Dell to buy network security products maker SonicWall
14 Mar 2012
Dell Inc, the world's third-largest personal computer maker yesterday agreed to buy network security products maker SonicWall, set up in 1991 by two brothers of Indian origin, Sreekanth and Sudhakar Ravi.
The sale comes less than two years after private equity firm Thoma Bravo and Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan took SonicWall private in a $717-million deal in June 2010.
Although financial terms were not disclosed, analysts estimate the purchase price to be between $1 billion and $1.5 billion.
San Jose, California-based SonicWall was set up Sreekanth and Sudhakar Ravi under the name of Sonic Systems. The company later changed its name to SonicWall to match its hit security product branded 'SonicWall' - a dedicated hardware appliance with firewall and VPN software.
SonicWall develops advanced intelligent network security and data protection solutions that adapt as organisations evolve and, along with it, new threats.
SonicWall's solutions are designed to detect and control applications and protect networks from intrusions and malware attacks through hardware, software and virtual appliance-based solutions.
The company has around 300,000 clients, which include small, medium, and large enterprise users in commercial, healthcare, education, and government markets.