Company is in good shape for next phase Early this morning, I received a press release announcing that Blue Coat Systems was being acquired by private equity firm Thoma Bravo for approximately $1.3 billion. This news didn’t surprise me. Blue Coat recently posted good quarterly revenue numbers and all indications are that its financial and operational woes were in the past. In addition to its financial progress, I believe that Blue Coat is positioned for strong growth over the next few years because:1. It has the right stuff for web security. Blue Coat is a leader here and offers a potpourri of consumption models. You can install ProxySG on your network, go with WebPulse cloud services, or combine the two into a killer hybrid offering. Web security has become a “gotta have” security defense so Blue Coat is well positioned.2. WAN optimization is changing. Yes I know that Riverbed owns WAN optimization but new use cases for video applications and cloud/SaaS connectivity could transform this market. Changing markets and product requirements tend to open doors for alternative vendors and products. 3. Network monitoring is in high demand. As enterprises struggle to understand network usage and traffic patterns, they need better tools for data collection, analysis, and reporting. Packeteer has always been a player here.4. Large organizations are looking for integrated solutions. Blue Coat is already moving in this direction by layering security and visibility into everything it does.I’m not sure what Thoma Bravo plans for Blue Coat but the company already plays in a number of strong markets and offers good products. With the right management and investments, this acquisition should lead to a successful outcome. Related content analysis 5 things security pros want from XDR platforms New research shows that while extended detection and response (XDR) remains a nebulous topic, security pros know what they want from an XDR platform. By Jon Oltsik Jul 07, 2022 3 mins Intrusion Detection Software Incident Response opinion Bye-bye best-of-breed? ESG research finds that organizations are increasingly integrating security technologies and purchasing multi-product security platforms, changing the industry in the process. By Jon Oltsik Jun 14, 2022 4 mins Security Software opinion SOC modernization: 8 key considerations Organizations need SOC transformation for security efficacy and operational efficiency. Technology vendors should come to this year’s RSA Conference with clear messages and plans, not industry hyperbole. By Jon Oltsik Apr 27, 2022 6 mins RSA Conference Security Operations Center opinion 5 ways to improve security hygiene and posture management Security professionals suggest continuous controls validation, process automation, and integrating security and IT technologies. By Jon Oltsik Apr 05, 2022 4 mins Security Practices Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe