent on 'anti-virus detection on an SMTP or FTP gateway'. In addition to providing samples of prior art
in an effort to render Trend Micro's patent invalid, in July 2008 Barracuda launched a countersuit against Trend Micro claiming Trend Micro violated several antivirus patents Barracuda Networks had acquired from IBM
.
In December 2008, the company launched the BRBL (Barracuda Reputation Block List), its proprietary and dynamic list of known spam servers, for free and public use in blocking spam at the gateway.
Soon after opening BRBL many IP addresses got blacklisted without apparent reason and without any technical explanation.
As of October 2009, Barracuda had over 85,000 customers. As of November, 2011, Barracuda had more than 130,000 customers.
to secure and manage enterprise web applications.
In November 2008, Barracuda Networks expanded into cloud-based backup services by acquiring BitLeap.
In November 2008, Barracuda Networks acquired 3SP, allowing the company to introduce Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) Virtual Private Network
(VPN) products to perform malware scans on files uploaded during a VPN session to network file shares or internal Web sites.
In January 2009, Barracuda Networks acquired Yosemite Technologies to add software agents for incremental backups of applications such as Microsoft Exchange Server
and SQL Server
, and Windows system states.
September 2009, Barracuda Networks acquired controlling interest in phion AG, an Austria-based public company delivering enterprise-class firewalls.
In October 2009, Barracuda Networks acquired Purewire Inc, a software as a service
(SaaS) company offering cloud based web filtering and security.
Computer security
Computer security is a branch of computer technology known as information security as applied to computers and networks. The objective of computer security includes protection of information and property from theft, corruption, or natural disaster, while allowing the information and property to...
, networking and storage
Remote backup service
A remote, online, or managed backup service is a service that provides users with a system for the backup and storage of computer files. Online backup providers are companies that provide this type of service to end users ....
solutions based on appliances
Computer appliance
A computer appliance is generally a separate and discrete hardware device with integrated software , specifically designed to provide a specific computing resource. These devices became known as "appliances" because of their similarity to home appliances, which are generally "closed and sealed" –...
and cloud services. The company’s security products include solutions for protection against email
Email
Electronic mail, commonly known as email or e-mail, is a method of exchanging digital messages from an author to one or more recipients. Modern email operates across the Internet or other computer networks. Some early email systems required that the author and the recipient both be online at the...
, web
World Wide Web
The World Wide Web is a system of interlinked hypertext documents accessed via the Internet...
surfing, web hackers
Hacker (computer security)
In computer security and everyday language, a hacker is someone who breaks into computers and computer networks. Hackers may be motivated by a multitude of reasons, including profit, protest, or because of the challenge...
and instant messaging
Instant messaging
Instant Messaging is a form of real-time direct text-based chatting communication in push mode between two or more people using personal computers or other devices, along with shared clients. The user's text is conveyed over a network, such as the Internet...
threats such as spam
Spam (electronic)
Spam is the use of electronic messaging systems to send unsolicited bulk messages indiscriminately...
, spyware
Spyware
Spyware is a type of malware that can be installed on computers, and which collects small pieces of information about users without their knowledge. The presence of spyware is typically hidden from the user, and can be difficult to detect. Typically, spyware is secretly installed on the user's...
, trojans
Trojan horse (computing)
A Trojan horse, or Trojan, is software that appears to perform a desirable function for the user prior to run or install, but steals information or harms the system. The term is derived from the Trojan Horse story in Greek mythology.-Malware:A destructive program that masquerades as a benign...
, and viruses
Computer virus
A computer virus is a computer program that can replicate itself and spread from one computer to another. The term "virus" is also commonly but erroneously used to refer to other types of malware, including but not limited to adware and spyware programs that do not have the reproductive ability...
. The company's networking and storage solutions include web filtering, load balancing
Load balancing (computing)
Load balancing is a computer networking methodology to distribute workload across multiple computers or a computer cluster, network links, central processing units, disk drives, or other resources, to achieve optimal resource utilization, maximize throughput, minimize response time, and avoid...
, application delivery controllers
Controller (computing)
In computing and especially in computer hardware, controller is a chip, an expansion card, or a stand-alone device that interfaces with a peripheral device...
, message archiving, NG firewalls, backup
Backup
In information technology, a backup or the process of backing up is making copies of data which may be used to restore the original after a data loss event. The verb form is back up in two words, whereas the noun is backup....
services and data
Data
The term data refers to qualitative or quantitative attributes of a variable or set of variables. Data are typically the results of measurements and can be the basis of graphs, images, or observations of a set of variables. Data are often viewed as the lowest level of abstraction from which...
protection.
Barracuda Networks was established in 2003 and introduced the Barracuda Spam and Virus Firewall. In 2007 the company moved its headquarters to Campbell, California
Campbell, California
Campbell is a city in Santa Clara County, California, a suburb of San Jose, and part of Silicon Valley, in the San Francisco Bay Area. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, Campbell's population is 39,349...
, and opened an office in Ann Arbor, Michigan
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Ann Arbor is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Washtenaw County. The 2010 census places the population at 113,934, making it the sixth largest city in Michigan. The Ann Arbor Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 344,791 as of 2010...
.
In January 2006, it closed its first outside investment of $40 million from Sequoia Capital
Sequoia Capital
Sequoia Capital is a Californian venture capital firm located on Sand Hill Road in Menlo Park, California. The Wall Street Journal has called Sequoia Capital "one of the highest-caliber venture firms", and noted that it is "one of Silicon Valley's most influential venture-capital firms"...
and Francisco Partners
Francisco Partners
Francisco Partners is a private equity firm focusing on structured investments in the information technology sector.Francisco Partners Management LLC was founded in August 1999 and is headquartered in San Francisco and maintains an additional office in London, United Kingdom...
. Sequoia Capital
Sequoia Capital
Sequoia Capital is a Californian venture capital firm located on Sand Hill Road in Menlo Park, California. The Wall Street Journal has called Sequoia Capital "one of the highest-caliber venture firms", and noted that it is "one of Silicon Valley's most influential venture-capital firms"...
had previously provided financing to Cisco Systems
Cisco Systems
Cisco Systems, Inc. is an American multinational corporation headquartered in San Jose, California, United States, that designs and sells consumer electronics, networking, voice, and communications technology and services. Cisco has more than 70,000 employees and annual revenue of US$...
Google
Google Inc. is an American multinational public corporation invested in Internet search, cloud computing, and advertising technologies. Google hosts and develops a number of Internet-based services and products, and generates profit primarily from advertising through its AdWords program...
, Netscreen, and Yahoo!
Yahoo!
Yahoo! Inc. is an American multinational internet corporation headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, United States. The company is perhaps best known for its web portal, search engine , Yahoo! Directory, Yahoo! Mail, Yahoo! News, Yahoo! Groups, Yahoo! Answers, advertising, online mapping ,...
.
On January 29, 2008, Barracuda Networks was sued by Trend Micro
Trend Micro
Trend Micro Inc. is a computer security company. It is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan and markets Trend Micro Internet Security, Trend Micro Worry-Free Business Security, OfficeScan, and other related security products and services...
over their use of the open source
Open source
The term open source describes practices in production and development that promote access to the end product's source materials. Some consider open source a philosophy, others consider it a pragmatic methodology...
anti-virus software Clam AntiVirus
Clam AntiVirus
Clam AntiVirus is a free, cross-platform antivirus software tool-kit able to detect many types of malicious software, including viruses. One of its main uses is on mail servers as a server-side email virus scanner. The application was developed for Unix and has third party versions available for...
, which Trend Micro claimed to be in violation of their patent on 'anti-virus detection on an SMTP or FTP gateway'. In addition to providing samples of prior art
Prior art
Prior art , in most systems of patent law, constitutes all information that has been made available to the public in any form before a given date that might be relevant to a patent's claims of originality...
in an effort to render Trend Micro's patent invalid, in July 2008 Barracuda launched a countersuit against Trend Micro claiming Trend Micro violated several antivirus patents Barracuda Networks had acquired from IBM
IBM
International Business Machines Corporation or IBM is an American multinational technology and consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York, United States. IBM manufactures and sells computer hardware and software, and it offers infrastructure, hosting and consulting services in areas...
.
In December 2008, the company launched the BRBL (Barracuda Reputation Block List), its proprietary and dynamic list of known spam servers, for free and public use in blocking spam at the gateway.
Soon after opening BRBL many IP addresses got blacklisted without apparent reason and without any technical explanation.
As of October 2009, Barracuda had over 85,000 customers. As of November, 2011, Barracuda had more than 130,000 customers.
Products
- Spam and virus firewall - In October 2003, Barracuda announced its spamSpam (electronic)Spam is the use of electronic messaging systems to send unsolicited bulk messages indiscriminately...
and virusComputer virusA computer virus is a computer program that can replicate itself and spread from one computer to another. The term "virus" is also commonly but erroneously used to refer to other types of malware, including but not limited to adware and spyware programs that do not have the reproductive ability...
firewall plug-in appliance. In June 2008, Barracuda launched a spam and virus firewall for large enterprises and ISPs. - Web filter - In April 2005, the company introduced its web filtering appliance to prevent spyware and viruses from gathering and transmitting user data, and to control web surfing.
- IM Firewall - Launched in September 2005 to protect and archive instant messagingInstant messagingInstant Messaging is a form of real-time direct text-based chatting communication in push mode between two or more people using personal computers or other devices, along with shared clients. The user's text is conveyed over a network, such as the Internet...
content. - Load balancer - In November 2006, the company introduced a load balancingLoad balancing (computing)Load balancing is a computer networking methodology to distribute workload across multiple computers or a computer cluster, network links, central processing units, disk drives, or other resources, to achieve optimal resource utilization, maximize throughput, minimize response time, and avoid...
appliance for high availability distribution of network traffic across multiple servers. - Message archiver - In July 2007, the company introduced message archivingE-mail archivingEmail archiving is a stand-alone IT application that integrates with an enterprise email server, such as Microsoft Exchange or Lotus Domino. In addition to simply accumulating email messages, these applications index and provide quick, searchable access to archived messages independent of the users...
to index and preserve emails, and to meet legal and regulatory compliance. - SSL VPN - In November, 2008, the company launched its secure sockets layerTransport Layer SecurityTransport Layer Security and its predecessor, Secure Sockets Layer , are cryptographic protocols that provide communication security over the Internet...
virtual private networkVirtual private networkA virtual private network is a network that uses primarily public telecommunication infrastructure, such as the Internet, to provide remote offices or traveling users access to a central organizational network....
product to provide secure, clientless, remote access. - Web Application Firewall - Announced in February 2008, for securing Web applications for large enterprises and to address regulation compliance such as PCI DSSPCI DSSThe Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard is an information security standard for organizations that handle cardholder information for the major debit, credit, prepaid, e-purse, ATM, and POS cards....
. - Link Balancer - Announced in September 2008, to optimize and aggregate internet connections from different providers.
- Backup services - In November 2008, the company announced a service to back up data in the cloud, including on-site backup with data deduplicationData deduplicationIn computing, data deduplication is a specialized data compression technique for eliminating coarse-grained redundant data. The technique is used to improve storage utilization and can also be applied to network data transfers to reduce the number of bytes that must be sent across a link...
and off-site data replication for disaster recoveryDisaster recoveryDisaster recovery is the process, policies and procedures related to preparing for recovery or continuation of technology infrastructure critical to an organization after a natural or human-induced disaster. Disaster recovery is a subset of business continuity...
. In January 2009, Barracuda added message-level backup for Microsoft ExchangeMicrosoft Exchange ServerMicrosoft Exchange Server is the server side of a client–server, collaborative application product developed by Microsoft. It is part of the Microsoft Servers line of server products and is used by enterprises using Microsoft infrastructure products...
and Novell GroupWiseNovell GroupWiseGroupWise is a messaging and collaborative software platform from Novell that supports email, calendaring, personal information management, instant messaging, and document management. The platform consists of the client software, which is available for Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux, and the server...
, integrating Barracuda Backup Service with Yosemite Backup, formerly TapewareTapewareTapeware is an automatic Backup program from Yosemite Technologies Inc. software vendor. Tapeware was discontinued at the end of 2006 and replaced by Yosemite's new Product: Yosemite Backup....
. - Purewire Web Security Service - In October 2009, in conjunction with its acquisition of PurewirePurewirePurewire, launched in November 2007, provides an in-the-cloud security service for web traffic. Its services block malware and secure the use of the Web. The Purewire management team includes former employees of CipherTrust, which was acquired by Secure Computing and IBM Internet Security Systems...
, Barracuda Networks launched the Purewire Web Security Service which is a software as a serviceSoftware as a ServiceSoftware as a service , sometimes referred to as "on-demand software," is a software delivery model in which software and its associated data are hosted centrally and are typically accessed by users using a thin client, normally using a web browser over the Internet.SaaS has become a common...
offering for Web filtering, content security, and safe webWorld Wide WebThe World Wide Web is a system of interlinked hypertext documents accessed via the Internet...
surfing. - NG Firewall - In February 2010, Barracuda announced its NG Firewalls to protect enterprise network infrastructures. The firewalls integrate web and email filtering, intrusion prevention, layer 7 application profiling, and network access controlNetwork Access ControlNetwork Access Control is an approach to computer network security that attempts to unify endpoint security technology , user or system authentication and network security enforcement.-Background:Network Access Control is a computer networking solution that uses a set of protocols to define and...
into one platform that is centrally managed across multiple distributed enterprise network locations. NG Firewalls are available both as hardware or as a virtual applianceVirtual applianceA virtual appliance is a virtual machine image designed to run on a virtualization platform ....
and include wide area networkWide area networkA wide area network is a telecommunication network that covers a broad area . Business and government entities utilize WANs to relay data among employees, clients, buyers, and suppliers from various geographical locations...
traffic optimization. - CudaTel Communication Server (PBX) - in August 2010, Barracuda announced the release of CudaTel, a VOIP Private branch exchange designed for IT administrators. CudaTel features FreeSWITCHFreeswitchFreeSWITCH is a free and open source communications software for the creation of voice and messaging products. It is licensed under the Mozilla Public License , a free software license...
, a open-source project sponsored by Barracuda Networks.
Acquisitions
In September 2007, Barracuda Networks acquired NetContinuum, a company providing application controllersApplication delivery controller
An application delivery controller is a network device in the datacenter that helps perform common tasks done by web sites in an effort to remove load from the web servers themselves. Many also provide load balancing. They usually sit between the firewall/router and the web farm. The ADC is in...
to secure and manage enterprise web applications.
In November 2008, Barracuda Networks expanded into cloud-based backup services by acquiring BitLeap.
In November 2008, Barracuda Networks acquired 3SP, allowing the company to introduce Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) Virtual Private Network
Virtual private network
A virtual private network is a network that uses primarily public telecommunication infrastructure, such as the Internet, to provide remote offices or traveling users access to a central organizational network....
(VPN) products to perform malware scans on files uploaded during a VPN session to network file shares or internal Web sites.
In January 2009, Barracuda Networks acquired Yosemite Technologies to add software agents for incremental backups of applications such as Microsoft Exchange Server
Microsoft Exchange Server
Microsoft Exchange Server is the server side of a client–server, collaborative application product developed by Microsoft. It is part of the Microsoft Servers line of server products and is used by enterprises using Microsoft infrastructure products...
and SQL Server
Microsoft SQL Server
Microsoft SQL Server is a relational database server, developed by Microsoft: It is a software product whose primary function is to store and retrieve data as requested by other software applications, be it those on the same computer or those running on another computer across a network...
, and Windows system states.
September 2009, Barracuda Networks acquired controlling interest in phion AG, an Austria-based public company delivering enterprise-class firewalls.
In October 2009, Barracuda Networks acquired Purewire Inc, a software as a service
Software as a Service
Software as a service , sometimes referred to as "on-demand software," is a software delivery model in which software and its associated data are hosted centrally and are typically accessed by users using a thin client, normally using a web browser over the Internet.SaaS has become a common...
(SaaS) company offering cloud based web filtering and security.