Messaging News™ — December 2007 — In the world of information technology, standalone
products tend to devolve over time, eventually collapsing
into applications running on some other device.
A myriad of examples range from dedicated word
processors, to GPS tracking devices, and now to cell
phones—all formerly introduced to the marketplace as
individual gadgets, but over time morphed into applications
running on some other platform.
This metamorphosis is what I call a Product Illusion.
Today, this phenomenon is occurring in the message
security space, specifically with regard to Content
Monitoring/Data Leak Prevention (CM/DLP). In the
past few years, DLP products have been the must-have
solution to help enterprises eliminate the dissemination
of potentially damaging information. Larger companies
have recently snapped up several companies
in the space (Symantec Corporation’s acquisition of
Vontu, Inc. for example) because the acquirer sees DLP
as being part of a bigger secure messaging solution. It
shouldn’t take long for the DLP product to take on the
characteristics of an application that becomes incorporated
onto some other common foundation.
Enter the "Message Processor"
A message processor is basically a platform designed
to handle and manage high volumes of messages using
a common policy framework that controls a virtually
unlimited number of filters, or policies. Message processors
are intended to incorporate multiple inbound
and outbound messaging applications, which then allow
customers to build scalable, customized solutions
for their particular set of requirements. In this view of the world, a DLP application becomes an important
addition to a messaging framework, no more or less
valuable than encryption or any other compliancemandated
solution.
Historically, message gateways were adept at (SMTP)
email routing and policy enforcement, but fell short
when it came to other modalities (IM, Webmail, FTP)
and endpoint management. While newly funded companies
came into the market to fill these gaps with
stand-alone products, the integration and management
of these additional solutions has created new
headaches for already-frustrated IT management. Now
these products become "application layers" that can
be easily added to a message processing system. As this happens, enterprises will be able to reap all the
technology benefits from these innovative solutions,
while decreasing the cost and complexity of maintaining
their data centers.
As a life-long student of history, I am always amazed
at how history repeats itself. It was only a few years
ago that we could spend several thousand dollars to
get a proprietary navigation system in a luxury automobile.
Today you can get a GPS navigation system
for US$9.95 a month that runs on your PDA. Products
are going to continue to turn into applications that run
on more powerful multi-use platforms that give the
customer more flexibility, choice and cost-savings than
ever before. And when that happens, we all win.
DM/TMP
About Donald Massaro
As president and CEO of Sendmail, Inc., Donald Massaro is responsible for strategic
planning and execution, and corporate leadership to establish Sendmail as a market
leader in the emerging content security market. He has more than 30 years of success
building and managing both public and privately held technology companies.
Previously, he held the position of CEO and co-founder at Reconnex Corporation, a
provider of content-monitoring security appliances. Prior to Reconnex Corporation,
Massaro was the founder and CEO of Shugart Associates, acquired by Xerox in 1977.
Massaro holds a Bachelor of Science degree in aeronautical engineering from the
University of Notre Dame and a Master of Science degree in mechanical engineering
from Northwestern University. In addition, Massaro was a PhD engineering candidate
at the University of California at Berkeley.
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