Proofpoint Inc., a provider of e-mail and data security solutions, reportedly posted its highest-ever revenues during the first quarter of 2009, a feat the company attributed to growing demand for its Software-as-a-Service solutions. The growth has also been marked by customers switching in favor of the company’s e-mail security products from their legacy products, according to the company.
Highlights included Proofpoint’s largest e-mail archiving transaction to date, executed for a Global 100 pharmaceutical company with 100,000 employees. The quarter also saw a switch in security providers from a Fortune 500 company, who opted for Proofpoint’s flagship SaaS (News - Alert) solution, Proofpoint on Demand-Enterprise to Google’s Postini. Also, a Fortune 1000 company chose the Proofpoint (News - Alert) Messaging Security Gateway over its legacy Iron Mail from Secure Computing.
Proofpoint Shield is an SaaS product that was introduced during the quarter. It provides users the benefit of its cloud computing-based e-mail filtering technology.
“As in the previous quarter, SaaS solutions were the fastest-growing part of Proofpoint’s business in Q1 2009. Global enterprises challenged by the current economic environment are looking to substantially reduce costs and greatly simplify their IT infrastructures,” said Gary Steele, chief executive officer of Proofpoint. “Cloud computing-based solutions like Proofpoint on Demand and Proofpoint E-mail Archiving can easily save organizations 40 percent or more versus an on-premises approach. And hybrid solutions like Proofpoint Shield let enterprises benefit from e-mail security in the cloud while maximizing their existing investments in on-premises e-mail security appliances.”
The industries served by Proofpoint include the world’s best known companies in financial services, healthcare, pharmaceutical, telecommunications and media brands. Customers renewing subscriptions for Proofpoint products has caused the renewal rate to remain as high as 98 percent.
To take its data loss prevention and e-mail security and archiving solutions to the Japanese markets, Proofpoint entered into a distribution agreement through its Japanese subsidiary with Net World Corporation, a leading distributor in the region. In the Asia Pacific region, a leading ISP has standardized on Proofpoint Messaging Security Gateway (News - Alert) appliances, resulting in the demand for the same. To improve its position in the international market, it has entered into a global partnership with California-based Blue Coat Systems.
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Shireen Dee is a contributing editor for TMCnet. To read more of Shireen's articles, please visit her columnist page.
Edited by Michael Dinan
